by Atman Nityananda
The Second Noble Truth
The principal cause of suffering (dukkha), the Buddha said, is due to deep-rooted desires or craving (tanha)) within us. These desires can take many forms; desire for sensual enjoyment, desire for material gain and achievement, desire for continuation, and even desire for self-destruction. -- Buddha
The game of desire
Desire
first creates in us the illusion that we cannot here and now be happy and
content (which is a lie) and at the same time, creates in us emotions of
unease, discontent, anxiety, incompleteness and boredom aiming to force our
mind to imagine and think of something that could give us pleasure, pleasant
sensations and joy (which is half-lie). Thus desire through the mind thinks and
imagines various objects and situations, and projects on them pleasant
sensations, pleasure and joy.
With
this psychological play, desire makes us believe that we cannot be here and now
happy and content and that we could be happy and content in the future, in
another place and other circumstances when we could have the desired object.
Thus due the desire mechanism we almost never find ourselves at peace, complete
and content in the now (except the moments we enjoy a desired object) and we
imagine that in the future in an imagined situation we can find ourselves
finally complete, content and real happy.
But
due the hypnotic power of desire, and the rajas and tamas gunas we do not
realize that we are trapped in this illusory desire-made game and that will
never find ourselves complete, free, peaceful, content and real happy.
Desire
as an automatic mechanism does not want nothing else but pleasure and pleasant
sensations; wants also money to fulfil all these pleasurable experiences.
Two
more things that desire wants are recognition and power. These two also can
help desire meet the pleasurable experiences but recognition and power are by
themselves pleasurable to our ego.
Until we get the desired object there is anxiety, agony, impatience and
fear thinking that something could prevent us from enjoying the desired object.
And if something or someone prevents or delays the fulfilment of desire arises
irritability and anger; in reality desire itself modifies as irritability and
anger.
When we are in touch with the desired object and enjoy it, the feelings
of discomfort sink temporarily and arise pleasant sensations, pleasure and joy
that we associate with the desired object. But this is an illusion.
What in reality happens is that the pleasant sensations are caused by
the interaction of the senses and mind with the object (the same object it is
not pleasant to us at different conditions) and the pleasure and joy we
experience are projected by the ego to the object or the situation and they
have nothing to do with the object itself.
Pleasure and happiness
doesn't belong to objects
Pleasure
The pleasure has nothing to do
with the object (except with making love that is a little more complicated to
explain). The desire projects onto the object the pleasure that is crystallized
in our subconscious mind and energy field and makes us believe that the
pleasure comes from the object. So when we eat pizza for example we believe
that the pleasure we experience is due to the pizza but this is not the case.
We experience only an illusory pleasure projected on the pizza. This projection
of pleasure on the objects is more obvious in the dream state when we
experience the imaginary pleasure while the mind by the power of imagination
creates the desired objects from the stuff of memory.
Happiness
The
joy also we experience while we experience the desired object has nothing to do
with the object. The moments we enjoy an object the mind becomes calm and very
focused on the here and now because there is no anymore distance between the
mind and the object; the mind now enjoys the object that wanted so much. When
the mind is calm and focused reflects partially the joy of our true Self or
Soul. Remember that the only condition to enjoy the joy of Being is a
concentrated and calm mind. Then joy and contentment we feel when we enjoy a
desired object, it comes from within, from the consciousness and not from the
object. But since the mind is hypnotized by the Rajas and Tamas qualities and
desire, we cannot be aware of what actually happens during these moments. And
so, we associate joy, happiness and contentment with the desired object.
After these trifling moments of pleasure, a few days, hours or minutes
(which happen more often) later the desire creates again the same sensations of
discomfort because the desire by its nature is insatiable. Thus we find
ourselves again in a negative state trying to overcome it by seeking again a
new pleasant experience.
The vicious circle of pleasure and pain
1. First the desire creates in us an unpleasant emotional state with emotions of boredom, dissatisfaction, uneasiness, discontent, incompleteness, etc. (All these is a kind of suffering)
2. In order to overcome the above mentioned unpleasant unemotional state the desire creates in the mind imaginations and thoughts (about objects, people, activities) and projects on them pleasant sensations, pleasure and happiness in order to convince us to obtain or achieve something pleasurable or pleasant (object, person, situation).
3. The desire compels the mind to think the way by which we can get the desired object, ie. the means and actions we must take. At this stage the desire (depending on the circumstances) takes the form of impatience, anxiety, fear, irritability and anger because we are not sure if we can fulfil the desire or because of something that could impede its fulfilment.
4. When the desire is fulfilled we experience pleasant sensations and pleasure and at the same time the mechanism of desire subsides temporarily; for a while the mind free from desire's teeth becomes calm and rests at its source that is Consciousness (but we are not aware of it because the mind is not awake) and thus we enjoy partially the joy of Being. The happiness we experience has nothing to do with the desired object it is projected on it in a similar way that pleasure is projected on the object. The objects have neither pleasure nor happiness, the ego projects them on external objects and situations.
5. A little later the desire recreates again the unpleasant emotional state ( which is suffering) by assuming the form of uneasiness,, discontent, etc. in order to force us seek again some pleasant and pleasurable experience.
The peak of suffering
In this repetitive function of the desire mechanism we experience more suffering when we do not get what we desire, when we lose the desired object, when something impedes us to get what we desire, and when something causes to lose our desired object.
This suffering has the form of anger, fear, agony, anxiety, impatience, disappointment, depression, greed, attachment, jealously, hatred etc.
In reality all these negative psychological disorders are modifications of desire itself. The energy of desire modifies as anger, fear, greed, depression, etc. as well as desire modifies as pleasure.
Thus is impossible to avoid suffering as long as we desire pleasure and the energy of desire continues in us. These negative emotional and mental states which create innumerable suffering, disharmony, disequilibrium and diseases will continue as long as the desire mechanism will continue to function in us.
2. In order to overcome the above mentioned unpleasant unemotional state the desire creates in the mind imaginations and thoughts (about objects, people, activities) and projects on them pleasant sensations, pleasure and happiness in order to convince us to obtain or achieve something pleasurable or pleasant (object, person, situation).
3. The desire compels the mind to think the way by which we can get the desired object, ie. the means and actions we must take. At this stage the desire (depending on the circumstances) takes the form of impatience, anxiety, fear, irritability and anger because we are not sure if we can fulfil the desire or because of something that could impede its fulfilment.
4. When the desire is fulfilled we experience pleasant sensations and pleasure and at the same time the mechanism of desire subsides temporarily; for a while the mind free from desire's teeth becomes calm and rests at its source that is Consciousness (but we are not aware of it because the mind is not awake) and thus we enjoy partially the joy of Being. The happiness we experience has nothing to do with the desired object it is projected on it in a similar way that pleasure is projected on the object. The objects have neither pleasure nor happiness, the ego projects them on external objects and situations.
5. A little later the desire recreates again the unpleasant emotional state ( which is suffering) by assuming the form of uneasiness,, discontent, etc. in order to force us seek again some pleasant and pleasurable experience.
The peak of suffering
In this repetitive function of the desire mechanism we experience more suffering when we do not get what we desire, when we lose the desired object, when something impedes us to get what we desire, and when something causes to lose our desired object.
This suffering has the form of anger, fear, agony, anxiety, impatience, disappointment, depression, greed, attachment, jealously, hatred etc.
In reality all these negative psychological disorders are modifications of desire itself. The energy of desire modifies as anger, fear, greed, depression, etc. as well as desire modifies as pleasure.
Thus is impossible to avoid suffering as long as we desire pleasure and the energy of desire continues in us. These negative emotional and mental states which create innumerable suffering, disharmony, disequilibrium and diseases will continue as long as the desire mechanism will continue to function in us.
Samsara
This
vicious circle created by desire is the cause of suffering as well as the cause
of Samsara which is the wheel of birth and death. We reincarnate in this 3D
world to experience the desires that still live in our subconscious. We fulfil
some desires but new desires are born and thus we reincarnate to fulfil the new
desires. This is the wheel of Samsara. Samsara ends for us when we will
eliminate all desires and ego and realize that we are eternal being and
awareness beyond birth and death, time, space, form and causality.
How we pass our
everyday life
Because
of the desire mechanism we experience sometimes pleasure and various pleasant
sensations and occasionally a little joy, and the rest of our life we live in a
state of incompleteness, inner conflicts, dissatisfaction, discontent,
discomfort, misery and suffering.
We live almost always identified with the sensual mind, thinking about
the past and the future; and when we enjoy something in the here and now we
have not a new experience but we live the past projected on this new
experience.
Rarely
we are not in a projection mode; this happens mainly when we are engaged in
bodily or mental activities and we are very well concentrated (this happens
when is needed much attention to what we are doing or when it is very
interested to us what we are doing). If the concentration prolongs and deepens
enough we start to experience a higher state in which the silence, the peace
and an alive presence become more and more evident.
Experiencing our
essence
The
moments that we experience the now fully are very rare and usually we find ourselves
in a state of admiration, wonder, aliveness, a kind of ecstasy. The mind in these
moments takes its natural state reflecting without distortion both the external
reality and our true Self. It is an experience of unity or oneness in which
there is no time, no past, no future, no ego, no memories, non fantasies; pure
being experiencing itself both as an inner experience of fullness and as an
apparent external reality. There is also a sense of effortless flowing, that
everything happens perfectly without any conscious effort; that everything just
happens by itself and there is an enjoyment which bypasses all understanding
and any familiar experience based on memory, senses and sensory mind. Athletes
and especially those who perform sports which require almost a perfect degree
of concentration such as tennis, formula, golf, gymnastics and extreme sports
have mentioned very often experiences like those that yogis and mystics have
mentioned and in the sport terminology this is called ´´peak
experience´´.
What is a peak experience?
Abraham Maslow, the term's inventor, says that "peak experiences are sudden feelings of intense happiness and well-being, possibly the awareness of an "ultimate truth" and the unity of all things ... the experience fills the individual with wonder and awe....he feels at one with the world, and is pleased with it ...." They are moments when you feel more at one with yourself and the world, more integrated. You feel happy, even ecstatic, interconnected and in harmony. Peak experiences are one type of mystical experiences and perhaps one of the most interesting in that Maslow aims to talk about mystical experiences in non-supernatural terms.
Abraham Maslow, the term's inventor, says that "peak experiences are sudden feelings of intense happiness and well-being, possibly the awareness of an "ultimate truth" and the unity of all things ... the experience fills the individual with wonder and awe....he feels at one with the world, and is pleased with it ...." They are moments when you feel more at one with yourself and the world, more integrated. You feel happy, even ecstatic, interconnected and in harmony. Peak experiences are one type of mystical experiences and perhaps one of the most interesting in that Maslow aims to talk about mystical experiences in non-supernatural terms.
Personally
I had a peak experience when I was practicing tennis against a wall. But I did not managed to have this experience voluntary; just happened by itself due to deep consntration. This experience was the cause to begin the spiritual path systematically. After many years of practice I now know from my own experience that the only way to experience the peace and bliss of our true nature without effort and without limits is to free our mind from ego and desire.
In
moments of great danger we can also get out of the conditioned mind and
experience a higher state of consciousness.
The majority of people very rarely can have an intimate
experience of their Soul and experience unlimited joy, peace and freedom.
The Third Noble Truth
Suffering can be eliminated through Nirodha. The meaning of Nirodha is elimination of sensual craving (desires for pleasures) and worldly attachment.
-- Buddha
-- Buddha
The companions of
desire
The main partners of desire are fear, anger and depression.
If we already posses the desired object and it is important for us the
desire is associated with the fear of losing. Fear arises also when we
want something too much and we're not sure if we can get or achieve it. In this
case the fear normally assumes the aspect of insecurity, anxiety or distress
and concerns, and these emotions appear in the thinking mind as doubts and
imagined things that could obstruct the fulfilment of desire. It is also very
common fear to be accompanied with anger which can take the form of
irritability or resentment while we think that something could obstruct the
fulfilment of the desire.
Anger arises when something or someone prevents us fulfill the desire or
when we lose the desired object.
Depression arises when we do not get what we want or when we lose it. It
is the emotion we experience when finally the desired object is lost and we
have no chance to experience it any more.
Egoic tendencies are only
modifications of desire
Desire
assumes a wide range of forms or expressions such as like-dislike,
attraction-repulsion or aversion, all the negative emotions, the pain-body as
call it nicely Eckhart Tolle, greed, jealousy, disappointment, etc.
All
egoistic or negative tendencies and emotions are in reality modifications of
desire itself. That is to say that the desire energy like a chameleon modifies
constantly according the circumstances and assumes all other egoic forms. The
ego, the desire and all egoic tendencies are one and the same energy assuming
innumerable forms. If we compare the ego with a tree, the trunk of the tree would
be the ego and desire and the branches all the innumerable egoic tendencies.
Desire, harmful and illegal
actions and diseases
To fulfil the desires we often misuse and overuse the senses, body and
energy and thus we create imbalances in our body and mind and diseases. Blind
from the hypnotic power of desire we can do also illegal actions or actions
that harm our fellows, animals, nature and create imbalances in the world. All
the chaos and suffering we see in the world today is the creation of the
innumerable desires of earthlings. They live in a stressful mental and
emotional state and like machines the try endlessly to avoid the discomfort
emotions created by desire by experiencing pleasant and pleasurable sensations
based on sensory inputs and impressions.
Inner transformation and desire
This
mechanism of desire is very powerful and thus is not possible to dissolve it at
once. Thus in the beginning of our inner transformation we can use this
automatic mechanism of desire consciously for our benefit. We should first
direct the power of desire on noble goals and actions.
We
can also replace the harmful objects of desire with beneficial ones. For
example we can replace our desire for drinks with alcohol for natural drinks.
But
most important is to direct desire from mundane objects or achievements to
spiritual goals and mainly to realization of truth. Of course finally we have
to dissolve completely the desire-energy from our psych in order to live the
freedom, the peace and Bliss eternal.
In
order to march decisively and achieve its dissolution we must be properly
prepared. That's why it is necessary to develop various mental and emotional
capacities and qualities which will give us the strength and the capacity to do
it effectively. The total dissolution of ego end desire happens in deep
Nirvikalpa Samadhi which is the culmination of the spiritual journey.
May
all be free from the grip of desire and realize their true Self which nature is
peace, freedom and eternal bliss.
Peace, light and love