Mammoth Memory

Tanha – Craving. The principle cause of suffering and dissatisfaction

(Pronounced tan-ah)

To remember the meaning of the Buddhist term Tanha, use the following mnemonic:

Wet tar looks nasty (tanha), but some people have a craving for the smell of it.

Wet tar looks nasty (tahna), but some people have a craving for the smell of it.

 

Tanha literally means "thirst". In Buddhism, it is taken to mean "craving" – an intense desire for something.

Tanha features in the Four Noble Truths, where it is defined as the cause of suffering.

The Buddha taught that there are three types of tanha:

  • Kama-tanha – craving for sensual pleasures, wealth or power.
  • Bhava-tanha – craving for a fixed existence, not accepting that all things are impermanent
  • Vibhava-tanha – craving for non-existence. This type of craving may include attempts at suicide and self-annihilation, which only results in rebirth in worse circumstances.
All the cravings stated by the Buddha are the cause of suffering.
All the cravings stated by the Buddha are the cause of suffering.

 

 
 
 
 
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