It has been said that Buddhism is essentially a psychology of desire. The second Noble Truth proclaims selfish desire or craving as the cause of all the suffering in life, and its importance in Buddhist thought is evident in the fact that the Buddha uses at least fifteen terms for it. The chief of these is trishna, which literally means “thirst.” It is an apt word, for in a tropical country like India, the intense craving for water on a scorching, dry day makes a vivid metaphor for the fiercest of human drives.
