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# Craving

### tanha

### The definition

> "There are these three cravings. Which three? Craving for sensuality, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming. These are the three cravings."

> > -- Iti 58

### An arrow in the heart

> "Craving is... an arrow. The poison of ignorance spreads its toxin through desire, passion, & ill will."

> > -- MN 105

### Six kinds of craving

> "There are these six classes of craving: craving for forms, craving for sounds, craving for odors, craving for flavors, craving for tangibles, craving for mind-objects."

> > -- MN 9

### What traps us in samsara

> "Monks, I don't envision even one other fetter -- fettered by which beings conjoined go wandering and transmigrating on for a long, long time -- like the fetter of craving. Fettered with the fetter of craving, beings conjoined go wandering and transmigrating on for a long, long time."

> > -- Iti 15

> Bound with the bondage of craving,
> their minds smitten with becoming & non-,
> they are bound with the bondage of Mara --
> people with no safety from bondage,
> beings going through the wandering-on,
> headed for birth & death.
> While those who've abandoned craving,
> free from the craving for becoming & non-,
> reaching the ending of fermentations,
> though in the world,
> have gone beyond.

> > -- Iti 58

### A cause of dukkha

> "And what is the cause by which stress comes into play? Craving is the cause by which stress comes into play.

> > -- AN VI.63

### Cutting the roots of craving

> If its root remains
> undamaged & strong,
> a tree, even if cut,
> will grow back.
> So too if latent craving
> is not rooted out,
> this suffering returns
> again
> &
> again.

> > -- Dhp 338

> Encircled with craving,
> people hop round & around
> like a rabbit caught in a snare.
> Tied with fetters & bonds
> they go on to suffering,
> again & again, for long.

> > -- Dhp 342

> For a person
> forced on by his thinking,
> fierce in his passion,
> focused on beauty,
> craving grows all the more.
> He's the one
> who tightens the bond.
> But one who delights
> in the stilling of thinking,
> always mindful
> cultivating
> a focus on the foul:
> He's the one
> who will make an end,
> the one who will cut Mara's bond.

> > -- Dhp 349-350

### Where does craving arise, and where does it dwell?

> "And where does this craving, when arising, arise? And where, when dwelling, does it dwell? Whatever is endearing & alluring in terms of the world: that is where this craving, when arising, arises. That is where, when dwelling, it dwells.

> "And what is endearing & alluring in terms of the world? The eye is endearing & alluring in terms of the world. That is where this craving, when arising, arises. That is where, when dwelling, it dwells.

> "The ear... The nose... The tongue... The body... The intellect...

> "Forms... Sounds... Smells... Tastes... Tactile sensations... Ideas...

> "Eye-consciousness... Ear-consciousness... Nose-consciousness... Tongue-consciousness... Body-consciousness... Intellect-consciousness...

> "Eye-contact... Ear-contact... Nose-contact... Tongue-contact... Body-contact... Intellect-contact...

> "Feeling born of eye-contact... Feeling born of ear-contact... Feeling born of nose-contact... Feeling born of tongue-contact... Feeling born of body-contact... Feeling born of intellect-contact...

> "Perception of forms... Perception of sounds... Perception of smells... Perception of tastes... Perception of tactile sensations... Perception of ideas...

> "Intention for forms... Intention for sounds... Intention for smells... Intention for tastes... Intention for tactile sensations... Intention for ideas...

> "Craving for forms... Craving for sounds... Craving for smells... Craving for tastes... Craving for tactile sensations... Craving for ideas...

> "Thought directed at forms... Thought directed at sounds... Thought directed at smells... Thought directed at tastes... Thought directed at tactile sensations... Thought directed at ideas...

> "Evaluation of forms... Evaluation of sounds... Evaluation of smells... Evaluation of tastes... Evaluation of tactile sensations... Evaluation of ideas is endearing & alluring in terms of the world. That is where this craving, when arising, arises. That is where, when dwelling, it dwells.

> > -- DN 22

See also:

- The Second Noble Truth
- Generosity (dana)
- "Tanha" in the Index by Subject

Revised: Tue 16 April 2002