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.

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.