Reading guide
A completed symmetry, confirmed by direct comparison
SN 46.2's own two halves (fueling the hindrances, fueling the awakening factors) reappear here unchanged as this discourse's own first half; a genuinely new second half then names the specific STARVING condition for each of the same twelve states — the feature of ugliness starves sensual desire; the heart's release by love starves ill will; and so on — confirmed by direct reading to be this saṃyutta's own most complete single treatment of the theme first introduced at SN 46.2.
A structural asymmetry the source itself preserves
For the seven awakening factors' own starving half, the source names the identical grounds already given for fueling them, but reverses the condition to “not frequently applying the mind” — confirming that what starves an awakening factor is simply the ABSENCE of the same rational attention that would otherwise fuel it, a structurally different relationship than the hindrances' own dedicated starving conditions (ugliness, love, and so on).
Key terms
The text
§1-5 — what fuels each of the five hindrancesAt Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, I will teach you what fuels and what starves the five hindrances and the seven awakening factors. Listen … And what fuels the arising of sensual desire, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow? There is the feature of beauty. Frequent irrational application of mind to that fuels the arising of sensual desire, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow. And what fuels the arising of ill will, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow? There is the feature of aversion. Frequent irrational application of mind to that fuels the arising of ill will, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow. And what fuels the arising of dullness and drowsiness, or, when they have arisen, makes them increase and grow? There is discontent, sloth, yawning, sleepiness after eating, and mental sluggishness. Frequent irrational application of mind to that fuels the arising of dullness and drowsiness, or, when they have arisen, makes them increase and grow. And what fuels the arising of restlessness and remorse, or, when they have arisen, makes them increase and grow? There is the unsettled mind. Frequent irrational application of mind to that fuels the arising of restlessness and remorse, or, when they have arisen, makes them increase and grow. And what fuels the arising of doubt, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow? There are things that are grounds for doubt. Frequent irrational application of mind to them fuels the arising of doubt, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow.
§6-12 — what fuels each of the seven awakening factorsAnd what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of mindfulness, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it? There are things that are grounds for the awakening factor of mindfulness. Frequent rational application of mind to them fuels the arising of the awakening factor of mindfulness, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it. And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of investigation of principles, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it? There are qualities that are skillful and unskillful, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, and those with a portion of dark or bright. Frequent rational application of mind to them fuels the arising of the awakening factor of investigation of principles, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it. And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of energy, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it? There are the elements of initiative, persistence, and exertion. Frequent rational application of mind to them fuels the arising of the awakening factor of energy, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it. And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of rapture, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it? There are things that are grounds for the awakening factor of rapture. Frequent rational application of mind to them fuels the arising of the awakening factor of rapture, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it. And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of tranquility, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it? There is tranquility of the body and of the mind. Frequent rational application of mind to that fuels the arising of the awakening factor of tranquility, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it. And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of immersion, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it? There are things that are the basis of serenity and freedom from distraction. Frequent rational application of mind to them fuels the arising of the awakening factor of immersion, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it. And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of equanimity, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it? There are things that are grounds for the awakening factor of equanimity. Frequent rational application of mind to them fuels the arising of the awakening factor of equanimity, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it.
§13-17 — what starves each of the five hindrancesAnd what starves the arising of sensual desire, or, when it has arisen, starves its increase and growth? There is the feature of ugliness. Frequent rational application of mind to that starves the arising of sensual desire, or, when it has arisen, starves its increase and growth. And what starves the arising of ill will, or, when it has arisen, starves its increase and growth? There is the heart’s release by love. Frequent rational application of mind to that starves the arising of ill will, or, when it has arisen, starves its increase and growth. And what starves the arising of dullness and drowsiness, or, when they have arisen, starves their increase and growth? There are the elements of initiative, persistence, and exertion. Frequent rational application of mind to them starves the arising of dullness and drowsiness, or, when they have arisen, starves their increase and growth. And what starves the arising of restlessness and remorse, or, when they have arisen, starves their increase and growth? There is the settled mind. Frequent rational application of mind to that starves the arising of restlessness and remorse, or, when they have arisen, starves their increase and growth. And what starves the arising of doubt, or, when it has arisen, starves its increase and growth? There are qualities that are skillful and unskillful, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, and those with a portion of dark or bright. Frequent rational application of mind to them starves the arising of doubt, or, when it has arisen, starves its increase and growth.
§18-24 — what starves each of the seven awakening factorsAnd what starves the arising of the awakening factor of mindfulness, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development? There are things that are grounds for the awakening factor of mindfulness. Not frequently applying the mind to that starves the arising of the awakening factor of mindfulness, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development. And what starves the arising of the awakening factor of investigation of principles, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development? There are qualities that are skillful and unskillful, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, and those with a portion of dark or bright. Not frequently applying the mind to that starves the arising of the awakening factor of investigation of principles, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development. And what starves the arising of the awakening factor of energy, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development? There are the elements of initiative, persistence, and exertion. Not frequently applying the mind to that starves the arising of the awakening factor of energy, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development. And what starves the arising of the awakening factor of rapture, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development? There are things that are grounds for the awakening factor of rapture. Not frequently applying the mind to that starves the arising of the awakening factor of rapture, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development. And what starves the arising of the awakening factor of tranquility, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development? There is tranquility of the body and of the mind. Not frequently applying the mind to that starves the arising of the awakening factor of tranquility, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development. And what starves the arising of the awakening factor of immersion, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development? There are things that are the basis of serenity and freedom from distraction. Not frequently applying the mind to that starves the arising of the awakening factor of immersion, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development. And what starves the arising of the awakening factor of equanimity, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development? There are things that are grounds for the awakening factor of equanimity. Not frequently applying the mind to that starves the arising of the awakening factor of equanimity, or, when it has arisen, starves its full development.”
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