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Does Buddhism have the concept of basic needs or is freedom from craving a philosophical absolute? I consider myself Buddhist but I’m not sure how to answer the question of how to respond to world hunger for example.
Hi Justin, there are the four requisites: clothing, food, lodging and medicine. The second noble truth limits "craving" in several ways: craving for sensual pleasure, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence. A lot of people think that you are not supposed to want anything in Buddhism; this would fall into the 3rd category of craving and so would be productive of stress (dukkha). There are many places where Buddhism actually encourages the cultivation of desire (eg, right effort, the 5th step of the 8FP). I'm not sure what you are asking concerning world hunger.
Doug