The Buddha presents a repeated teaching on the six internal and external sense bases regarding desire, etc. for the suffering exterior in this grouped discourse.

SN 35.180-182 Desire, Etc. for the Suffering Exterior

“Yaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ, tatra vo chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo. Kiñca, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ?

Rūpā, bhikkhave, dukkhā; tatra vo chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo. Saddāgandhārasāphoṭṭhabbādhammā dukkhā; tatra vo chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo. Yaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ, tatra vo chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo”ti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Yaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ, tatra vo chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo.

“Mendicants, you should give up desire … greed … desire and greed for what is suffering.

Kiñca, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ?

And what is suffering?

Rūpā, bhikkhave, dukkhā; tatra vo chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo.

Sights,

Saddā

sounds,

gandhā

smells,

rasā

tastes,

phoṭṭhabbā

touches,

dhammā dukkhā; tatra vo chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo.

and ideas are suffering …”

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ, tatra vo chando pahātabbo, rāgo pahātabbo, chandarāgo pahātabbo”ti.

Topics & Qualities:

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
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Desire

Desire

A wholesome motivation, interest, or objective that acts as the starting point for effort and application of will.

Also known as: aspiration, interest, wish, having an objective, intention, impulse
Pāli: chanda
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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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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
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Last updated on July 27, 2026