HOW EGO & DESIRE CAUSE SUFFERING
The ego and desires crause suffering by three ways:
1. By the transformation of desire itself into pain-body; viz. anger, fear, depression, greed, jealousy, sadness and all other well known psychological disorders. These psychological disorders when are activated make us experience enormous suffering.
2. By committing sinful actions in order to fulfill our desires. These actions create painful situations and conditions in the future (karma). We can reincarante for example in a sick body or in a problematic family or country.
3. By overusing and misusing the senses, body, mind and prana. This cause physical, vital and mental diseases.
Desire and lust are the beginning, the middle and the end of human suffering.
The three stages of desire mechanism
1. By the transformation of desire itself into pain-body; viz. anger, fear, depression, greed, jealousy, sadness and all other well known psychological disorders. These psychological disorders when are activated make us experience enormous suffering.
2. By committing sinful actions in order to fulfill our desires. These actions create painful situations and conditions in the future (karma). We can reincarante for example in a sick body or in a problematic family or country.
3. By overusing and misusing the senses, body, mind and prana. This cause physical, vital and mental diseases.
Desire and lust are the beginning, the middle and the end of human suffering.
The three stages of desire mechanism
First desire creates in us a sense of incompleteness, that something is missing, a sense of discontentment, uneasiness and boredom which is the beginning of suffering.
Subsequently the suffering of desire takes the form of expectations, imaginations, impatience, anxiety and agitation of mind (compulsive thinking). That happens when the impulse of desire arises in our mind and outer heart.
Finally the suffering of desire takes the form of fear, anger and depression.
Fear
Fear arises when there is possibility not to get the desired object or to lose it when we have succeeded in getting it. In addition desire transforms itself into anger when something or someone obscures the fulfillment of desire.
Anger & depression
If we lose or not get the desired object, desire itself is modified into anger, hatred, aggressiveness, violence followed by disappointment, depression, sadness etc.
Usually when the desire is fulfilled there is for a while a sense of euphoria, satisfaction, contentment and happiness* which are followed again by the feelings of emptiness, lack, discontentment, uneasiness and the fear of losing the desired object.
Thus a vicious cycle is created by desire which starts and ends with suffering. There are only some intervals in which we feel content, happy or peaceful and which last very little.
This vicious cycle of the suffering created by desire is going on without a break until we are aware of it and by diligent practice we get free of it.
It is very important to mention here that desire keeps us in its clutches by making us believe that happiness and pleasure are inherent in the sense objects and the external situations.
This is the greatest illusion because there is not even an iota of pleasure and happiness in the objects. The ego-desire creates this illusion by projection, association, superimposition, identification and imagination.
Lack of discernment and inattention keep this play of ego and desire out of our conscious observation; thus the desire mechanism functions unobstructed.
Usually when the desire is fulfilled there is for a while a sense of euphoria, satisfaction, contentment and happiness* which are followed again by the feelings of emptiness, lack, discontentment, uneasiness and the fear of losing the desired object.
Thus a vicious cycle is created by desire which starts and ends with suffering. There are only some intervals in which we feel content, happy or peaceful and which last very little.
This vicious cycle of the suffering created by desire is going on without a break until we are aware of it and by diligent practice we get free of it.
It is very important to mention here that desire keeps us in its clutches by making us believe that happiness and pleasure are inherent in the sense objects and the external situations.
This is the greatest illusion because there is not even an iota of pleasure and happiness in the objects. The ego-desire creates this illusion by projection, association, superimposition, identification and imagination.
Lack of discernment and inattention keep this play of ego and desire out of our conscious observation; thus the desire mechanism functions unobstructed.
Like-dislike, attraction-aversion and attachment are also attendants and modifications of the mechanism of pleasure-lust-desire-passion.
May God bless you realize the truth in this very life!
NOTE:
contentment and happiness* : Happiness
always comes from within our heart, is an innate attribute of our true
nature or consciousness, but we do not experience it because our mind is
always outgoing, agitated and we are always in a state of emotional
turmoil.
The happiness and the contentment we experience when a desire is fulfilled, derives also from within ourselves, the Soul, and has nothing to do with the object of desire.
When a desire is fulfilled and we enjoy the desired object there is no separation between us and the object and thus all mental and emotional agitation (fantasies, imaginations, projections, expectations, anxiety, agony, fear, impatience etc.) subside. Thus the mind for a while becomes calm, concentrated and introverted. In this mental state the mind naturally reflects the happiness of our inner Self or Consciousness. But we do not recognize it because the ego (with the aid of tamas guna) puts a veil on this process and thus we unconsciously associate the happiness with the object. We think that happiness comes from the object itself or at least that depends on the object. This has as a result we to condition our subconscious to seek happiness through similar experiences and in general through objective experiences.
The happiness and the contentment we experience when a desire is fulfilled, derives also from within ourselves, the Soul, and has nothing to do with the object of desire.
When a desire is fulfilled and we enjoy the desired object there is no separation between us and the object and thus all mental and emotional agitation (fantasies, imaginations, projections, expectations, anxiety, agony, fear, impatience etc.) subside. Thus the mind for a while becomes calm, concentrated and introverted. In this mental state the mind naturally reflects the happiness of our inner Self or Consciousness. But we do not recognize it because the ego (with the aid of tamas guna) puts a veil on this process and thus we unconsciously associate the happiness with the object. We think that happiness comes from the object itself or at least that depends on the object. This has as a result we to condition our subconscious to seek happiness through similar experiences and in general through objective experiences.