The causes of suffering (samudaya); the Three Poisons, ignorance, greed…

The idea

Samudaya is the Second Noble Truth, identifying the origin of suffering as craving (tanha). This craving is driven by the Three Poisons: ignorance, greed, and hate, which are often depicted at the centre of the Tibetan Wheel of Life. Ignorance (represented by a pig) is the fundamental misunderstanding of reality, particularly failing to recognise impermanence. Greed (a cockerel) is the selfish desire to acquire and cling to things, such as wealth or status. Hate (a snake) is the destructive anger or aversion towards people or situations.

For example: A person suffers because they greedily crave a new phone, hate their current one, and remain ignorant that material goods cannot provide lasting happiness or prevent dukkha.

What earns the marks

• Samudaya is the Second Noble Truth, teaching that the root cause of suffering is craving (tanha).
• The Three Poisons (ignorance, greed, and hate) are the fundamental forces that trap beings in the cycle of samsara.
• Ignorance is the inability to see the true nature of reality, specifically the truth of impermanence and no-self.
• Greed and hate manifest as attachment to desires and aversion to unpleasantness, directly leading to unskilful actions and negative karma.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Translating samudaya directly as the Three Poisons.

  Put it right: Samudaya refers to the origin of suffering (craving), which is fuelled by the Three Poisons.

• Listing 'anger' instead of 'hate' or 'ignorance' as one of the poisons without clarifying the traditional terms.

  Put it right: Use the specific terms ignorance, greed, and hate (or aversion/delusion) to align with the specification.

• Stating that suffering is caused by external forces or gods.

  Put it right: Emphasise that Buddhism teaches suffering originates internally from an individual's own craving and the Three Poisons.

Exam tips

• Reference the imagery of the pig, cockerel, and snake from the Wheel of Life to illustrate the Three Poisons vividly.
• Connect samudaya to the concept of karma, explaining how actions driven by the Three Poisons lead to further suffering.
• When evaluating the causes of suffering, contrast the Buddhist internal view (craving) with external causes like natural disasters, explaining how the poisons dictate the reaction to such events.