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.
![All the cravings stated by the Buddha are the cause of suffering.](/images/user/base/Religious Studies/remember-tanha-in-buddhism-religious-studies-2-.2e7a60b.jpg)
![](/images/user/base/Maths/Logarithms/Reference%20Tables/reference-log-table-1.4df6ee6.jpg)
![](/images/user/base/Maths/Logarithms/Reference%20Tables/reference-log-table-2.d516bb3.jpg)
![](/images/user/base/Maths/Logarithms/Reference%20Tables/reference-anti-log-table-1.b0b0513.jpg)
![](/images/user/base/Maths/Logarithms/Reference%20Tables/reference-anti-log-table-2.f89189d.jpg)