THE CAUSE OF SUFFERING (SAMUDĀYA SACCA)

Every cause has an effect and every effect becomes the cause of something else. Because of the cause and effect, there is suffering and cause of suffering. The primary cause of suffering are ignorance and craving. Ignorance, in this context, is not mere lack of knowledge but a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of reality. It involves failing to see the impermanence, interdependence, and non-self (anatta) nature of all phenomena. Immoralities or evils, such as greed, envy, hatred and anger derive from this ignorance.

People tend to cling to fleeting pleasures, possessions, and identities, mistakenly believing that these will provide lasting happiness. This clinging creates a cycle of suffering, as everything in this material world is inherently impermanent. The Buddha taught that the impermanence of all phenomena is a fundamental truth of existence (anicca). Because we attach ourselves to things that change and ultimately disappear, we experience disappointment, frustration, and suffering.

By desire, it refers to craving for sensual pleasures (kāma-taṇhā), craving for existence (bhava-taṇhā) and craving for non-existence (vibhava-taṇhā). Simply, they are called craving (taṇhā). Ignorance (avijjā) serves as the root cause of craving (taṇhā). So, ignorance (avijjā) and craving (taṇhā) lie at the root cause of suffering. If ignorance is removed then all forms of craving is immediately eradicated. If all forms of craving are eradicated then ignorance is completely removed. As long as ignorance holds sway, craving leads to suffering. In this way, the chain of causes and effects leads to suffering (dukkha).

Worldlings suffer various problems and sorrows in life. To overcome these problems and sorrows, it commits unwholesome actions due to greed, hatred and delusion. But behind all these unwholesome actions lies false views and false determination.

Due to ignorance manifested with false views and false determination, people commit false speech, wrong actions, wrong livelihood, and wrong efforts by virtue of which suffering follows in this life and next. In other words, it plants the seeds of rebirth, which forms the essential conditions that generates rebirth and influences the realm of rebirth for which there is no reckoning.

Every sentient being has craving - kāma-taṇhā (craving for sensual pleasures), bhava-taṇhā (craving for existence), and vibhava-taṇhā (craving for non-existence) and we are nourished by these cravings. Without cravings, there would not be the energy to live. The cravings can be wholesome or unwholesome. Wholesome desires such as meditating on the Four Sublime Brahma-viharas – Metta, Karuna, Medita & Upekkha brings good rebirth in Brahmaloka. But unwholesome desire such as killing, stealing, adultery, false speech, intoxicants drinks etc. brings suffering and rebirth in the four woeful states of hell.

Vibhava taṇhā arises from the wrong view of materialism (uccēda diṭṭhi). Many immoral acts are done with uccēda diṭṭhi (or materialism or nihilism) because one believes that everything in this world is for one’s enjoyment. Therefore, one believes that one needs to enjoy the pleasures of this life before dying. But after death, this uccēda diṭṭhi person is reborn in the four woeful states of hell because no wholesome action was done.

The worldlings are trapped in the cycle of existence known as saṃsāra, wandering aimlessly, and experiencing unbearable suffering of birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, associating with the unpleasant, disassociation from the pleasant, not to get what one wants, life after life. As long as a person holds wrong views and wrong determination, there always will be cravings that will leads to rebirth and worldly suffering. Thus, the cycle of existence (paṭicca-samuppāda) in saṃsāra will continue.