B Tanhamulaka Sutta

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The Taṇhāmūlaka Sutta (Pāli: Taṇhāmūlaka Sutta, “Rooted in Craving”) is a short discourse found in the Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN 10.62) of the Pāli Canon.

Here’s a summary and key points from the sutta:

Pāli Text Referencej

• Collection: Aṅguttara Nikāya (The Numerical Discourses)
• Book of Tens (Dasaka Nipāta)
• Sutta number: AN 10.62
• Title: Taṇhāmūlaka Sutta — “Rooted in Craving”

Summary of the Sutta

The Buddha explains that all things are rooted in craving (taṇhā) and traces a chain of causation showing how craving gives rise to a cycle of suffering.

He says:

“Bhikkhus, all things are rooted in craving,

come into being through attention,

arise from contact,

converge upon feeling,

are headed by concentration,

are dominated by mindfulness,

have wisdom as their highest,

are surrounded by liberation,

and merge in the Deathless.

Their final end is Nibbāna.”

Explanation of Key Points

• Rooted in craving (taṇhāmūlaka):
  Craving is the fundamental cause of the arising of phenomena in the cycle of existence (saṃsāra).
• Born of attention (manasikārasambhavā):
  What we attend to or focus on gives rise to experience and mental formations.
• Arising from contact (phassasamutthānā):
  Contact between sense bases, objects, and consciousness gives rise to experience.
• Converging upon feeling (vedanāsamosaraṇā):
  All experiences culminate in feeling—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.
• Headed by concentration (samādhippamukhā):
  Concentration leads the mind toward stability and clarity.
• Dominated by mindfulness (satādhipateyyā):
  Mindfulness governs and sustains the process of wholesome mental cultivation.
• Having wisdom as the highest (paññuttarā):
  Wisdom (insight into reality) is the culmination and highest aspect of the path.
• Surrounded by liberation (vimuttiparikkhārā):
  Liberation (freedom from clinging) supports and encompasses these factors.
• Merging in the Deathless (amatogadhā):
  When these are fully developed, they culminate in the Deathless state — Nibbāna.
• Ending in Nibbāna (nibbānapariyosānā):
  The final goal and consummation is the cessation of all suffering.

Interpretation

This sutta gives a compact overview of dependent origination in a positive sense — not as the arising of suffering, but as the progressive refinement of the mind leading to liberation.

It shows how the path unfolds from craving (the starting point of bondage) to Nibbāna (the ending of craving), guided by mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.

Would you like me to provide the Pāli text with English translation side by side?

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NKB 

Two More Children

In 1971 my wife's health deteriorated gradually until one day her condition became serious. I

was worried about her and went to the ashram to tell Baba of my concern. The sun was

setting, and Maharaj was sitting alone in his kuti, facing the window. I bowed to him from

outside the window, went into the room, and sat facing his back on the floor by his takhat.

Some moments passed in silence. Then Baba suddenly turned around and showing two raised

fingers, said, "Two more children are yet to be born." He then became serious and sat quietly

facing the window.

In the mental state I was in at the time, I could not understand him. My wife was at death's

door, and Baba was saying two more children were to be born. It came to my mind that my

wife would not die if two more children were still to be born. Surely she would escape death.

I felt a little more relaxed. I offered pranaam to Baba and went back home. Then I began to

think that my wife was aging and that if she was going to give birth to more babies, she would

not be able to withstand the physical strain. I then thought that the birth of a child was a

matter for joy and wondered why Baba became serious and quiet. I did not have any answer

to this question and it remained a mystery. Gradually my wife recovered.

In September 1973 Maharaj took Mahasamadhi, and in the winter of that very year, my wife

gave birth to twins. Both children had a beautiful appearance, but they were stillborn. It was

then that I understood the meaning of Baba's silence.

-Purnanad Tewari, Kainchi

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An Unexpressed Desire Fulfilled

Shrimati Durga Sah had heard of Baba, as every household in Nainital knew of him by that

time, but she had not found time from her housework to visit him at Hanumangarh. Once,

when Guru Purnima (full moon day dedicated to the worship of the guru) was being

celebrated in Kainchi, she went there in the company of some other women. When they

arrived, puja to Maharaj was being performed. At her first glimpse of Baba, Durga Mai

received so much grace that a wave of bliss passed through her body. She remained sitting

with her eyes closed and felt that she was having the darshan of Hanuman through Baba.

A few months later many of Maharaj's devotees from Nainital were going to Vrindavan to see

him. Durga Mai was keen to go with them but felt unable and helpless due to family

circumstances. She was sad at heart since everyone known to her had left for Vrindavan. In

the meantime a woman who had not gone telephoned Durga Mai's husband and persuaded

him to allow his wife to accompany her to Vrindavan. Durga Mai hurriedly left with the

woman. When she reached the ashram and bowed to Baba in reverence, he said jokingly, "I

had to chant a mantra to call you." She was overwhelmed.

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