Reading guide
The chain returns, now carrying ethical weight
The same element-perception-thought-desire-passion-search structure from Nānattavagga reappears here unchanged in form, but its content is no longer neutral sense experience — it's sensuality, malice, and cruelty, or their opposites.
Six chains, not one, sharing a single shape
Sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts each run the chain once; renunciation, good will, and harmlessness each run it a second time in the same order, giving six parallel chains total within one discourse.
A chain that ends in conduct, not just search
Unlike Nānattavagga's chains, which stopped at search or gain, this discourse's chains continue one step further, to how a person actually behaves by body, speech, and mind once the search is underway.
One simile, two outcomes
The burning torch dropped in dry grass appears twice, identically staged but oppositely resolved — put out quickly or left to spread — making vivid what the abstract chain describes: how fast a thought is caught determines what it grows into.
“For a reason, not without reason”
The discourse's opening and closing frame insists that even troubling or wholesome thoughts don't simply appear from nowhere; each has a specific, traceable element behind it, the same insistence on causal grounding that runs through this entire saṃyutta.
Key terms
The text
§1At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts arise for a reason, not without reason.
§2And how do sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts arise for a reason, not without reason? The element of sensuality gives rise to sensual perceptions. Sensual perceptions give rise to sensual purposes. Sensual purposes give rise to sensual desires. Sensual desires give rise to sensual passions. Sensual passions give rise to searches for sensual pleasures. An unlearned ordinary person on a search for sensual pleasures behaves badly in three ways: by body, speech, and mind.
§3The element of malice gives rise to malicious perceptions. Malicious perceptions give rise to malicious thoughts. … malicious desires … malicious passions … malicious searches … An unlearned ordinary person on a malicious search behaves badly in three ways: by body, speech, and mind.
§4The element of cruelty gives rise to cruel perceptions. Cruel perceptions give rise to cruel purposes. … cruel desires … cruel passions … cruel searches … An unlearned ordinary person on a cruel search behaves badly in three ways: by body, speech, and mind.
§5Suppose a person was to drop a burning torch in a thicket of dry grass. If they don’t quickly extinguish it with their hands and feet, the creatures living in the grass and wood would come to ruin. In the same way, a corrupt perception might arise in an ascetic or brahmin. If they don’t quickly give it up, get rid of it, eliminate it, and obliterate it, they’ll suffer in the present life, with distress, anguish, and fever. And when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect to be reborn in a bad place.
§6Thoughts of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness arise for a reason, not without reason.
§7And how do thoughts of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness arise for a reason, not without reason? The element of renunciation gives rise to perceptions of renunciation. Perceptions of renunciation give rise to thoughts of renunciation. The purpose of renunciation give rise to enthusiasm for renunciation. Enthusiasm for renunciation gives rise to passion for renunciation. Fervor for renunciation gives rise to the search for renunciation. A learned noble disciple on a search for renunciation behaves well in three ways: by body, speech, and mind.
§8The element of good will gives rise to perceptions of good will. Perceptions of good will give rise to thoughts of good will. … enthusiasm for good will … passion for good will … the search for good will. A learned noble disciple on a search for good will behaves well in three ways: by body, speech, and mind.
§9The element of harmlessness gives rise to perceptions of harmlessness. Perceptions of harmlessness give rise to thoughts of harmlessness. … enthusiasm for harmlessness … passion for harmlessness … the search for harmlessness. A learned noble disciple on a search for harmlessness behaves well in three ways: by body, speech, and mind.
§10Suppose a person was to drop a burning torch in a thicket of dry grass. If they were to quickly extinguish it with their hands and feet, the creatures living in the grass and wood wouldn’t come to ruin. In the same way, a corrupt perception might arise in an ascetic or brahmin. If they quickly give it up, get rid of it, eliminate it, and obliterate it, they’ll be happy in the present life, free of distress, anguish, and fever. And when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect to be reborn in a good place.”
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