Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

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rhinoceroshorn
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Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by rhinoceroshorn »

Never imagine that a desire is a trivial matter. A wicked desire is like an enemy, and an enemy is never trivial. Given an opportunity, an enemy wreaks destruction. A desire, even though small at first, needs only to be allowed to grow, and it will bring about utter devastation.

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It can be dangerous like a little viper.

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Desire is like poison in food or the thunderbolt of Sakka. It is always to be avoided and always to be feared. When desire arises, do not give it a moment's opportunity to rest in your heart. Expel it by thought and reflection. Shed it like raindrop which rolls off the lotus leaf.

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Sigāla Jātaka
Eyes downcast, not footloose,
senses guarded, with protected mind,
not oozing — not burning — with lust,
wander alone
like a rhinoceros.
Sutta Nipāta 1.3 - Khaggavisana Sutta
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See, Ānanda! All those conditioned phenomena have passed, ceased, and perished. So impermanent are conditions, so unstable are conditions, so unreliable are conditions. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.
Dīgha Nikāya 17
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Mahabrahma
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Mahabrahma »

How do you feel about Spiritual desires, such as Bodhicitta, or those that arise in needing to save someone, the altruistic ones, or those in Spiritual Love for someone else? Do you believe the Buddha may have been referring to only material desires when He said "desire is the cause of all suffering"? Do you see a difference between material and Spiritual desires?
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
Inedible
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Inedible »

The snake in the picture looked cute. I'm not saying I'd be dumb enough to try to pick it up, but the thought has crossed my mind.

The funny thing about trying to make myself give up desires is that at times it felt like it was working. The desires really weren't there. In place of them was a desire for desire to return. When I asked other people if they have had that kind of experience it just confused them. It is hard to find people to talk with about these things.
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Mahabrahma
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Mahabrahma »

My advice is to walk away from mundane desire without questioning the decision, in every situation, and desire one thing, Spiritually, which will save you and others: to be just like the Buddha. With that, everything negative dissolves into a single drop that can be forgotten in the past, then instantly evaporated by the Blissful Days of the Buddha.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
LisaConshy23
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by LisaConshy23 »

It is so difficult to discuss such thoughts with somebody. Not everyone understand me when I try to tell something like the author wrote.
Inedible
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Inedible »

Jed McKenna wrote that the biggest problem we face is boredom. It is easier to approach the problem that way than to ask the average person how they feel about the three poisons.
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Mahabrahma
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Mahabrahma »

Inedible wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 2:42 pm Jed McKenna wrote that the biggest problem we face is boredom. It is easier to approach the problem that way than to ask the average person how they feel about the three poisons.
I want you to know that the biggest problem facing life in the Saha world is lust, and when you overcome that, you will overcome a great deal of suffering.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
Inedible
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Inedible »

It is the desire realm, so I definitely get that. Lust just seems too specific to sex for me to agree with you there. As an (m) I'm supposed to have sex on the brain all the time, but there have been times in my life when other temptations had a stronger grip on me. Whiskey, vodka, rum, tequila, coffee, candy, pizza, and so on. Being married means I get less sex than a priest, so it is easier to just not think about it much.

Haven't you heard that it is a profound spiritual accomplishment to be able to sit alone in an empty room for a few hours doing nothing? Literally nothing. No sleep, no reading, no meditation, no mantra. Just you and your thoughts and blank walls.
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Mahabrahma
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Mahabrahma »

Inedible wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 8:31 am It is the desire realm, so I definitely get that. Lust just seems too specific to sex for me to agree with you there. As an (m) I'm supposed to have sex on the brain all the time, but there have been times in my life when other temptations had a stronger grip on me. Whiskey, vodka, rum, tequila, coffee, candy, pizza, and so on. Being married means I get less sex than a priest, so it is easier to just not think about it much.

Haven't you heard that it is a profound spiritual accomplishment to be able to sit alone in an empty room for a few hours doing nothing? Literally nothing. No sleep, no reading, no meditation, no mantra. Just you and your thoughts and blank walls.
There's a difference between Love and lust. That's why a great man once said if one even looks at a woman with lust it's considered a sin. But only evil is a sin, that you must understand. You are intelligent, you have a clear view of what evil is. So whether you do this or that, or even drink alcohol, it is not evil if you are not doing not for an evil reason or in an evil way. Looking at beautiful women for a long time as long as you are doing it with an aspect of Love is okay, even though it may not be good for you, it may not be a sin if it is not evil. There is an element of human weakness, frailty, and fallenness that is always forgiven. I can assure you that you are not evil. There's nothing wrong with your mind as long as you're not hurting others, you just have to train it Spiritually in Buddhist practice to emancipate yourself from all the troubles in your life, and that can only be done with your powerful Metta that you have an infinite amount of, you will always be able to Love fully. Return to what you think Buddha wants you to be doing in life, when you get there, you'll find it easier to open your heart to the people around you that you do and truly Love.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
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Aloka
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Aloka »

Ven. Ajahn Sumedho talks about desire for approximately 14 minutes:




:anjali:


.
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Mahabrahma
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Mahabrahma »

I'm wondering if the desires, suffering, and pain in this world we experience can be illusory, or not really there--say, once Awakening is achieved--and that all one has is pure Metta. I wonder how the Buddha felt, we say He was desireless, because He would say desire is the cause of all suffering, at least material desires. But can Spiritual desires make us suffer? If we develop attachment to something like the four Noble Truths, won't that kind of attachment save us? If the goal is Enlightenment, then in Enlightenment one must feel only Enlightened, the rest would only be an illusion, Enlightenment being everything that they are. I believe this is being well gone into emptiness.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
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Aloka
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Aloka »

Mahabrahma wrote: Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:34 pm . But can Spiritual desires make us suffer? If we develop attachment to something like the four Noble Truths, won't that kind of attachment save us? If the goal is Enlightenment, then in Enlightenment one must feel only Enlightened, the rest would only be an illusion, Enlightenment being everything that they are. I believe this is being well gone into emptiness.
Perhaps you might find this article helpful:

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/aut ... imits.html


:anjali:
pegembara
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by pegembara »

Only the right kind of desire can lead to the end of desire.
"'This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying
on craving that craving is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference
to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, 'The monk
named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has
entered & remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release & discernment-
release, having known & realized them for himself in the here & now.' The
thought occurs to him, 'I hope that I, too, will — through the ending of the
fermentations — enter & remain in the fermentation-free awareness-release &
discernment-release, having known & realized them for myself in the here &
now.' Then he eventually abandons craving, having relied on craving. 'This
body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that
craving is to be abandoned.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it
said.

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech.
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Mahabrahma
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Re: Never imagine a desire is a trivial thing

Post by Mahabrahma »

Aloka wrote: Wed Oct 07, 2020 9:16 pm
Mahabrahma wrote: Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:34 pm . But can Spiritual desires make us suffer? If we develop attachment to something like the four Noble Truths, won't that kind of attachment save us? If the goal is Enlightenment, then in Enlightenment one must feel only Enlightened, the rest would only be an illusion, Enlightenment being everything that they are. I believe this is being well gone into emptiness.
Perhaps you might find this article helpful:

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/aut ... imits.html


:anjali:
That is a wonderful article. I will think about it's implications as well as my perception of the Buddha based on it. Thank you.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
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