Venerable Sāriputta answers the wanderer Jambukhādaka on a question about craving, explaining the Dhamma and the practice that leads to extinguishment.

SN 38.10 A Question About Craving

“‘Taṇhā, taṇhā’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati. Katamā nu kho, āvuso, taṇhā”ti?

“Tisso imā, āvuso, taṇhā. Kāmataṇhā, bhavataṇhā, vibhavataṇhā imā kho, āvuso, tisso taṇhā”ti.

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāyā”ti?

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāyā”ti.

“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāyā”ti? “Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāya, seyyathidaṁ sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāyā”ti. “Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāya. Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“‘Taṇhā, taṇhā’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati.

“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘craving’.

Katamā nu kho, āvuso, taṇhā”ti?

What is craving?”

“Tisso imā, āvuso, taṇhā.

“Reverend, there are these three cravings.

Kāmataṇhā, bhavataṇhā, vibhavataṇhā

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

imā kho, āvuso, tisso taṇhā”ti.

These are the three cravings.”

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāyā”ti?

“But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for completely understanding these cravings?”

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāyā”ti.

“There is.” …

“Katamo panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāyā”ti?

“Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāya, seyyathidaṁ

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāyā”ti.

“Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etāsaṁ taṇhānaṁ pahānāya.

Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

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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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
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Last updated on July 27, 2026