Clinging
Upādāna Sutta (SN 38:12)
On one occasion Ven. Sāriputta was staying in Magadha near Nāla Village. Then Jambukhādaka the wanderer went to Ven. Sāriputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Sāriputta: “‘Clinging, clinging,’ it is said, my friend Sāriputta. Which clinging (are they referring to)?”
“There are these four clingings: clinging to sensuality, clinging to views, clinging to habits & practices, and clinging to doctrines of the self. These are the four clingings.”
“But is there a path, is there a practice for the abandoning1 of these clingings?”
“Yes, there is a path, there is a practice for the abandoning of these clingings.”
“Then what is the path, what is the practice for the abandoning of these clingings?”
“Precisely this noble eightfold path, my friend: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning of these clingings.”
“It’s an auspicious path, my friend, an auspicious practice for the abandoning of these clingings—enough for the sake of heedfulness.”
Note
1. SN 56:11 says that the five clinging-aggregates should be comprehended. However, SN 22:121 defines clinging as desire and passion; SN 22:139; SN 22:142; SN 22:145 note that any desire and passion for the aggregates should be abandoned. What this means is that the complex of clinging-aggregates should be comprehended as suffering. The clinging in that complex should be abandoned.
