Difference between craving and clinging?

[fijiNut]

Here are the definitions according to the Pali text society.
Tanha http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philol ... :1936.pali
Upadana http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philol ... :3973.pali" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have always had the preconception that clinging arises from repeated craving, and is like a 'thickening' of craving, but if somebody could clarify my understanding, that would be excellent!

metta,

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

As I see it, one craves something that one does not yet possess. On getting it, one becomes attached to it, regards it as one's own, and begins to fret and worry about losing it.

From Feeling, Craving Arises

From Craving, Attachment Arises

[Lombardi4]

From http://www.answers.com/topic/upadana" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To distinguish craving from clinging, Buddhaghosa uses the following metaphor:

"Craving is the aspiring to an object that one has not yet reached, like a thief's stretching out his hand in the dark; clinging is the grasping of an object that one has reached, like the thief's grasping his objective.... They are the roots of the suffering due to seeking and guarding."

[meindzai]

I also think craving tends to be more sensual, i.e.:

"And what is craving? What is the origination of craving? What is the cessation of craving? What is the way of practice leading to the cessation of craving?

"There are these six cravings: craving for forms, craving for sounds, craving for smells, craving for tastes, craving for tactile sensations, craving for ideas. This is called craving.

"From the origination of feeling comes the origination of craving. From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving.

With clinging, though, you have a lot more having to do with ideas and views:

"There are these four clingings: sensuality clinging, view clinging, precept & practice clinging, and doctrine of self clinging. This is called clinging.

From the Sammaditthi Sutta: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-M

[dhammapal]

Hi, in his book on Dependent Co-arising, Thanissaro Bhikkhu describes factors 8 & 9 thus:

8) Craving for the objects of the six sense media. This craving can focus on any of the six sense media, and can take any of three forms:
a) sensuality-craving (craving for sensual plans and resolves),
b) becoming-craving (craving to assume an identity in a world of experience), and
c) non-becoming-craving (craving for the end of an identity in a world of experience).
9) Clinging—passion and delight—focused on the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, fabrication, and consciousness. This clinging can take any of four forms:
a) sensuality-clinging,
b) view-clinging,
c) habit-and-practice-clinging, and
d) doctrine-of-self-clinging.
From: The Shape of Suffering: A Study of Dependent Co-arising by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (pdf file)

With metta / dhammapal.

[Zen]

My understanding is that craving is just desire for something. Eg: There is hunger.

Clinging is an emotional investment in the fulfillment or outcome of that desire. Eg: I'm hungry and if my meal doesn't arrive soon I'm going to scream!

[daverupa]

Hi, in his book on Dependent Co-arising, Thanissaro Bhikkhu describes factors 8 & 9 thus:

8) Craving for the objects of the six sense media. This craving can focus on any of the six sense media, and can take any of three forms:
a) sensuality-craving (craving for sensual plans and resolves),
b) becoming-craving (craving to assume an identity in a world of experience), and
c) non-becoming-craving (craving for the end of an identity in a world of experience).
9) Clinging—passion and delight—focused on the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, fabrication, and consciousness. This clinging can take any of four forms:
a) sensuality-clinging,
b) view-clinging,
c) habit-and-practice-clinging, and
d) doctrine-of-self-clinging.
From: The Shape of Suffering: A Study of Dependent Co-arising by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (pdf file)

With metta / dhammapal.

This makes sense to me in the following way: when a sense input occurs, or when one wishes for a sense input or wishes to not have a sense input, it comes in one of six ways, as here. One craves because of seeing a self in one of the five aggregates that will "have" the sense input just as it wants, and this clinging to the sense input occurs through there being an idea "my perception is so-and-so, my body is so-and-so", and greedily or abhorrently becoming absorbed in the self-narrative (whereupon "Becoming"...).