Friends:

The Second Noble Truth: craving is the Cause of Suffering!!!

The blessed Buddha once said:
One should dwell reflecting on all phenomena as mental states in the light
of these Four Noble Truths. How does one do so?
Here, one sees, understands, and knows this as it verily is:

This and such is suffering!
This craving is the cause & origin of all suffering!
This absence of craving is the ceasing of all suffering!
This Noble 8-fold Way is the method to eradicate all suffering!

And what, monks, is the 2nd Noble Truth on the Cause of Suffering?
It is that craving, which gives rise to rebirth, drenched with lust and greed,
finding fresh attraction first here, then there: that is to say sensual craving,
craving for becoming into existence, & craving for non-becoming into existence.
And where does this craving arise and manifest itself?
Wherever in the world there is anything attractive and pleasant, it is right there
and right then, on the very spot, that this craving arises and manifests itself...
And what is there in this world, that is attractive and pleasant?
The eye, in this world, is attractive and pleasant, the ear, the nose, the tongue,
the body, the mind is attractive and pleasant, and there this craving arises and
puts down its roots. Sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental states
are attractive and amusing, and there this craving emerges & establishes itself.
Eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness,
body-consciousness, mental-consciousness in this world is attractive & alluring,
and there this craving come up and implants itself. Eye-contact, ear-contact,
nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, mental-contact in this world is
attractive and tempting, and there this craving begins and reveals itself.
Any feeling born of eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue- contact,
body-contact, mind-contact in the world is appealing & fascinating, and right
there this craving occurs and installs itself. The perception and experience of
any sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, & thoughts is quite interesting and
captivating, and there this craving arises & imbibes itself. Intention, wishing,
wanting and hoping for certain sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, thoughts,
ideas and mental states is enthralling & intriguing, and there this craving arises
and substantiates itself. The craving itself, the drive, push & rush for various
sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, & many mental-objects in this world is
attractive and seductive, and there this craving also arises & consolidates itself.
Thinking of any sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and mental-objects in
this world is attractive & tantalizing, thus this craving arises & manifests itself.
Prolonged pondering on certain sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles and the
manifold diversity of mental objects in this world is attractive and enticing, and
there this craving also arises and manifests, establishes and enhances itself...
And that, bhikkhus, is called the 2nd Noble Truth on the Cause of Suffering...

More on the 2nd Noble Truth: Craving  of the Cause of Suffering!
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Cut_Craving.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Craving_is_Pain.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Craving_is_Cause.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/How_to_cure_Greed.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Origin_of_Suffering.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Craving_is_Catastrophic.htm

Source (edited extract):
The Long Speeches of the Buddha. Digha Nikāya. Book II [306-314] 
Thread: The Foundations of Awareness. Mahāsatipatthāna Sutta 22.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=251033
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/digha/index.html
 

---

---

Updated: 10 Mar 2010 http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/The_2nd_Noble_Truth_on_The_Cause_of_Suffering.htm