Desire causes suffering.
I’m not sure if that’s the exact phrase, but I’m sure that’s the thought. It was already late on a Friday evening and work had to be temporarily halted for some power rest. A documentary on India was loaded in the DVD player and it skipped to the portion discussing Buddhism, about the noble truths espoused by Buddha.
The second noble truth is that desire (and ignorance) causes suffering.
This particular line immediately grabbed my attention and, since then, didn’t let go. I mean, working late on a Friday evening, when one could go home to the family or go out with friends, is probably suffering, brought about by the desire to do well in work.
I wish it’s that simple.
Working late on a Friday, for me, is not suffering. I enjoy it. Could we say that while workaholics love work, they are really suffering, or will eventually suffer, because of the very desire to work excessively? Is this the same logic that goes with, say, alcoholics? Is this the same logic for those who desired freedom during the time of Martial Law and suffered terribly for it?
Some people sacrifice rest or time with the family, because they are pursuing one or two business (or just plain work). The purpose is to earn more money to better support the family. No doubt there is desire somewhere in this equation. But could we say it is necessarily bad?
Who has the final say if a person is suffering? What is desire? Is desire or suffering necessarily good or bad? On the other hand, is the absence of desire necessarily good? Is it even proper to gauge desire or suffering with being good or bad?
I still have to figure that out for myself, how it turns out for me. How I personally deal with desire and satisfaction, in the future, is still to be seen. To each, his own.
