The Buddha teaches on craving, presenting a sixfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 6.106 Craving

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, taṇhā pahātabbā, tayo ca mānā. Katamā tisso taṇhā pahātabbā? Kāmataṇhā, bhavataṇhā, vibhavataṇhā imā tisso taṇhā pahātabbā. Katame tayo mānā pahātabbā? Māno, omāno, atimāno ime tayo mānā pahātabbā. Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno imā tisso taṇhā pahīnā honti, ime ca tayo mānā; ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā”ti.

Ekādasamaṁ.

Ānisaṁsavaggo dasamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Pātubhāvo ānisaṁso,
aniccadukkhaanattato;
Nibbānaṁ anavatthi,
ukkhittāsi atammayo;
Bhavā taṇhāyekā dasāti.

Dutiyo paṇṇāsako samatto.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, taṇhā pahātabbā, tayo ca mānā.

“Mendicants, you should give up these three cravings and three conceits.

Katamā tisso taṇhā pahātabbā?

What three cravings should you give up?

Kāmataṇhā, bhavataṇhā, vibhavataṇhā

Craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, and craving for nonexistence.

imā tisso taṇhā pahātabbā.

These are the three cravings you should give up.

Katame tayo mānā pahātabbā?

What three conceits should you give up?

Māno, omāno, atimāno

Conceit, inferiority complex, and superiority complex.

ime tayo mānā pahātabbā.

These are the three conceits you should give up.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno imā tisso taṇhā pahīnā honti, ime ca tayo mānā;

When a mendicant has given up these three cravings and these three conceits

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā”ti.

they’re called a mendicant who has cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit has made an end of suffering.”

Ekādasamaṁ.

Ānisaṁsavaggo dasamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Pātubhāvo ānisaṁso,

aniccadukkhaanattato;

Nibbānaṁ anavatthi,

ukkhittāsi atammayo;

Bhavā taṇhāyekā dasāti.

Dutiyo paṇṇāsako samatto.

Qualities:

Conceit

Conceit

Self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth

Also known as: arrogance, egotism, pride, self-importance, tendency of self-comparison
Pāli: māna, atimāna, unnaḷa
View all discourses →
Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
View all discourses →
Sensual desire

Sensual desire

A mental quality of desiring sensory gratification. It pulls the mind’s attention toward sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches in a search for satisfaction.

Also known as: craving for sensuality, passion for sensual pleasures, lust, pull toward enticing sense objects
Pāli: kāmacchanda
View all discourses →
Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026