[439] Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down at one side. Sitting at one side, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, does the Blessed One recall having spoken in brief, to a certain yakkha (spirit) of great influence, of liberation through the destruction of craving (taṇhāsaṅkhayavimutti)?"
"I do recall it, Moggallāna. Here, Sakka, lord of the devas, approached me; having approached and paid homage to me, he stood at one side. Standing at one side, Moggallāna, Sakka, lord of the devas, said this to me: 'Venerable sir, in brief, in what way is a bhikkhu liberated through the destruction of craving (taṇhā), one who has reached the ultimate conclusion, the ultimate security from bondage, the ultimate holy life, the ultimate consummation, best among gods and humans?' When this was said, Moggallāna, I said this to Sakka, lord of the devas: 'Here, lord of the devas, a bhikkhu has heard: "All dhammas are not worth adhering to." If, lord of the devas, a bhikkhu has heard this: "All dhammas are not worth adhering to," he directly knows all dhammas; having directly known all dhammas, he fully understands all dhammas; having fully understood all dhammas, whatever feeling (vedanā) he feels—whether pleasant, or painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—he abides contemplating impermanence in those feelings, he abides contemplating dispassion, he abides contemplating cessation, he abides contemplating relinquishment. Abiding contemplating impermanence in those feelings, abiding contemplating dispassion, abiding contemplating cessation, abiding contemplating relinquishment, he does not cling to anything in the world. Not clinging, he is not agitated. Not agitated, he personally attains final Nibbāna. He understands: "Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this state of being." To this extent, lord of the devas, in brief, is a bhikkhu liberated through the destruction of craving, one who has reached the ultimate conclusion, the ultimate security from bondage, the ultimate holy life, the ultimate consummation, best among gods and humans.' Thus, Moggallāna, do I recall having spoken in brief, to Sakka, lord of the devas, of liberation through the destruction of craving."
Thus spoke the Blessed One. Satisfied, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna delighted in the Blessed One's words.
The Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta, the seventh, is finished.
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Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.