The nature of a desire. Questions, comments, and disagreements welcome
It seems to me, and correct me if this isn't right, that the cyclical system of depending on desires in order to feel at peace is truly just a system of repressing any attempts to feel at peace until the desire is procured.
- A desire arises. This desire is almost always based on some kind of preference that's not currently being fulfilled in the present moment.
2a. To follow the desire from here is a subtle way of rejecting the present as it is. This rejection of the present moment causes an emotional tension (often anxiety), which the mind believes the desire's acquirement will relieve. The sensation of longing and/or craving begins.
2b. Instead of following the desire, one may return to their awareness instead. Becoming focused on the present moment, it's easy to see the desire has no effect on continuing existence. The universe doesn't really care if we get what we want or not. It just keeps being the present either way. By accepting the present moment as it is, allowing ourselves to become comfortable within it, the desire no longer enslaves us to act.
3a. If the desire is followed, the desire may be acquired. This will temporarily allow a fleeting feeling of peace. The peace will only exist until the next desire arises, which won't take long at all. The habit of procuring desires to find fulfillment continues (and is fortified by the finding of fleeting peace), and always fails to provide a lasting peace. Contentment is impossible for every other moment aside from the brief acquiring of a desire. Sometimes, even getting the desire does nothing for contentment. It's like getting flowers the day someone you love died. It's a nice gesture but does nil.
3b. If the desire is let go of, the feeling of anxious longing dissipates along with it. Attempts to control the present moment with desires cease. The unskillful habit of desire-and-suffering is replaced with the skillful habit of acceptance-and-peace. One realizes whether they get the desire or not, they'll be fine either way. Inner peace no longer depends on outside factors, and contentment is possible even alongside negative emotions.
All of this is to say that the two cycles of desire-and-suffering and acceptance-and-peace vary only in 1 way: When exactly the individual decides to let themselves feel at peace.
When chasing desires, one doesn't even try to find peace in the present moment. One swears peace can only be found through the attainment of the desire and nothing else (without bothering to check if that's true or not).
When accepting the present as the only possible option, one doesn't even try to find peace in desires. One knows it will feel like the present either way.
One last note about the nature of desires and peace:
Desire always stems from the belief that the present moment isn't good enough as it is, and that something else, when added to it, would make it better.
Peace always stems from the enjoyment of the present moment as it is.
In truth, the present moment is all there is. We can either reject it and try to fix it endlessly (as all attempts to change out turn out to be futile in providing sustained peace) or continuously accept it and allow ourselves to continuously enjoy it by doing so.
If you really want to go way out there to the advanced course, once one realizes the present is all there is, there proves to be no "self" separated from the present in order to judge it, hold preferences over it, desire it to be different, accept it peacefully, or anything else. The "present" and the "self" both are seen to be imagined conceptualizations with imagined boundaries. As imagined conceptualizations are unreal, the boundaries are unreal as well and all things, in reality, appear the same but are experienced as an undivided oneness (without even an "I" to experience it).
Thanks for reading all this mumbo jumbo. Hope your present is as good as it can possibly be ;)
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from Buddhism https://ift.tt/2Rs1HFY
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