a^rammana (q.v.); as condition s. paccaya (2).
the elements of the effort for: pa^risuddhipadha^niyanga (q.v.).
the 3: mala (q.v.).
”happy course of existence”; s. gati.
a^sava (q.v.).
(lit.”thirst”): ”craving”, is the chief root of suffering, and of the ever-continuing cycle of rebirths."What, o monks, is the origin of suffering? It is that craving which gives rise to ever-fresh rebirth and, bound up with pleasure and lust, now here, now there, finds ever fresh delight. It is the sensual craving (ka^ma-tanha^), the craving for existence (bhava-tanha^), the craving for non-existence (vibhava-tanha^)”” (D. 22). T. is the 8th link in the formula of the dependent origination (paticcasamuppa^da, q.v.). Cf. sacca.
Corresponding to the 6 sense-objects, there are 6 kinds of craving craving for visible objects, for sounds, odours, tastes, bodily impressions, mental impressions (rúpa-, sadda-, gandha-, rasa-, photthabba-, dhamma-tanha^). (M. 9; D. 15)
Corresponding to the 3-fold existence, there are 3 kinds: craving for sensual existence (ka^ma-tanha^), for fine-material existence (rúpa-tanha^), for immaterial existence (arúpa-tanha^). (D. 33)
There are 18 ”thought-channels of craving” (tanha^-vicarita) induced internally, and 18 induced externally; and as occurring in past, present and future, they total 108; see A. IV, 199; Vibh., Ch. 17 (Khuddakavatthu-Vibhanga).
According to the dependent origination, craving is conditioned by feeling; on this see D. 22 (section on the 2nd Truth).
Of craving for existence (bhava-tanha^ ) it is said (A. X, 62): "No first beginning of the craving for existence can be perceived, o monks, before which it was not and after which it came to be. But it can he perceived that craving for existence has its specific condition. I say, o monks, that also craving for existence has its condition that feeds it (sa^haram) and is not without it. And what is it? ”Ignorance”, one has to reply." - Craving for existence and ignorance are called "the outstanding causes that lead to happy and unhappy destinies (courses of existence)" (s. Vis.M. XVII, 36-42).
The most frequent synonyms of tanha^ are ra^ga (q.v.) and lobha (s. múla).
awareness of: one of the insight-knowledges; s. visuddhi VI. 3.
thi^na, s. thi^na-middha (q.v.).
jha^na (q.v.).
the 4 Noble: sacca (q.v.). - 2-fold knowledge of the t.; s. saccan~a^na.
a class of heavenly beings in the sensuous plane; s. deva (1).
as a general term for the 5 sense-organs (cakkhu-vatthu, etc ) is frequent in the Com., and often used together with a^rammana (object). This usage, however, is already indicated in the Abh. Canon: ”Cakkhum p”etam... vatthum p”etam” (Dhs. § 597; Vibh., p.71, PTS): ”cakkhuvin~n~a^nassa vatthu” (Dhs. §§ 679ff.).
”physical base”, i.e. the 6 physical organs on which the mental process is based, are the 5 physical sense-organs and, according to the Com., the heart (hadaya-vatthu, q.v.) as the 6th. This 6th vatthu must not be confounded with the 6th a^yatana, which is a collective name for all consciousness whatever. - (App.).
the 3 ”abstentions” or abstinences, are: abstention from wrong speech, wrong (bodily) action and wrong livelihood; corresponding to right speech, action and livelihood of the 8-fold Path (s. magga, 3-5). By abstention is not simply meant the non-occurrence of the evil things in question, but the deliberate abstaining therefrom, whenever occasion arises. They belong to the ”secondary” (not constant) mental concomitants obtaining in lofty consciousness (s. Tab. II). Cf. si^la.
s. si^la.
lahuta^ (q.v.).
”not-self”, non-ego, egolessness, impersonality, ...
is the last of the three characteristics of existence (ti-lakkhana, q.v.) The anatta^ doctrine teaches that neither within the bodily and mental phenomena of existence, nor outside of them, can be found anything that in the ultimate sense could be regarded as a self-existing real ego-entity, soul or any other abiding substance.
This is the central doctrine of Buddhism, without understanding which a real knowledge of Buddhism is altogether impossible. It is the only really specific Buddhist doctrine, with which the entire Structure of the Buddhist teaching stands or falls. All the remaining Buddhist doctrines may, more or less, be found in other philosophic systems and religions, but the anatta^-doctrine has been clearly and unreservedly taught only by the Buddha, wherefore the Buddha is known as the anatta^-va^di, or ”Teacher of Impersonality”.
Whosoever has not penetrated this impersonality of all existence, and does not comprehend that in reality there exists only this continually self-consuming process of arising and passing bodily and mental phenomena, and that there is no separate ego-entity within or without this process, he will not be able to understand Buddhism, i.e. the teaching of the 4 Noble Truths (sacca, q.v.), in the right light. He will think that it is his ego, his personality, that experiences suffering, his personality that performs good and evil actions and will be reborn according to these actions, his personality that will enter into Nibba^na, his personality that walks on the Eightfold Path. Thus it is said in Vis.M. XVI:
"Mere suffering exists, no sufferer is found;
The deeds are, but no doer of the deeds is there;
Nibba^na is, but not the man that enters it;
The path is, but no traveler on it is seen."
"Whosoever is not clear with regard to the conditionally arisen phenomena, and does not comprehend that all the actions are conditioned through ignorance, etc., he thinks that it is an ego that understands or does not understand, that acts or causes to act, that comes to existence at rebirth .... that has the sense-impression, that feels, desires, becomes attached, continues and at rebirth again enters a new existence" (Vis.M. XVII. 117).
While in the case of the first two characteristics it is stated that all formations (sabbe sankha^ra^) are impermanent and subject to suffering, the corresponding text for the third characteristic states that "all things are not-self" (sabbe dhamma^ anatta^; M. 35, Dhp. 279). This is for emphasizing that the false view of an abiding self or substance is neither applicable to any ”formation” or conditioned phenomenon, nor to Nibba^na, the Unconditioned Element (asankhata^ dha^tu).
The Anatta^-lakkhana Sutta, the ”Discourse on the Characteristic of Not-self”, was the second discourse after Enlightenment, preached by the Buddha to his first five disciples, who after hearing it attained to perfect Holiness (arahatta).
The contemplation of not-self (anatta^nupassana^) leads to the emptiness liberation (sun~n~ata^-vimokkha, s. vimokkha). Herein the faculty of wisdom (pan~n~indriya) is outstanding, and one who attains in that way the path of Stream-entry is called a Dhamma-devotee (dhamma^nusa^ri; s. ariya-puggala); at the next two stages of sainthood he becomes a vision-attainer (ditthippatta); and at the highest stage, i.e. Holiness, he is called ”liberated by wisdom” (pan~n~a^-vimutta).
For further details, see paramattha-sacca, paticca-samuppa^da, khandha, ti-lakkhana, na^ma-rúpa, patisandhi.
Literature: Anatta^-lakkhana Sutta, Vinaya I, 13-14; S.22. 59; tr. in Three Cardinal Discourses of the Buddha (WHEEL 17). -
Another important text on Anatta^ is the Discourse on the Snake Simile (Alagaddúpama Sutta, M. 22; tr. in WHEEL 48/49) .
Other texts in "Path". - Further: Anatta^ and Nibba^na, by Nyanaponika Thera (WHEEL 11);
The Truth of Anatta^, by Dr. G. P. Malalasekera (WHEEL 94);
The Three Basic Facts of Existence III: Egolessness (WHEEL 202/204)
”volition”, will, is one of the seven mental factors (cetasika, q.v.) inseparably bound up with all consciousness, namely sensorial or mental impression (phassa), feeling (vedana^), perception (san~n~a^), volition (cetana^), concentration (sama^dhi), vitality (ji^vita), advertence (manasika^ra). Cf. Tab. II, III.
With regard to karmical volition (i.e. wholesome or unwholesome karma) it is said in A. VI, 13: "Volition is action (karma), thus I say, o monks; for as soon as volition arises, one does the action, be it by body, speech or mind." For details, s. paticca-samuppa^da (10), karma.