Why did the Buddha say craving is bad, when Buddhists crave Nirvana??

Question

Help it doesn't make sense. How can craving be harmful and to-be-avoided?

Answer 1

The lord Buddha said:

"Now this, monks, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: It is this tanha (meaning thirst, but used to indicate desire, craving, wanting, longing or yearning.) which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, tanha for sensual pleasures, tanha for existence, tanha for extermination." [Note: Extermination could be translated as extinguishing and the Sanskrit world for extinguishing is nirvana.]

A Buddhist should NOT thirst or crave the end of Samsara (the cycle of birth, death and re-birth) or nirvana, to do so, prevents one from attaining enlightenment.

According to some schools of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, (including some schools of Zen) Desire, or craving for nirvana is the catalyst that brings people to the path, however, once on the proper path to enlightenment, that desire is replaced with original mind and the desire fades.

One common misunderstanding is that tanha (desire) is only related to material desire. Tanha is ALL desire, ALL wanting, ALL attachment, even the desire to be free of the burdens of desire and attachment.

Another MAJOR misconception about the lord Buddha's teachings is that Tanha should be cut out completely. About this, the Buddha taught:

"Now this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of tanha: It is the remainder less fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, and non-reliance on it."

This does not mean that all desire is cut away. Fir desire is a natural part of being human, but we have a tendency to desire unsatisfactory things (dukkha) such as existence, non-existence, fame, physical pleasures and the like. When we have samyag-vyayama (Right Effort), desire that lead us to (Prajna, Sila & Samadhi) (Right Wisdom, Conduct and Mentality), then tanha (desire) is not a hindrance to our enlightenment but the path to it. It is for this reason that the Lord Buddha gave us the Noble Eightfold Path. It is this path that leads to enlightenment and nirvana.

Just remember that NOTHING in and of it self is evil or bad, it is the reasoning and reasons behind it, the motivation. Tanha is only bad when the desired thing is detrimental to the way.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Reincarnation happens when you die. The karma you collected during your life determines what happens next. If you have more bad karma than good then there is a very high chance that you will be reincarnated to a lower level. If you have more good karma than bad then there is a very high chance you'll be reincarnated to a higher level. The ultimate goal is to reach Nirvana or become a Conquering Buddha where you have reached enlightenment. This is something most of us will never get near in our current life cycle, but may happen in future cycles.

Answer 3

Buddha was talking about materialistic cravings. Nirvana is a state of mind that others strive to acheive. It is not a craving of belongings or worldly pleasures.

Answer 4

Someones having you on. Buddha never said cravings bad. In fact Ksanti-Paramita is all about perseverance. In the Nobl Eightfold Path there is also the path of Effort, whilst in Virya-Paramita importance is placed on the actual practiceof working toward an objective that has been clearly set.

Answer 5

Do you have a teacher?? On the spiritual pathway one should have the humility to first seek a competent Guide who would explain things like this. seeking nirvana is a divine inspiration, Stop calling it human craving or disire. As,I have been inspired of God to seek the kingdom of God within my own heart. I believe buddha called this nirvana, just different words for the same thing.

Answer 6

People who crave to be rock stars and never make it find themselves depressed. People who crave to be high smoke everyday, don't accomplish anything, and then eventually find themselves depressed and probably anxious because of all the years of smoking. Craving is bad.

You can crave to not crave anything, and possibly achieve this state. Then there will be no major letdowns in your life because you never really wanted whatever it was anyways. If something comes your way though, awesome.

Answer 7

It is a paradox. Religions often have paradoxes, "apparently self-contradictory *truths*". (It appears to contradict itself, yet it is true, at least from the believer's perspective.)

To crave Nirvana is to crave inner peace and contentment. In contrast to our usual cravings for material things and physical comfort, to crave Nirvana means to free yourself from *usual cravings*.

A Christian paradox is: "Give yourself to slavery in Christ, and you shall be free." A slave, but free? Just like a Buddhist is free of cravings by craving (and hopefully achieving) Nirvana.

Answer 8

because the budda never ate chocolate......
if the budda had chocolate he would have realised how trulely amazeing it was and craved it by the bucket full :) then how would say that craveing is excellent