Greetings Vincent,
vinasp wrote:I will argue that bhava tanha (existence craving) is the craving that produces views of an existing self. And that vibhava tanha (non-existence craving) produces views of a not-existing self. These are, therefore, special forms of dhamma tanha.
This doesn't seem quite right to me.
Bhava tanha is craving for something to exist.
Vibhava tanha is craving for something not to exist.
Kama-tanha is craving for something of the senses that is desirable. In retrospect, this could also be in the top-right corner of the matrix below.
All of these involve the establishment of a false dichotomy between experiencer and experience, and therefore result in jati.
Here you go, I've drawn you a matrix...
- tanha.JPG (14.63 KiB) Viewed 3060 times
Relevant quotation from
SN 12.15
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"By & large, Kaccayana, this world is supported by (takes as its object) a polarity, that of existence & non-existence. But when one sees the origination of the world as it actually is with right discernment, 'non-existence' with reference to the world does not occur to one. When one sees the cessation of the world as it actually is with right discernment, 'existence' with reference to the world does not occur to one.
"By & large, Kaccayana, this world is in bondage to attachments, clingings (sustenances), & biases. But one such as this does not get involved with or cling to these attachments, clingings, fixations of awareness, biases, or obsessions; nor is he resolved on 'my self.' He has no uncertainty or doubt that just stress, when arising, is arising; stress, when passing away, is passing away. In this, his knowledge is independent of others. It's to this extent, Kaccayana, that there is right view.
"'Everything exists': That is one extreme. 'Everything doesn't exist': That is a second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma via the middle: From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form. From name-&-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering.
The Buddha is cool.
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."