Re: bhavata.nhaa vs. ta.nhaa for bhava

Dear Dan,

A belated response to your message sent: Sunday, June 30, 2002 2:34 PM


> Dear Jim and Robert,
> Very interesting comments on "bhava" and "bhavata.nhaa"...
>
> Jim: ...The 'bhava' in 'bhavata.nhaa' refers to the eternalistic view
> (sassatadi.t.thi). I had to check with the commentaries for this
> explanation which goes something like this: passion/desire (raaga)
> accompanied by the eternalistic view. Di.t.thi has to be read in
> between bhava and ta.nhaa.
>
> --> Dan: If bhavata.nhaa is ditthi (which makes sense), the sotapanna
> are free from bhavata.nhaa (which also makes sense). However, this
> bhava (being) of bhavata.nhaa seems quite different from the bhava
> (becoming) of paticca-samuppada. Isn't every grasping at a sense
> object really a ta.nha for bhava (as "becoming" rather than "being")?
> This moment to moment renewal of being (i.e. becoming) arises in
> response to the craving for the process of renewal, for "becoming" --
> the monkey mind that grasps for object after object after object
> because each object turns out to be unsatisfactory.

It's not correct to say that bhavata.nhaa is di.t.thi. It is better to say
that it is ta.nhaa accompanied by bhavadi.t.thi (eternity view). I'm aware
that bhavata.nhaa is often translated as craving for existence which is
quite different from the former. I have done a bit of researching of the
term as used in the context of kaamata.nhaa, bhavata.nhaa, & vibhavata.nhaa
found in the formulations of the second noble truth and in the explanations
of ta.nhaa in pa.ticcasamuppaada. I haven't looked at how the term is used
in other contexts. What I have found are two significantly different
explanations of the 3 ta.nhaa-s. On the one hand we find that the terms are
similarly explained in the Vinaya subcommentary, the Visuddhimagga, and to a
lesser extent in the Mahaanidaanasutta (DN) commentary as follows:

<< Ruupata.nhaadibhedena chabbidhaayeva ta.nhaa pavatti-aakaarabhedato
kaamata.nhaadivasena tividhaa vuttaa. Ruupata.nhaayeva hi yadaa cakkhussa
aapaathamaagata.m ruupaaramma.na.m kaamassaadavasena assaadayamaanaa
pavattati, tadaa kaamata.nhaa naama hoti. Yadaa tadevaaramma.na.m dhuva.m
sassatanti pavattaaya sassatadi.t.thiyaa saddhi.m pavattati, tadaa
bhavata.nhaa naama hoti. Sassatadi.t.thisahagato hi raago "bhavata.nhaa"ti
vuccati. Yadaa pana tadevaaramma.na.m ucchijjati vinassatiiti pavattaaya
ucchedadi.t.thiyaa saddhi.m pavattati, tadaa vibhavata.nhaa naama hoti.
Ucchedadi.t.thisahagato hi raago "vibhavata.nhaa"ti vuccati. Esa nayo
saddata.nhaadiisupi. >> Sp-p.t 3.176, Vism 2 para 644 (CSCD) is similar.

This includes the explanation of craving accompanied by the eternity view.

On the other hand we find in the commentaries to the Vibhanga and the
Mahaasatipa.t.thaanasutta the following:

<< Kaamata.nhaati kaame ta.nhaa kaamata.nhaa; pa~ncakaamagu.nikaraagasseta.m
adhivacana.m. Bhave ta.nhaa bhavata.nhaa; bhavapatthanaavasena uppannassa
sassatadi.t.thisahagatassa ruupaaruupabhavaraagassa ca jhaananikantiyaa
ceta.m adhivacana.m. Vibhave ta.nhaa vibhavata.nhaa;
ucchedadi.t.thisahagatassa raagasseta.m adhivacana.m. >> Vbh-a 111

"bhave ta.nhaa" is craving with respect to existence. Bhave is in the
locative sing. and I'm not sure how it relates to ta.nhaa so here 'with
respect to' is just a guess. This resolution of the compound might be where
the "craving for existence" comes from. You will also note that in this
explanation the craving is also accompanied by the eternity-view but
ruuparaaga and aruuparaaga as the sixth and seventh fetters (sa.myojana-s)
are without the eternity view (eradicated at the stream-entry level). I
suspect that the desire for jhaanic states is also accompanied by the
eternity view.

> Is it fair to say that bhavata.nhaa is eradicated at stream-entry but
> ta.nhaa for bhava is not eradicated until arahantship?

I agree that craving accompanied by the eternity view is eradicated at
stream-entry but not the craving (unaccompanied by view) which won't be
completely eradicated until arahantship. Among the 8 lobhacittas in the
Dhammasangani, the four that are accompanied by view are eradicated at
stream-entry leaving just four more to go. So far I haven't found any text
to support the notion of bhavata.nhaa without a view. It's a difficult
subject requiring considerably more study to know for sure all the
ramifications of the term.

Best wishes,
Jim


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