Desire : 'Taṇhā' versus 'Chanda'

'The craving (Taṇhā) of one given to heedless living grows like a creeper. Like the monkey seeking fruits in the forest, he leaps from life to life (tasting the fruit of his kamma).

Whoever is overcome by this wretched and sticky craving, his sorrows grow like grass after the rains.

But whoever overcomes this wretched craving, so difficult to overcome, from him sorrows fall away like water from a lotus leaf.

This I say to you: Good luck to all assembled here! Dig up the root of craving, like one in search of the fragrant root of the birana grass. Let not Mara crush you again and again, as a flood crushes a reed.'

- Dhammapada Verse 334 - 337

'Chanda, the right motivation' by Ajahn Jayasāro

'The Buddha spoke of two kinds of desire:
desire that arises from ignorance and delusion,
which is called tanhā, craving, and
desire that arises from wisdom and intelligence,
which is called kusala-chanda, or dhamma-chanda, or
most simply chanda. ...'

Read in full here ...
http://blog.meditation-presence.com/ajahn-jayasaro-chanda-…/

Sutta sampling from the Nikāya follows :

'"Monks, I will teach you craving: the ensnarer that has flowed along, spread out, and caught hold, with which this world is smothered & enveloped like a tangled skein, a knotted ball of string, like matted rushes and reeds, and does not go beyond transmigration, beyond the planes of deprivation, woe, & bad destinations. ...'

- Taṇhājālinī Sutta AN 4.199
- Source : www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.199.than.html

'... This is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that — producing vision, producing knowledge — leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.

"Now this, monks, is the noble truth of dukkha: Birth is stressful, aging is stressful, death is stressful; sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are stressful; association with the unbeloved is stressful, separation from the loved is stressful, not getting what is wanted is stressful. In short, the five clinging-aggregates are stressful.

"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of dukkha: the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now here & now there — i.e., craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming.

"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of dukkha: the remainderless fading & cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, & letting go of that very craving.

"And this, monks, is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of dukkha: precisely this Noble Eightfold Path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. ...'

- Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta SN 56.11
- Source : www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html

'I have heard that on one occasion Ven. Ananda was staying in Kosambi, at Ghosita's Park. Then the Brahman Unnabha went to where Ven. Ananda was staying and on arrival greeted him courteously. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Ananda: "Master Ananda, what is the aim of this holy life lived under Gotama the contemplative?"

"Brahman, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the aim of abandoning desire."

"Is there a path, is there a practice, for the abandoning of that desire?"

"Yes, there is a path, there is a practice, for the abandoning of that desire."

"What is the path, the practice, for the abandoning of that desire?"

"Brahman, there is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion. He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on persistence... concentration founded on intent... concentration founded on discrimination & the fabrications of exertion. This, Brahman, is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning of that desire."

"If that's so, Master Ananda, then it's an endless path, and not one with an end, for it's impossible that one could abandon desire by means of desire."

"In that case, brahman, let me question you on this matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think: Didn't you first have desire, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular desire allayed?"

"Yes, sir."

"Didn't you first have persistence, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular persistence allayed?"

"Yes, sir."

"Didn't you first have the intent, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular intent allayed?"

"Yes, sir."

"Didn't you first have [an act of] discrimination, thinking, 'I'll go to the park,' and then when you reached the park, wasn't that particular act of discrimination allayed?"

"Yes, sir."

"So it is with an arahant whose mental effluents are ended, who has reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who is released through right gnosis. Whatever desire he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular desire is allayed. Whatever persistence he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular persistence is allayed. Whatever intent he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular intent is allayed. Whatever discrimination he first had for the attainment of arahantship, on attaining arahantship that particular discrimination is allayed. So what do you think, brahman? Is this an endless path, or one with an end?"

"You're right, Master Ananda. This is a path with an end, and not an endless one. Magnificent, Master Ananda! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Ananda — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of monks. May Master Ananda remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge, from this day forward, for life." '

- Brāhmaṇa Sutta SN 51.15
- Source : www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn51/sn51.015.than.html

'At Savatthi. "Monks, there are these four establishings of mindfulness. Which four?

"There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. For him, remaining focused on the body in and of itself, any desire for the body is abandoned. From the abandoning of desire, the deathless is realized.

"He remains focused on feelings in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. For him, remaining focused on feelings in & of themselves, any desire for feelings is abandoned. From the abandoning of desire, the deathless is realized.

"He remains focused on the mind in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. For him, remaining focused on the mind in and of itself, any desire for the mind is abandoned. From the abandoning of desire, the deathless is realized.

"He remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. For him, remaining focused on mental qualities in & of themselves, any desire for mental qualities is abandoned. From the abandoning of desire, the deathless is realized." '

- Chanda Sutta SN 47.37
- Source : www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.037.than.html

'A bhikkhu obtains concentration, bhikkhus, by means of desire, he obtains unification of the mind: this is called concentration due to desire (chanda). He generates his desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil and unwholesome states, he exerts himself, rouses his exertion, applies vigorously his mind and strives. He generates his desire for the abandoning of arisen evil and unwholesome states, he exerts himself, rouses his exertion, applies vigorously his mind and strives. He generates his desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome states, he exerts himself, rouses his exertion, applies vigorously his mind and strives. He generates his desire for the steadiness of arisen wholesome states, for their non-confusion, for their increase, their abundance, their cultivation and their completion, he exerts himself, rouses his exertion, applies vigorously his mind and strives. These are called constructions of striving. Thus, this desire, this concentration due to desire, and these constructions of striving: this is called, bhikkhus, the basis for potencies endowed with concentration due to desire and with constructions of striving. ....'

- Chandasamādhi Sutta SN 51.13
- Source : www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn51-013.html

'Whoever, bhikkhus, has neglected the four basis for potencies, has neglected the noble path leading to the proper{1} destruction of suffering. Whoever, bhikkhus, has undertaken the four basis for potencies, has undertaken the noble path leading to the proper destruction of suffering.
Which four?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the basis for potencies endowed with concentration due to desire (chanda) and the construction of striving, ...'

- Viraddhā Sutta SN 51.2
- Source : www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/samyutta/maha/sn51-002.html

Definition of terms :

Taṇhā : www.wisdomlib.org/definition/tanha

Chanda : www.wisdomlib.org/definition/chanda