Why does the third noble truth not include the ten fetters?

The third noble truth explains the nature of the cessation of suffering, which is the cessation of craving. When craving is absent, the mind is cool & peaceful (Nibbana) because craving is hot & agitated.

Each fetter, except ignorance, if not a form of craving, is a form of attachment & thus has craving has its preceding condition. Dependent Origination explains the preceding condition of attachment is craving. Therefore, naturally, ending craving will end of each fetter (except ignorance).

As for ignorance, as explained at the end of SN 22.59, the sole purpose of ending ignorance is to end craving, i.e., manifest dispassion, as follows:

Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards form, revulsion towards feeling, revulsion towards perception, revulsion towards volitional formations, revulsion towards consciousness. Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated.

SN 22.59

It follows Nibbana is the destruction of craving. There is actually no other way to describe it.

Dhp 154. O house-builder, you are seen! You will not build this house again. For your rafters are broken and your ridgepole shattered. My mind has reached the Unconditioned; I have attained the destruction of craving.

Above, the house-builder is 'craving' & the house built is 'ego-existence' ('jati'). Yet the view of the questioner is probably 'backwards', i.e., the questioner probably believes ego produces craving rather than craving produces ego. If this is true, the questioner should urgently refer to SN 12.12:

Who, O Lord, craves?"

"The question is not correct," said the Exalted One. "I do not say that 'he craves.' Had I said so, then the question 'Who craves?' would be appropriate. But since I did not speak thus, the correct way to ask the question will be 'What is the condition of craving?' And to that the correct reply is: 'Feeling is the condition of craving, and craving is the condition of clinging.'

SN 12.12

These confusions arise when there is belief in reincarnation, such as believing 'bhava' & 'jati' are reincarnation. When this reincarnation belief is held, there is the belief a 'self' reincarnates and a 'self' produces craving. But in the true teachings, 'bhava' & 'jati' are mere 'self-views', which are products of craving; and which is why each fetter (except ignorance) has craving as its preceding condition. Thus by ending craving, each fetter is ended; which includes ending ignorance because, when the mind sees with clear wisdom that having no craving is peaceful, ignorance also ends in respect to what real Nibbana is.

But in Buddhism today, especially in Mahayana but also in Theravada, there are all kinds of erroneous wrong views that 'non-thinking' or 'non-conceptuality' is Nibbana. This shows when the end of craving is not seen clearly, ignorance remains. Thus the end of craving also ends ignorance.

Ending of fetters is included in the Fourth Noble Truth - the Eightfold Noble Path leading to cessation of suffering.

Unsatisfied craving (tanha) and clinging/sustenance (upadana) are singled out because they are the immediate causes of dukkha, while everything else (illusion of self and the fetters) serves as the support/foundation but is not the direct cause.

In other words, craving is singled out because suffering is singled out. And suffering is singled out because it's the most obvious difference between Samsara and Nirvana, it is what we all have in common, so it's a good point to start.

However, cessation of suffering is just one aspect of The Goal. The other aspect is Bodhi - awakening. If we remember awakening we can see that cessation of craving is not enough, there has to be realization or insight. And achievement of that insight is what most of the Noble Path is about.

raga, tanha, nandhi, (or desire) is reason in rebirth, renewal, becoming-and that is the direct cause of suffering.

Desires for things in 3 categories:

• sense pleasures,
• craving for existence,
• and vibhava(craving for non-existence) (Buddha didnt explain in detail of what craving for non-existence is, tho many teachers tried to fill in .

I believe desires in three categories can be explained with ten fetters. craving for sense pleasures is about lower fetters, and craving for existence and non-existence is all about higher fetters.