Question

4b. Buddhists believe that the 2nd Noble Truth, “Suffering is caused by desire," is true. Do you? State a

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

According to Buddhism, which has deep connections with Taoism, the origin of all suffering is desire. In chapter 33 of the Tao Te Ching we read, “Those who know they have enough are truly wealthy.” Desiring means thinking you do not have enough, and that is a thought that is bound to bring unhappiness and suffering along with it.

I have noticed that about myself a long time ago, and was actually relieved to realize there was a whole philosophy built around this idea. Desiring too much was not good for me. I was never peaceful; something always seemed to be missing. I do not mean we should not have goals. Having a goal gives us motivation and reason to be disciplined. Achieving a goal makes us feel competent and capable enough to do more and better. But, to paraphrase Lao Tsu, we should not dwell in it. Once we achieve a certain goal, we should move on, let go of it.

What I mean by desire is that restlessness that seems to hover, constantly, and that takes us nowhere. It is the petty wishes and envies we have when we compare ourselves to influencers and friends on social media. It is the dissatisfaction we feel when we look at our own lives only to see how boring it is – or how boring we have convinced ourselves it is. Desire, in this context, is that endless hunger for more, although we do not know what more means. It is our incapacity to see how wealthy we truly are.

“Whoever knows contentment will be at peace forever,” says Lao Tsu in chapter 46 of the Tao Te Ching. Once I tried to desire less, I became a happier being. By choice, I began to spend less time on social media. I also began to look at others’ lives from a critical perspective, questioning how much of what they post and say is actually true. I reminded myself that I am healthy, capable, strong, and intelligent, and that waking up every day like that is a blessing. I realized peace, in every sense of the word but especially peace of mind, is the only thing once should desire if it is impossible to not desire something.