Craving Taṃhṅ Sutta (AN 4:199)

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# Right single quote

('â', I am,â there comes to be ),

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('â', I am here,â there comes to be ),

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('â', I am like thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I am otherwiseâ ⦠),

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('â', I am badâ ⦠),

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('â', I am goodâ ⦠),

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('â', I might beâ ⦠),

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('â', I might be hereâ ⦠),

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('â', I might be like thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I might be otherwiseâ ⦠),

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('â', May I beâ ⦠),

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('â', May I be hereâ ⦠),

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('â', May I be like thisâ ⦠),

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('â', May I be otherwiseâ ⦠),

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('â', I will beâ ⦠),

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('â', I will be hereâ ⦠),

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('â', I will be like thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I will be otherwise.â These are the 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is internal. "And which are the 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is external? There being ),

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('â', I am because of this [or: by means of this],â there comes to be ),

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('â', I am here because of this,â there comes to be ),

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('â', I am like this because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I am otherwise because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I am bad because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I am good because of thisâ ⦠),

# Right single quote

('â', I might be because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I might be here because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I might be like this because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I might be otherwise because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', May I be because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', May I be here because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', May I be like this because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', May I be otherwise because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I will be because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I will be here because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I will be like this because of thisâ ⦠),

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('â', I will be otherwise because of this.â These are the 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is external. "Thus there are 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is internal and 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is external. These are called the 36 craving-verbalizations. Thus, with 36 craving-verbalizations of this sort in the past, 36 in the future, and 36 in the present, there are 108 craving-verbalizations. "This, monks, is craving: the ensnarer that has flowed along, spread out, and caught hold, with which this world is smothered & enveloped like a tangled skein, a knotted ball of string, like matted rushes and reeds, and does not go beyond transmigration, beyond the planes of deprivation, woe, & bad destinations." Note 1. Taṃhṅ-vicaritṅni, literally, things evaluated by craving. The past participle here, vicaritṅni, is related to the noun, vicṅra, which is classed as a verbal fabrication, i.e., a necessary precondition for speech (see MN 44). A person devoid of craving would still be able to verbalize, but would not contemplate in the above terms, which are so basic to ordinary thought patterns. See also: DN 15; MN 2; SN 12:20; SN 22:47; AN 6:49; Dhp 339–343; Sn 4:5; Sn 4:9–10 - --> - - - -