What is craving (tanha)?

Craving is the usual translation of the Pali word taṇhā (in Sanskrit, tṛṣṇā). Literally it means “thirst”. In the Buddha’s teaching, craving is the main cause of suffering.

The second noble truth

In his first teaching, the Buddha set out the Four Noble Truths. The second names the origin of suffering. It is craving, which leads to renewed existence, is bound up with delight and lust, and seeks pleasure now here, now there.

He described three kinds of craving:

• Craving for sensual pleasure: wanting pleasant sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches.
• Craving for existence: wanting to be, to become something, to continue.
• Craving for non-existence: wanting to get rid of something, including the wish not to be.

Why craving causes suffering

Craving looks for lasting satisfaction in things that cannot provide it. Pleasant experiences end. Even while they last, there is often worry about losing them. So craving is like drinking salt water: the more we drink, the thirstier we become.

In the teaching on dependent origination, craving arises from feeling. When an experience feels pleasant, we want more of it. When it feels unpleasant, we want it gone. Craving then leads to clinging and to a further round of becoming.

Craving and desire

Not every wish is craving in the Buddhist sense. Wanting to practise, to help others, or to understand the teaching is often called wholesome desire, or desire for the good. The texts also describe the wish for awakening as something to be developed. The problem is the grasping, compulsive thirst that cannot rest.

The ending of craving

The third noble truth is the complete fading away and ending of craving. This is nirvana. The fourth truth, the Noble Eightfold Path, is the way to bring it about.

Noticing craving

You can begin by watching craving in small things: reaching for your phone, wanting a meal to come sooner, wishing a sound would stop. If you pause and notice the feeling before the wanting, there is often a moment of choice. Over time, many people find that simply seeing craving clearly loosens its grip.