Craving

Iti 58 · Taṇhāsutta

An opening in coastal fog reveals a crisp distant ridge.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, there are these three cravings. What three? Craving for sensual pleasures, craving for continued existence, and craving for nonexistence. These are the three cravings.”

The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Bound by craving, minds full of desire for rebirth in this or that state, yoked by Māra’s yoke, these people find no sanctuary from the yoke. Sentient beings continue to transmigrate, with ongoing birth and death.
Those who have given up craving, rid of craving for rebirth in this or that state, they in this world have truly crossed over, having reached the ending of defilements.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Connections

Collection & context

ItivuttakaThe collection containing this text
The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting

Books

Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology

About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.