THE THREEFOLD CRAVING

  There is the "Sensual Craving," the "Craving for

Eternal-Annihilation." Existence," the "Craving for

Self-Annihilation."

  [The "Craving for Eternal Existence," according to the

Visuddhi-Magga, is intimately connected with the so-called

Eternity-Belief," i.e., the belief in an absolute, eternal, Ego-entity

persisting independently of our body.

  The Craving for Self-Annihilation is the outcome of the so-called

"Annihilation-Belief," the delusive materialistic notion of an Ego

which is annihilated at death, and which does not stand in any

causal relation with the time before birth or after death.]

  But, where does this craving arise and take root? Wherever in the

world there are delightful and pleasurable things, there this

craving arises and takes root. Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind,

are delightful and pleasurable: there this craving arises and takes

root.

  Visual objects, sounds, smells, tastes, bodily impressions, and

mind-objects, are delightful and pleasurable: there this craving

arises and takes root.

  Consciousness, sense impression, feeling born of sense impression,

perception, will, craving, thinking, and reflecting, are delightful

and pleasurable: there this craving arises and takes root.

  If, namely, when perceiving a visual object, a sound, odor, taste,

bodily impression, or a mind object, the object is pleasant, one is

attracted; and if unpleasant, one is repelled.

  Thus, whatever kind of "Feeling" one experiences, pleasant,

unpleasant, or indifferent-one approves of, and cherishes the feeling,

and clings to it; and while doing so, lust springs up; but lust for

feelings, means Clinging; and on Clinging, depends the "Process of

Becoming"; on the Process of Becoming  (Karma-process),  depends

(future)  "Birth"; and dependent on Birth, are Decay and Death,

Sorrow, Lamentation, Pain, Grief, and Despair. Thus arises this

whole mass of suffering.

  This is called the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering.