Taṇhā
Buddhist · deity · mythic · Recorded classification
Eldest of the three daughters of Māra (with Aratī and Rāgā), personifying Craving. Accompanying their downcast father after his armies fail, the three try to seduce the newly awakened Buddha and fail utterly because he is free of craving. Named in the buddhist_mara entry as one of the three daughters.
Parentage
- father: MāraDaughter of Māra the Evil One; reciprocal father-of edge to be added to buddhist_mara.Saṃyutta Nikāya, Māra-saṃyutta, Dhītaro Sutta (SN 4.25) (primary)
Domains
- craving thirst
- temptation
Powers
- Take on the forms of beautiful women of every age
- Rouse craving and unquenchable thirst
Epithets
- तृष्णा Craving; eldest daughter of Māra, personified thirst that binds beings to rebirthSaṃyutta Nikāya, Māra-saṃyutta, Dhītaro Sutta (SN 4.25) (primary)
Relations
- sibling: AratīSister daughter of Māra; the three (Taṇhā, Aratī, Rāgā) act together to tempt the Buddha.Saṃyutta Nikāya, Māra-saṃyutta (SN 4.25) (primary)
- sibling: RāgāSister daughter of Māra; the three (Taṇhā, Aratī, Rāgā) act together to tempt the Buddha.Saṃyutta Nikāya, Māra-saṃyutta (SN 4.25) (primary)
- father: MāraDaughter of Māra the Evil One; reciprocal father-of edge to be added to buddhist_mara.Saṃyutta Nikāya, Māra-saṃyutta, Dhītaro Sutta (SN 4.25) (primary)
Sources
- existence: Saṃyutta Nikāya, Māra-saṃyutta, Dhītaro Sutta (SN 4.25) (primary); Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā on vv.179-180 (secondary)
- daughter-of-Mara: Saṃyutta Nikāya, Māra-saṃyutta (SN 4.25), where Taṇhā, Aratī and Rāgā are Māra's daughters (primary)