A Mass of Suffering

Whatever feeling arises, whether painful or pleasant,

or neither painful nor pleasant,

one does not seek gratification through feeling

or remain attached to it.

 

As one does not do so, craving for feeling ceases.

With the cessation of craving comes cessation of clinging;

with the cessation of clinging, cessation of becoming;

with the cessation of becoming, cessation of birth;

with the cessation of birth, aging and death,

sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease.

Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.

—Buddha Shakyamuni