A deity asks the Buddha what gives rise to a person, what does he have that wanders about, what experiences cyclic existence, and what is this person‘s great fear.

SN 1.55  Paṭhama jana sutta - Gives Rise To (First)

“Kiṁsu janeti purisaṁ,
kiṁsu tassa vidhāvati;
Kiṁsu saṁsāramāpādi,
kiṁsu tassa mahabbhayan”ti.

[A deity asked]: “What gives rise to a person?
What does he have that |wanders about::roams around, runs astray [vidhāvati]|?
What |experiences cyclic existence::experiences wandering on, suffers passing from one state of existence to the next [saṃsāramāpādi]|?
What is his great fear?”

“Taṇhā janeti purisaṁ,
cittamassa vidhāvati;
Satto saṁsāramāpādi,
dukkhamassa mahabbhayan”ti.

[The Blessed One]: “|Craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]| gives rise to a person,
his |mind::the faculty of thought and intention, often restless or wandering [citta]| is what wanders about;
A |sentient being::living being; what is clung to, stuck to, attached to [satta]| experiences cyclic existence,
|suffering::lit. that which is difficult to endure [dukkhama]| is his great fear.”

Qualities:

Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Fear

Fear

A constricting mental state that arises when the mind perceives threat or danger. It agitates and destabilizes, driving the mind toward avoidance, paralysis, or desperate action.

Also known as: feeling afraid, timid, dread, fright, horror, panic, terror
Pāli: bhaya, dara
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on December 13, 2025