Taṇhāvaggo : Chapter 24. Craving
Chapter 24 is about “taṇhā: craving“. Taṇhā is one of the most important key words in the Buddha’s teachings.
Craving is an energy that strongly craves for “more ~“. It is the most direct cause of all “dukkha (suffering, pain and unsatisfaction)”. Craving is also the energy source of life rebirth and creates the energy of reincarnation.
The Buddha, on attaining Nirvana, identifies “taṇhā (craving)” is the cause of “dukkha (suffering)”.
3 types of craving
There are three types of craving.
kāmataṇhā
Craving for sensory pleasures; craving for physical and mental pleasures arising from stimuli obtained by the six sense organs.
bhavataṇhā
Craving for existencet; it is a craving that wants to exist.
vibhavataṇhā
Craving for non-existence; it is a craving that wants to not exist. = aversion
DhP.24-334
Manujassa pamattacārino, human-being careless-doing taṇhā vaḍḍhati māluvā viya; craving grow creeper like So plavatī hurā huraṃ, he move-quickly from-one-place to-another phalamicchaṃva vanasmi vānaro. fruit-wishing-like in-the-forest monkey
People who act selfishly,
their craving increases like ivy.
They jump from one place to another
like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.
explanation
Selfish is acting according to one’s own mood. It is being careless, indifferent or lazy, disrespecting others or acting like a monkey without thinking it through. A person who is aware will realise that craving arises from one’s sensations (moods) and that the craving is tormenting one’s mind. Once this is understood, the craving does not increase.
DhP.24-335
Yaṃ esā sahate jammī, whatever this bear miserable taṇhā loke visattikā; craving world attachment Sokā tassa pavaḍḍhanti, grief they increase abhivaṭṭhaṃva bīraṇaṃ. rained-upon-as birana
Those who are attached to this world
and crave it will endure lowliness,
whatever it is.
Sorrow will increase on them
like the birana-grass after the rain.
explanation
Bīraṇa: the grass Andropogon muricatus which native to India and has an aromatic root. Vetiver is the fragrant essential oil extracted from its roots. It has a deep, woody and smokey fragrance reminiscent of earth. It is used as the base note of Chanel No. 5.
Taṇhā are established wherever there is something in this world to which one is attached (piya-rūpaṃ) and to which one feels comfortable (sāta-rūpaṃ), wherever there is a craving for it.
DhP.24-336
Yo cetaṃ sahate jammiṃ, who but-this bear miserable taṇhaṃ loke duraccayaṃ; craving world difficult-pass-over Sokā tamhā papatanti, sorrow because disappear udabinduva pokkharā. drop-of-water-as lotus
But if one has overcome this lowly craving,
then one’s sorrow will disappear
as drops of water fall from a lotus.
explanation
It is human nature to have enough but somehow not enough and to want more. This is because the energy of the strong urge to crave is the energy source that makes life go round in circles. This is because the energy of the strong urge of craving is the energy source that makes people reincarnate.
DhP.24-337
Taṃ vo vadāmi bhaddaṃ vo, they surely preach-I auspicious surely yāvantettha samāgatā; so-much-so-here assembled Taṇhāya mūlaṃ khaṇatha, craving-for root here assembled usīratthova bīraṇaṃ; fragrant-root-thrown-as birana Mā vo naḷaṃva sotova, do-not you reed-as stream-as māro bhañji punappunaṃ. Mara broken again-and-again
I preach for the happiness
of the many people gathered here.
Dig up the roots of craving
as you dig up the fragrant roots of the birana-grass.
Do not be swept away like a reed,
even though Mara has disturbed you again and again.
explanation
Usīra is fragrant root of bīraṇa grass. It has been an Ayurvedic medicinal herb since the time of the Buddha and was found in the medicine chests of the Bhikkhus. The roots grow as deep as 2-4 m (6.5-16.5 ft).
Māra is our instinct. It means not to be disturbed by instinct and reincarnate again and again.
DhP.24-338
Yathāpi mūle anupaddave daḷhe, like root safety strong chinnopi rukkho punareva rūhati; cut-down tree again-as grow Evampi taṇhānusaye anūhate, just-if craving-potential not-rooted-out nibbattatī dukkhamidaṃ punappunaṃ. arise suffering-here again-and-again
Just as a tree can be cut down
but will grow back if the roots remain,
so suffering will arise here again and again
unless the latent craving is removed.
explanation
Even unconscious craving, rooted in the depths of the mind, must be eradicated.
DhP.24-339
Yassa chattiṃsati sotā, who 36 streams manāpasavanā bhusā; pleasant-flowing strong Māhā(vāhā) vahanti duddiṭṭhiṃ, carrying carry wrong-view saṅkappā rāganissitā. intention lust dependent-on
The flow towards pleasure is strong
and there are 36 streams in humans.
The desire for what is pleasant
and beloved leads to wrong views.
explanation
The 36 strems are the strong flows of three types of craving (craving for sensory pleasure, craving for existence and craving for non-existence) 6 x 3 types + 6 x 3 types = 36 craving types, which arise in each of the six sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind) and six sense objects (colour, sound, smell, taste, touch, intention).
DhP.24-340
Savanti sabbadhi sotā, flowing everywhere stream latā uppajja tiṭṭhati; creeper be-born stay Tañca disvā lataṃ jātaṃ, it-and having-seen creeper arisen mūlaṃ paññāya chindatha. root by-wisdom cut-down
The stream to pleasure flows everywhere
and grows and thickens like a creeping plant.
Be aware of the arising of the creeper,
and cut its roots by wisdom.
explanation
Craving flows towards any sensory object; it originates in the six sense organs and is fixed on the six sensory objects.
DhP.24-341
Saritāni sinehitāni ca, river lustful and somanassāni bhavanti jantuno; joy exist person Te sātasitā sukhesino, they enjoy-depending-on pleasant-seeking te ve jātijarūpagā narā. they truly birth-age-going-to people
And attachment becomes a river,
people exist by pleasure.
They depend on pleasure,
and seeking enjoyment leads reliably to samsara.
explanation
People are attached to the pleasurable sensations derived from their senses. Pleasure is a feeling of comfort. It is closely linked to feelings of joy and satisfaction. The system feels pleasure when needs are met and discomfort when they are not.
DhP.24-342
Tasiṇāya purakkhatā pajā, thirst put-in-front-of people parisappanti sasova bandhito; creep-about hare-as ensnared Saṃyojanasaṅgasattakā, bond-clinging-people dukkhamupenti punappunaṃ cirāya. suffering-approach again-and-again for-a-long-time
People thirsty for love
crawl around like trapped hares.
Living beings obsessed with bondage suffer
over and over again for a long time.
explanation
Tasiṇā (thirst) is synonymous with taṇhā (craving), but it is a craving with strong elements of lust for affection, such as sexual desire and human passion.
DhP.24-343
Tasiṇāya purakkhatā pajā, thirst put-in-front-of people parisappanti sasova bandhito; creep-about hare-as ensnared Tasmā tasiṇaṃ vinodaye, because thirst remove ākaṅkhanta virāgamattano. wish leave-lust-own
People thirsty for love
crawl around like trapped hares.
If you want to be free of your passions,
give up love.
explanation
For example, let’s say you spend time with a loved one. If all the time you spend together is exactly as in your image, you will feel comfortable and happy and enjoy. IIn reality, however, you will never be in your image, because the other person has different images from you. At first you may be able to compromise, but gradually you will lose patience.
The more you seek your own image, the more you are out of the other person’s image, and the more uncomfortable that person becomes. If the other person is uncomfortable, you will become uncomfortable and you will not enjoy.
We find that our worries and suffering grow in inverse proportion to the little enjoyment we have.
DhP.24-344
Yo nibbanatho vanādhimutto, who not-passion forest-towards vanamutto vanameva dhāvati; forest-released forest-just run Taṃ puggalametha passatha, he person-here look mutto bandhanameva dhāvati. free bound-just run
He leaves the forest of passion (secular)
and is in the forest without passion (ordained),
but he runs back.
Look at him!
He has escaped from bondage,
but he runs back into bondage.
explanation
Human beings are imperfect. This is a truth. Lust and sexual desire can easily appear even in ordained persons. If the ordained person cannot control it, he will return to secular life.
However, even if an ordained person is excommunicated and returns to secular life, he can be re-ordained if he changes his mind and wishes to be ordained again. Human beings make mistakes, so if we realise our mistakes, we can make a new start and try again. There is nothing miserable at all. If you think, ‘I can’t return, I can’t do such a shameful act’, then you are in bondage.
DhP.24-345
Na taṃ daḷhaṃ bandhanamāhu dhīrā, not they strong fetter said wise yadāyasaṃ dārujapabbajañca; what-made-of-iron wood-reed-and Sārattarattā maṇikuṇḍalesu, impassioned-dyed for-jewel-earring puttesu dāresu ca yā apekkhā. for-children for-women and what affection
Iron, wooden or straw fetters
are not strong, say the sages.
Attachment to jewellery and earrings,
or affection for children and women,
explanation
Continue to the next verse.
DhP.24-346
Etaṃ daḷhaṃ bandhanamāhu dhīrā, they strong fetter said wise ohārinaṃ sithilaṃ duppamuñcaṃ; heavy loose difficult-to-be freed Etampi chetvāna paribbajanti, they-even cut-off pilgrimage anapekkhino kāmasukhaṃ pahāya. not-expect pleasant-comfort having-left
they are strong fetters
that seems loose and heavy
and hard to break free from,
say the sages.
Even that is cut off
and practised without expectation,
without pleasure or enjoyment.
explanation
Attachment to property, children or wife deprives the human mind of freedom. If you have something important, you must protect it. Attachment is a much stronger bondage than physical restraint.
Why does bondage arise in the mind?
Because we have “senses (vedanā)” in the body. We, who have a physical body with senses, feel in six places: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Bondage and attachment arise from these senses.
When we see (sensed by the eyes) something beautiful, we feel pleasant, we “like” it, and we deem it “right“. We then want to keep it, and the desire to ‘see more’ arises.
When we see something not beautiful, we feel unpleasant, we “dislike” it, and we deem it “wrong“. We then want to keep it away, and the anger to ‘not see it‘ arises.
This is the taṇhā (craving) mechanism.
DhP.24-347
Ye rāgarattānupatanti sotaṃ, who lust-dyed-near-suffer stream sayaṃkataṃ makkaṭakova jālaṃ; self-made spider-as net Etampi chetvāna vajanti dhīrā, this-even cut-off going wise anapekkhino sabbadukkhaṃ pahāya. not-expect all-suffering having-left
Like a spider making its own net,
one flows in the greed of one’s own making.
The Wise one, however,
goes on cutting it off,
abandoning all suffering,
without expectation.
explanation
The web-building spiders cast a thread from their own hips to form a web. When prey is caught in the web, they use the vibrations to sense the direction of the prey and catch it. Spiders also live with senses.
DhP.24-348
Muñca pure muñca pacchato, release before release after majjhe muñca bhavassa pāragū; present release existence crossed Sabbattha vimuttamānaso, everywhere released-mind na punaṃ jātijaraṃ upehisi. not again birth-age will-approach
Release the past and the future.
Beyond the existence of time,
release the present.
In every situation
a liberated mind is reborn
and never grows old.
explanation
The past is what happened before the present; what happened one second ago is also in the past. The present momentarily becomes the past. The future is what happens after the present. Instantly the future becomes the present and the present becomes the past.
Where is the present?
The time we think we “have” is only temporary and constantly changing. We just count those changes and convert them into a unit of time.
We live sharing the concept of time for the convenience of our life, but some of us only look at the past, while others are only concerned with the future.
If something happened in the past, it has not happened now. Something may happen in the future, but we don’t know. However, we fly our minds to the past or the future, worry and suffer. The past and future are imaginary phenomena, but the negative feelings we suffer from worrying about them are real. We are hurting our own mind.
So what if something is happening in the present? The present also changes instantly, so it is not worth chasing after, being greedy, angry or ignorant and depressed. The faster you react, the more you care about what happens moment to moment, but it is nonsense.
Reacting is not mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a state of being aware that we are hurting our own mind by reacting.
Always our enemies are within us, not outside.
DhP.24-349
Vitakkamathitassa jantuno, thinking-confused man tibbarāgassa subhānupassino; intense-lust beauty-observing Bhiyyo taṇhā pavaḍḍhati, more craving increase esa kho daḷhaṃ karoti bandhanaṃ. this really strongly make fetter
One who sees a beautiful woman
and becomes intensely greedy
and thinks a lot about her
creates a strong bondage
with even more craving.
explanation
Thinking about pleasant and joyful pleasurable things is exciting and uplifting, so people feel joy. And the more we think about it, the more the image is burned into our minds and the more we want more pleasure. It is a human pleasure to imagine pleasant things, but craving and attachment also increase.
DhP.24-350
Vitakkūpasame ca yo rato, thinking-calmness and who delight asubhaṃ bhāvayate sadā sato; impurity condition always mindful Esa kho byanti kāhiti, this really finish will esa checchati mārabandhanaṃ. this cut-off mara's-fetter
One who stops thinking attains delight.
Always aware of impurity,
cut off the fetters of Mala
and put the end to craving.
explanation
To stop imagining pleasant is really one’s delight; there is a difference between ramati (delight) and nandī (joy). Nandī (joy) is a feeling of pleasure, an uplifted state of mind; ramati (delight) is a feeling of calm, a equanimity state of mind.
Moods rise and fall. This is a truth. It cannot be up all the time and it cannot be down all the time.
If we are driven by our primitive mind, we will be happy or depressed, up or down, depending on our mood. But if we control our own mind, we can maintain an equanimity of mind, neither rising nor falling.
DhP.24-351
Niṭṭhaṅgato asantāsī, perfection gone-to not-fairful vītataṇho anaṅgaṇo; without-craving not-purity Acchindi bhavasallāni, robbed exist-arrow antimoyaṃ samussayo. final this body
No craving and no impurity,
no fear for one who has attained the perfection.
Remove the arrow from life
and this is the last body.
explanation
One who has attained the goal = Nirvana = liberated person. This life is the last body, as it is out of the cycle of reincarnation and will not be reborn again.
We are fearful. “What if I get sick, lose my job, lose my money, lose my house ……” We are afraid whether we become or not. We are fearful because we worry that we will not be able to live well in this world, but that is because we are fearful of dying.
Everyone, without exception, eventually grows old and dies. But we are anxious and fearful that our bodies will not work well , that we will not walk well, or that we will lose our teeth. We live in fear and anxiety towards death.
A liberated person is one for whom the mind of fear has ceased to arise. Therefore, they do not get upset no matter what happens. In extreme cases, even if you are killed, you can say, “Yes, I see. Now I feel pain in the area where the knife hit me” and can accept reality as it is without fear.
DhP.24-352
Vītataṇho anādāno, without-craving not-purity niruttipadakovido; language- verse-well-known Akkharānaṃ sannipātaṃ, word context jaññā pubbāparāni ca; should-know before-and-after and Sa ve ‘‘antimasārīro, he really last-body mahāpañño mahāpuriso’’ti vuccati. big-wise big-person called
No craving and no impurity,
one who is well known in the language of verses
and understands the word, the context, the back and forth.
He is the last body
who is called a great wiseman, a great man.
explanation
The language of the verses was interpreted as the Pali original of the Dhammapada and other scriptures. The Pali language has no writing. In the Buddha’s time, writing was limited to secular matters. Writing was considered a kind of sacrilege, so writing down the scriptures of the various religions was not permitted and was entirely oral tradition.
DhP.24-353
Sabbābhibhū sabbavidūhamasmi, all-conqueror all-knowing I-am sabbesu dhammesu anūpalitto; all-in truth-in unstained Sabbañjaho taṇhakkhaye vimutto, all-leaving craving-decay released-one sayaṃ abhiññāya kamuddiseyyaṃ. own having-understand-well who-say
I have known all and conquered all.
My mind is untainted by whatever.
I have renounced everything,
destroyed craving and am liberated.
I have enlightened myself.
Who can I call my master?
episode
Shortly after his liberation, Buddha met an ascetic named Upaka. Upaka was so impressed by Buddha’s majestic appearance that he asked him, “Who is your master? Buddha replied with this verse that he had no master and that he had attained liberation completely on his own. Upaka neither believed nor disbelieved Buddha, but simply walked away.
explanation
At this time, the Buddha had not yet preached the truth to anyone. Buddha was walking towards Varanasi to preach the truth to five of his former fellow practitioners who had left him (the first five bhikkhus of the sangha). Upaka was originally the first person to hear Buddha preach, but Upaka went through with it.
DhP.24-354
Sabbadānaṃ dhammadānaṃ jināti, all-donation dhamma-donation conquer sabbarasaṃ dhammaraso jināti; all-taste dhamma-taste conquer Sabbaratiṃ dhammarati jināti, all-delight dhamma-delight conquer taṇhakkhayo sabbadukkhaṃ jināti. craving-decay all-suffering conquer
Giving Dhamma is better than all kinds of giving.
The taste of Dhamma is better than all tastes.
Delight in Dhamma is better than all pleasures.
The destruction of craving conquers all suffering.
explanation
What is dāna(donation) ? It is about giving to others free of charge. So what is giving?
There are two types: giving with the expectation of something in return, and giving without expecting anything in return. When we expect something in return, if we get more in return we feel like we have won. If we get less in return, we feel like we have lost.
When we give without expecting anything in return, we do not expect anything in return, but we do expect results.
Poor children are dying of hunger, epidemics and other diseases. When we help these children, we do not expect anything in return from them. But we do expect the result that they will grow up and live like healthy, normal children.
So when we give, we should give with the expectation of good results. That is the true act of giving.
DhP.24-355
Hananti bhogā dummedhaṃ, killing wealth foolish no ca pāragavesino; not surely other-shore-looking-for Bhogataṇhāya dummedho, wealth-craving foolish hanti aññeva attanaṃ. kill others-as oneself
Wealth destroys foolish people,
but this is not a problem for those looking for liberation.
Foolish people destroy themselves
as if they were others
because of their craving for wealth.
explanation
Wealth is neither generally good nor bad, but how it is used is important. The point is whether the owner of wealth is a fool or a wise.
People become wealthy as a result of past good deeds. Some people are born into wealthy families but later become poor, while others hit it big in business and easily become millionaires. These differences are the fruits of past deeds.
Even if one is born with past merits, if one is lazy in this life, one will lose one’s wealth. People who have become rich are better off using their wealth correctly. If we live clinging to our wealth, we have to leave all of it when we die. But the fruits of our deeds never leave us when we die. We will receive the results in the next world. The world never tells us how we should spend our wealth.
If you were a billionaire, what would you do? Living in luxury goods?
If you are blessed with wealth, you must use it with reason. We do not need so much wealth to live comfortably without falling into luxury. The remaining wealth is to be used for doing good deeds.
Know moderation and live a life you enjoy. Make it easy on your family. Look after parents and other older relatives. Help the less fortunate. Use your wealth to do good deeds.
If we use all our wealth for good deeds, we can take all our benefits with us when we die. We cannot take our wealth with us to the next life, but we can take the benefits of our good deeds with us.
DhP.24-356
Tiṇadosāni khettāni, grass-bad-conditon field rāgadosā ayaṃ pajā; lust-bad-conditon this people Tasmā hi vītarāgesu, because surely passionless dinnaṃ hoti mahapphalaṃ. given be big-fruit
Fields with weeds are in a bad condition.
People with greed are in a bad condition.
If you give it to someone who is not greedy,
it will have truly great results.
explanation
It is better to sow seeds in a weed-free field than in a field full of weeds. It is the same with people. Giving to people without greed is better than giving to people full of greed.
DhP.24-357
Tiṇadosāni khettāni, grass-bad-conditon field dosadosā ayaṃ pajā; anger-bad-conditon this people Tasmā hi vītadosesu, because surely passionless dinnaṃ hoti mahapphalaṃ. given be big-fruit
Fields with weeds are in a bad condition.
People with anger are in a bad condition.
If you give it to someone who is not angry,
it will have truly great results.
explanation
Giving is sharing with others and is very important, but we must be careful who we give to. Giving something to an angry person is harmful not only to that person but also to society.
DhP.24-358
Tiṇadosāni khettāni, grass-bad-conditon field mohadosā ayaṃ pajā; ignorance-bad-conditon this people Tasmā hi vītamohesu, because surely passionless dinnaṃ hoti mahapphalaṃ. given be big-fruit
Fields with weeds are in a bad condition.
People with ignorance are in a bad condition.
If you give it to someone who is not ignorant,
it will have truly great results.
explanation
Ignorant people have no reason. Giving to ignorant people may not help them, but instead make them unhappy.
DhP.24-359
Tiṇadosāni khettāni, grass-bad-conditon field icchādosā ayaṃ pajā; wish-bad-conditon this people Tasmā hi vītataṇhesu, because surely passionless dinnaṃ hoti mahapphalaṃ. given be big-fruit
Fields with weeds are in a bad condition.
People with wish are in a bad condition.
If you give it to someone
who has no wishes,
it will have truly great results.
explanation
After rāga (lust・desire), dosa (anger) and moha (ignorance), the next step is taṇhā (craving), which is the theme of this chapter, but here it is icchā (wish).
Taṇhā (craving) is wanting for something which is already get, icchā (wish) is wishing for something which is not yet obtained.
Taṇhā (craving) is wanting again for something which has already experienced. Icchā (wish) is wishing for something which is not yet obtained. Both are desires for nandī (joy/pleasure), but taṇhā is experienced and icchā is imagined.
This difference is important because we live in the ‘icchā age’. We live in the ‘age of wish fulfilment‘. All new technologies come from icchā. These new technologies distract us from suffering through nandī (joy), but they also bring craving. Most modern work develops from this pursuit of icchā and monetising the results of that craving for new things. We quickly grow tired of our old cravings and seek one new thing after another, which we happily dispose of.
The opposite of this is anicchā (an-icchā: not-wish). A person who is free from wishing and craving accepts everything, whatever it may be. There is neither icchā (wish) to taste unexperienced nandī (joy) nor taṇhā (craving) to taste nandī (joy) again after experience.
Taṇhāvaggo catuvīsatimo niṭṭhito. who not-passion forest-towards
Conclusion
Feeling that something is beautiful or not beautiful is personal and subjective. There is no rational basis for it. It is just a feeling. In spite of this, people believe what they feel like is right and try to protect it carefully. They believe what they feel dislike is wrong and try to remove it with anger.
However, this world does not unfold according to the image of “me“. It is natural, but we feel sorrow, grief and worry that things are not going the way we want them to. We are bound by our own self-created attachments and aversions. The problem is in any case not outside, but inside ourselves. Our own mind discriminates between beautiful and not beautiful, likes and dislikes, and binds us to ourselves.
So, “I don’t associate with anyone because talking to people makes me clash. I live in the forest because looking makes me greedy”, These are only temporary stress relief, not a ultimate solution.
It is very difficult for us, living in a sentient body, to leave the system of craving that arises from the senses. This is because it is the instinct of life. The Buddha discovered that this Taṇhā (craving) is the cause of suffering.