Random
Only logged in members can reply and interact with the post.
Join SimilarWorlds for FREE »

Desire, the root cause of sorrow

These words of Buddha is quoted widely. It never felt relevant to me when I was young. But now having seen life a lot more, I am finally getting it. It feels more meaningful.

Do you feel that desire is the root cause of all sorrows?
[quote]I feeling We are driven by one desire or another. It's not a bad thing. But it seems to eat up our resources a lot. Isn't it so?[/quote]

Indeed... and this is why God said in His Word to keep your mind busy, and think on healthy things, because when we sit idle, that is when the devil works on us and talks to our minds and plants evil desires in our minds and hearts, to act upon. If you entertain desires in your heart, you will bring them to fulfillment, so God said to think on things that are lovely and pure and of God. We should think of positive things and keep our minds busy, so we don't do things we will later regret.

The Bible says the heart is an evil thing and who can know it? If we let it daydream and allow Satan to fill up that space in our thoughts when we are idle, he's going to plant some eveil thoughts that will get us in trouble, every single time. We must be productive and busy, and that is when we are happiest. And when Temptation comes, we are to turn away from it immediately, resist it and immediately think on other things, and get busy. The more we think on things that we desire, the worst it will be for us, and the more probable we will fall into sin. It starts with that evil thought, look, or suggestion and that plants the seed of desire in us. If we allow that desire to grow, we will act on it, eventually.
Sin. Another root cause of sorrow. You're right, that's where desire comes in. They don't have to act on those temptations. Even Jesus said so.
@Renkon it depends on how far you take desire. Desire is like anything else you might think. If you let it go overboard and get out of hand, that's when it becomes sin. Anything we overindulge in, like overeating or even over exercising, can become sin, because it is hurting our bodies. But it's not like we have to think all time "Oh, every little thing I do, is going to be a sin." No... Jesus said over indulgence can develop into a sin, like when we drink alcohol in excess.

Jesus used to drink wine. That's because in that day and age, the water was terribly impure so people drank wine. Not just at weddings. They also got good water out of wells, but they did drink wine at times, as well. Jesus never said that drinking wine was a sin. He said drinking [i]too much[/i] wine, to the point where you get drunk and could do something harmful to yourself or others, is where that falls into the sin category.
Renkon · 36-40, M
@LadyGrace 'Over indulgence' ...that's the point, isn't it? Buddha talked about a middle path. It holds a resemblance to what you said.
@Renkon Yes. He was right. That is the point.
Nevaeh0081 · 36-40, F
Yes.

Wanting something more means you're not satisfied.

But. If we learn to be satisfied with what we already have, we're happier.
Renkon · 36-40, M
@Nevaeh0081 To be content with what you have is difficult, isn't it? Or can we say that's lack of ambition?
Nevaeh0081 · 36-40, F
@Renkon idk. The monks have learned to live with it. I admire that sense of Peace. I crave it.
Renkon · 36-40, M
@Nevaeh0081 Yes, I really hope we have such peaceful and balance mind. If we could hold such a mind in our daily lives... then the possibilities are limitless.
fakable · T
a fucking classic:

"clever quote."

"undermining the authority and legitimacy of the opinion of the author of the quote"

"an invitation to the reader to engage in dialogue and project some of the quotation's author's respect onto the personality of the reader"
fakable · T
@Renkon
i didn't say a word about your intentions...

i said about your way of presenting content.
Renkon · 36-40, M
@fakable No problem Margo. May be you are right. But how do I undermine the authority of a great master? Buddha is an enlightened being.
fakable · T
well...

buddha is enlightened only for the enlightened. for everyone else he is just a historical figure teaching the practice of enlightenment.
4meAndyou · F
If you want to live in a vacuum, I suppose that is true. You can hide away, or you can live...and if you LIVE you will have desires....for food...for water...for love...for comfort...and not all of these end in sorrow.
4meAndyou · F
@Renkon 😉
Renkon · 36-40, M
@4meAndyou Clever😃
antonioioio · 70-79, M
@4meAndyou that's 100% right
I was chatting to a friend in the location town, I suddenly realised he wasn't listening to me,he was looking across the street at woman with a nice butt and I said to him, that's trouble, he replied,not if you can handle it 🤔
Penny · 46-50, F
yes . i think they have a good point. its not so much desire exactly, but like the expectation. if you desire somethign to be a certain way but it isnt, thats the suffering. not so much actually just wanting something. desire can be good. letting go of expectations is the key though i think. thats how i learned it and I believe thats true
@Penny Good point, Penny.
hippyjoe1955 · 61-69, M
It doesn't matter. There is nothing wrong with sorrow or grief. They need to be experienced just as much as joy and contentment.
Renkon · 36-40, M
@hippyjoe1955 But if can avoid sorrow, wouldn't that be preferable?
"There is nothing wrong with sorrow or grief" This is true.
hippyjoe1955 · 61-69, M
@Renkon Why would you want to avoid sorrow? Serious question.
I believe it can cause much heartache but not always…
Renkon · 36-40, M
@NoGamesTolerated 😄 I have no doubt you would
@Renkon You best believe me… 😜
Renkon · 36-40, M
@NoGamesTolerated I am starting to get that vibe.
Coralmist · 41-45, F
I read this awesome author, Byron Katie. Shes a genius, sage...she says our fear and sadness is due to what we are BELIEVING or thinking. She says, when you believe this or that, about them, about the world, or yourself, it is where suffering lives, because, "nothing is true." We attach labels, words, meaningsssss, to all out there. And its not truth. Nothing can be judged, labeled etc. Her works are SO good. She is fascinating. 🌷
Loretta78 · 46-50, F
Although I‘m not a Buddhist I know the teachings of Buddha and I agree:
Desire is root cause of sexual delight!
dayalllost · 36-40, M
@Petamber499 and are you needing more of it?
AntisocialTroll · 56-60, F
Without desire there is no change.
Renkon · 36-40, M
@AntisocialTroll That's a interesting thought. Never came across that. hmm..
[quote]If you want to lead a spiritual life, do [i]Nothing [/i] & if you want to lead a material life, do [i]Everything.[/i][/quote]

The phrase suits your query.
Emjay · 18-21, F
If there is an endgame in reaching nirvana there is a desire to do so. And the Buddha desired to reach and hold middle ground between the believers and disbelievers. There's lots of desiring in Buddhism.
Casheyane · 26-30, F
BibleData · M
Desire is much less desirable as we get older. It's much easier to say something has a negative aspect when we are no longer under it's control.

The Four Noble Truths
https://semmelweisreflex.com/library/4nt/4nt.php

Buddhism
https://semmelweisreflex.com/pneuma/buddhism.php
Jackaloftheazuresand · 26-30, M
everything and nothing are
SW-User
Expectations are
Renkon · 36-40, M
@SW-User Expectations derive from desires?
Ynotisay · M
No. Not even close.
Fertilization · 36-40, F
Yes, I do feel
Human1000 · M
I don’t, except in limited cases.

 
Post Comment