Ru-Yi Meditation Center
Saṃyutta Nikāya · Discourse 45.173

Grasping

Upādānasutta — Oghavagga

Setting
Continuing directly from SN 45.172
Speakers
The Buddha, addressing the mendicants directly
Form
One sentence, matching this vagga's own established compressed presentation
Length
<1 minute to read
Northern parallel
No individual parallel confirmed by this project's own check
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — short, in this vagga's own established rhythm

Why this discourse

The four kinds of grasping — at sensual pleasures, views, precepts and observances, and theories of a self — form one of the canon's own most frequently repeated doctrinal lists, central to the standard account of how craving gives rise to continued existence.

Reading guide

A well-known list, not a repetition of the floods or yokes

Unlike SN 45.172's own near-duplicate of SN 45.171, this discourse's own fourfold grasping is a genuinely distinct classification — the four upādāna form the standard link between craving (taṇhā) and continued existence (bhava) in the doctrine of dependent origination, confirmed by direct comparison to be a different list from the two preceding discourses.

Key terms

cattāri upādānāni — “four kinds of grasping” — the standard link between craving and continued existence in dependent origination
kāmupādānaṁ diṭṭhupādānaṁ sīlabbatupādānaṁ attavādupādānaṁ — grasping at sensual pleasures, views, precepts and observances, and theories of a self — the four named here
abhiññāya pariññāya parikkhayāya pahānāya — the four verbs established at SN 45.161-162, carried forward unchanged
ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo bhāvetabbo — “the noble eightfold path should be developed” — this discourse's own base-formula conclusion
tatiyaṁ — “the third” — the Pāli root's own closing numeral for this discourse

The text

The complete discourse. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).

§1“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of grasping. What four? Grasping at sensual pleasures, views, precepts and observances, and theories of a self. These are the four kinds of grasping. The noble eightfold path should be developed for the direct knowledge, complete understanding, finishing, and giving up of these four kinds of grasping.”

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Self-check quiz

3 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.

Question 1 of 3
What four kinds of grasping does this discourse name?
Correct: A. The standard fourfold classification of grasping (upādāna) in dependent origination.
Question 2 of 3
How does this discourse's own list relate to SN 45.171-172's own lists?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct comparison — grasping (upādāna) plays a specific, distinct role in dependent origination.
Question 3 of 3
Where else in the standard doctrinal formula does "grasping" (upādāna) appear?
Correct: A. A core term in the twelve-link chain of dependent origination (paṭicca-samuppāda).
Answered 0 of 3 · Correct 0

Further reading

← PreviousSN 45.172 · Yokes