The Cause of Suffering in Buddhism – Craving and the Path to Liberation- part -02

 Exploring the Buddha’s teaching on the cause of suffering (Dukkha) — craving (Tanha) — and how the Noble Eightfold Path with Right View leads to the end of suffering.

Most Venerable Mankadawala Sudassana Thero


On January 15, 2015, at the Dhammahadaya Retreat in Naula Lenadora, I had the opportunity to record this invaluable Dhamma sermon delivered by the Most Venerable Mankadawala Sudassana Thero. Later, I decided to prepare it as a written article, keeping his words exactly as they were spoken, without editing a single letter.

See the previous article here
The Rarity of Human Life and the Endless Cycle of Samsara
https://dhammapathsl.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-rarity-of-human-life-and-endless.html#more

Article Content:

Buddha teachings on suffering

Then the Buddha said that if there is any suffering, whether in this world or the next, from the very beginning to old age and death, if there is any suffering, the Buddha showed that this suffering is justified and has a cause. The cause of suffering is craving, the fundamental craving and the craving for material possessions. Or, the craving that arises in the next birth and the craving that arises when using institutions have brought suffering into our lives, namely the suffering of life and the suffering of goals.

Cause of suffering craving

Even if we do not suffer from the objects, the very existence of life is suffering. The cause of suffering such as illness, old age, death is the craving that has led to rebirth. It is the basic craving for lust, for existence, for existence. Then we suffer because of the objects, such as losing children, breaking houses, losing money. After birth, apart from the suffering associated with this body, there is suffering that comes from the objects that come to the mind. That suffering is called the craving for form, the craving for sound, the craving for smell, the craving for taste, the craving for food, and the craving for the Dhamma.

Four Noble Truths, Buddhism

Suffering arises because of craving. If craving is eliminated, suffering ceases. But the Buddha showed that theory. He showed the Dhamma. He showed the truth of the Dhamma, how suffering arises and how suffering ceases. That is the truth of the Dhamma. Having shown it, the Tathagata never asked, so if suffering arises because of craving, is there anywhere in the scriptures that says to eliminate craving? No. He did not ask for a precept to eliminate craving. Suffering arises because of craving. If craving is eliminated, suffering ceases, to eliminate suffering, what other method did he show for the precept of eliminating suffering? The eight factors that are the primary concern of right view. Why is that? Because it is impossible to eliminate craving by focusing on craving.



End of suffering Buddha Dhamma

If a child develops craving, you cannot eliminate craving by telling him to run away from home. Therefore, the cause of suffering is craving, if craving disappears, suffering disappears, the way to eliminate suffering is right view. Seeing as it really is. Then where should we see as it really is?? What should we see as it really is?? Wherever craving arises, where craving exists, that is where we should see as it really is. The cause of suffering is craving, if craving disappears, suffering disappears, to eliminate suffering, we should see as it really is, right view, seeing as it really is. What?? We should see as it really is in what the eye says. We should see as it really is in what the eye sees. There are sixty (60) things that cause us suffering. There are sixty things that create the cause of suffering. What do we call the cause of suffering? Craving. There are sixty things that arise and exist in that craving, and we have ten piles of six. It is in the Satipatthana Sutta.

                                             -More in the next article-
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