Craving (taṇhā)
Indeterminate qualities / Dependent origination / Craving
Part of key topic Dependent Origination
Also a subtag of Proliferation
Subtags: Craving for sensuality, Craving to become, Craving not to become
See also: Cause of Suffering
55 excerpts, 3:36:28 total duration

Events (1) All excerpts (55) Most relevant (31) Questions about (24) Answers involving (24) Stories (1) Quotes (4) Readings (1) References (1)

Metta Retreat, Session 1 – Sep. 9, 2008

Download audio (17:10)
3. “Could you please explain about the death process…how quickly does rebirth occur?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Death ] [Rebirth] // [Recollection/Death] [Delusion] [Self-identity view] [Recollection] [Impermanence] [Not-self] [Theravāda] [History/Early Buddhism] [Sutta] [Vajrayāna] [Clinging] [Culture/Thailand] [Chanting] [Goodwill] [Relinquishment] [Ceremony/ritual] [Kamma]

References: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 55: Five Recollections; Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 12: The body is impermanent... [Similes] [Craving]

Simile: Fire blown by the wind (MN 72: Aggivacchagotta Sutta)

Story: A former monk asks Ajahn Chah about working with dying people to give them the opportunity for wholesome rebirth. [Ajahn Chah] [Teachers] [Fierce/direct teaching]

Quote: “I practice dying.” — The Dalai Lama. [Dalai Lama]


Download audio (3:22)
5. “How would you describe the jhana states and do you teach this kind of meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Jhāna] [Ajahn Pasanno] // [Concentration] [Energy] [Clear comprehension] [Knowledge and vision] [Ajahn Chah] [Relinquishment] [Craving] [Conceit]


Metta Retreat, Session 4 – Sep. 12, 2008

Download audio (5:45)
18. “When I think of people with spontaneous open generous hearts, they are full of mettā, karuṇā, and muditā, but do not seem equanimous. Can upekkhā come naturally or is it a result of cultivation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Divine Abidings] [Equanimity] [Conditionality] // [Becoming] [Liberation] [Craving] [Technology]

Quote: “When we say not moved, it doesn’t mean dull, shut down, closed off, but being completely in tune, being very clear, and then not being shaken by anything.” [Clear comprehension]


Metta Retreat, Session 5 – Sep. 13, 2008

Download audio (2:55)
4. “Is it hopeless to send loving-kindness to Mara?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Goodwill] [Māra] // [Craving] [Suffering] [Kamma]


Tudong Stories at Spirit Rock, Session 2 – Jun. 2, 2011

Download audio (4:04)
14. “I travelled for six weeks in Thailand and India and found that time really shifted. Having been home about two months, even with a daily meditation practice, time speeds up. How is life at the monastery versus tudong, and what do you have to say to laypeople about the speeding up of time?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pace of life] [Culture/Thailand] [Culture/India] [Culture/West] [Tudong] [Everyday life] [Monastic life] // [Craving] [Devotional practice]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 1 – Nov. 23, 2013

Download audio (4:19)
1. “Thank you for your talk. Can you flesh out: ‘dispassionate about what?’ Also, trying to encourage dispassion along with arousing energy.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Dispassion ] [Energy] // [Craving] [Sense bases] [Form] [Emotion] [Contentment] [Tranquility]

Quote: “When there’s a coolness towards the world around one, that frees up a lot of energy for directing attention to what’s actually useful and beneficial.” [Discernment]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 2 – Nov. 24, 2013

Download audio (2:46)
4. “Could you please talk about different places in the chain of dependent origination can be broken? For example, does contact always result in vedanā? If the intention to be conscious is let go of, is that breaking the chain of ignorance conditioning saṅkhāra and saṅkhāra conditioning viññana?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Dependent origination ] [Contact] [Feeling] [Ignorance] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness] // [Craving] [Clinging] [Becoming] [Relinquishment]


Questions and Answers with Dharma Realm Buddhist University – Nov. 18, 2014

Download audio (2:09)
9. “How does tudong help you on the spiritual path?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tudong ] // [Simplicity] [Craving] [Teaching Dhamma] [Faith]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 6 – Nov. 27, 2014

Download audio (3:20)
9. “Is my understanding of the first noble truth correct in that it doesn’t deny enjoying things in life, but point to their temporary nature and underlying unsatisfaction once enjoyment ceases? Can I be a Buddhist and still enjoy my chocolate?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Noble Truth of Suffering ] [Sensual desire] [Impermanence] [Suffering] [Food]

Quote: “There’s enjoying things and there is having to enjoy things. These are two different things.” [Happiness] [Craving]

Sutta: AN 5.208: Benefits of using toothwoods [Health]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 16 – Jan. 25, 2015

Download audio (6:16)
2. “Why is the intellect not included in the five cords of sensual pleasure?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sense bases] [Sensual desire] [Right Mindfulness] // [Culture/West] [History] [Culture/Thailand] [Craving]

Sutta: SN 47.6-7.

Follow-up: “Are the pīti and sukha of samādhi considered mano (intellect) states?” [Rapture] [Happiness] [Concentration] [Aversion]


Download audio (2:06)
4. “Could it be that the five cords of sensual pleasure need an outside stimulus to be activated while the mind is an internal frame of reference?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sensual desire] [Sense bases] [Heart/mind] [Right Mindfulness] // [Craving] [Concentration]

Sutta: MN 137: Replacing sensual pleasure with the pleasure of samādhi.


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 45 – Mar. 15, 2015

Download audio (0:57)
4. Clarification of underlying tendencies to unworldly, pleasant feelings? Answered by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Ajahn Pasanno. [Unwholesome Roots] [Happiness] [Feeling] // [Desire] [Craving]


The Middle Way of Not-Self, Session 2 – May. 27, 2015

Download audio (2:25)
11. Comment: Before I get to all that [deep reflection on not-self], in the meantime I thing of Luang Por Sumedho’s saying, ‘Every time I think of myself, I get depressed.’ [Ajahn Sumedho] [Self-identity view] [Depression] [Not-self]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Five Precepts]

Quote: “It’s difficult but it’s not that complicated. The Buddha’s teachings go against the grain of our conditioning and habits, but the essence of it is quite simple.” [Proliferation] [Right Effort] [Craving] [Simplicity] [Practicing in accordance with Dhamma]


Jhāna: A Practical Approach, Session 4 – Oct. 10, 2015

Download audio (1:18)
10. Comment: This wanting mind becomes doing something... [Desire] [Jhāna]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Feeling] [Craving] [Ardency] [Happiness] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of body]


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 5 – Nov. 25, 2015

Download audio (6:58)
15. “Can you clarify the difference between desire and intention? It seems that either could lead to suffering due to attachments to the results. Yet we are encouraged to have intentions for well-being, health, happiness, etc. Isn’t our intention also a desire?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Desire ] [Volition ] [Clinging] [Cause of Suffering] // [Pāli] [Kamma] [Craving ] [Bases of Success] [Sensual desire] [Energy]

Sutta: SN 22.22: Dhammacakkappavattanasutta (Chanting Book translation)


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 2 – Nov. 20, 2016

Download audio (3:32)
1. “Isn’t desire needed for lay life, starting a family, a business etc? And what about polio? Would there be things like a vaccine for polio without desire? Did the Buddha have something else in mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Desire ] [Health care] [Lay life] // [Cause of Suffering] [Craving] [Aids to Awakening] [Bases of Success] [Hindrances] [Sensual desire] [Language]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 3 – Nov. 21, 2016

Download audio (5:00)
6. “Please talk about fixed views and the nine conceits.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Views ] [Conceit ] // [Pāli] [Proliferation ] [Craving] [Self-identity view] [Cessation of Suffering] [Competitiveness] [Culture/West]

Teaching: The three papañcadhammas. [Craving]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 4 – Nov. 22, 2016

Download audio (2:04)
13. “The āsavas: Why does the mind leave (“go out”) its still center?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Outflows] [Proliferation] // [Translation] [Ignorance ] [Craving]


The Teaching and the Training, Session 11 – Mar. 29, 2018

Download audio (5:36)
5. “I was reading the book Hooked about desire, consumerism, and society. The author writes about the desire to know things. How does the desire to know relate to practice?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Desire] [Monastic life] // [Cause of Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] [Bases of Success] [Sensual desire] [Craving]

Sutta: SN 51.15: The path has an end. [Great disciples]


The Path of Practice, Session 1 – Jun. 15, 2019

Download audio (5:57)
19. Comment: I have one of these thinking minds, and over the years I’m learning more and more to just watch where my thoughts go. I’m getting more comfortable with that. At the same time, I’ve heard teachings that as you improve your concentration on the primary object, your mindfulness increases as well. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Mindfulness] [Concentration]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Language] [Generosity] [Conditionality] [Desire] [Craving]

Quote: “The same word that is translated as concentration in English, when it’s translated in Thai, is ‘the firm establishing of the mind.’ That has a different feel to it.” [Translation] [Thai]


Love, Attachment, and Friendship, Session 3 – Oct. 12, 2019

Download audio (6:24)
9. Question about cultivating goodwill towards a difficult coworker. Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Work] [Goodwill] [Forgiveness] // [Suffering] [Right Effort] [Craving] [Relinquishment] [Kamma]

Comment: Sometimes having metta means leaving the situation. [Association with people of integrity] [Clear comprehension]

Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 46


Abhayagiri 25th Anniversary Retreat, Session 9 – Jun. 11, 2021

Download audio (9:57)
1. “How do you avoid falling in the trap of caring about something/someone too much and becoming attached to that something/someone?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Compassion] [Clinging] // [Suffering] [Equanimity] [Goodwill] [Generosity] [Bases of Success] [Desire] [Self-identity view] [Craving] [Cessation of Suffering]


Madison Insight Retreat 2023, Session 3 – Oct. 15, 2023

Download audio (3:00)
7. “What exactly is reborn in Buddhist teachings?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Rebirth ] // [Craving] [Sensual desire] [Becoming] [Craving not to become] [Consciousness] [Relinquishment]


Interreligious Retreat-Seminar on Dhamma and Non-duality, Session 4 – Nov. 26, 2023

Download audio (5:04)
2. “Is the desire to become fearless a cause of suffering? Is wearing a different kind of clothes also I-making?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Desire] [Fear] [Cause of Suffering] [Attachment to precepts and practices] [Self-identity view] // [Craving] [Unwholesome Roots] [Naturalness] [Discernment] [Suffering] [Liberation]