You are here:

Buddhists/Buddhism Desires and Nirvana

Advertisement

Expert: - 4/15/2009


Question
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I understand that ceasing one’s desires contributes to their enlightenment, or someone who is enlightened does not have any desires. This is where I become confused. If someone were to have no desires, then wouldn’t that person just sit where he is until he dies? What would compel him to eat to stay alive?

Another concept that I found to be somewhat hazy was the idea that nothing exists because everything is just the seamless Whole. I understand this part, except wouldn’t this say that something does “exist” and that that something is the always changing Whole?

I think I understand that buddhism is all about seeing things as they are moment to moment. Does this mean see every single thing around you? If, so I do not understand how this is possible. At any given moment there could be a line of people each wearing different clothes, and cars driving by, and a creek next to you with many different types of animals. Am I correct with the idea of seeing everything?

Thank you,
Joey

Answer

Buddha
Dear Joey,

You ask some very good questions.

An enlightened person in a state of say, absolute truth would not experience the arising of desires as the conditions would not be there to support there becoming, this would of course be a temporary state supported by a high level of concentration. In day to day life an enlightened person could not sustain a permanent state of absolute truth, this is because they are still inhabiting the human form. They would still experience desire but in a sense be 'free' from it because they would not act on it through ignorance, therefore not causing any further karma. The person in and of itself or in other words, the ego, does not become enlightened because it does not exist. The Buddha's words: "Just as a rock of one solid mass remains unshaken by the wind, even so neither visible forms, nor sounds, nor odours, nor tastes, nor bodily impressions, neither the desired nor the undesired, can cause such a one to waver. Steadfast is his mind, gained is deliverance"

In my understanding - Consciousness which is the unborn, unconditioned, unformed, uncreated is the only thing that truly exists - therefore is not everything else an illusion? The Buddha's words on this: "This, o monks, truly is the peace, this is the highest, namely the end of all formations, the forsaking of every substratum of rebirth, the fading away of craving, detachment, extinction, Nibbāna"

You seem to have taken the idea of 'seeing everything' too literally. It would be more accurately described as seeing that which comes into your awareness. This could be seen as 'seeing everything' as that which you are not aware, does not exist to you at that present moment, the expression 'The Universe in a grain of sand' comes to mind here.

I hope this helps Joey.
Further reading for you: http://www.knowbuddhism.info/2009/02/how-do-we-become-enlightened-luang-phu.html

Yours in Dhamma
Shozen
    Questioner's Rating
    Rating(1-10)Knowledgeability = 10Clarity of Response = 10Politeness = 10
    CommentHelped alot, thankyou verry much


  • Add to this Answer
  • Ask a Question

Buddhis8 - BuddhismIS.com

Expertise

James Chen Ball is the founder of the Buddhism IS Community Forum and Know Buddhism Blog. His primary focus is promoting Meditation practise through his websites and establishing an active Buddhist social community on the Internet. James' approach to Buddhism is intuitive and you will rarely find him referring to Sutras or similar ancient Buddhist texts but rather his words come from experience and a natural grasp of Buddhism. A long-time lay practitioner and student of Buddhism who has lived and studied as a lay monastic in all of the three major traditions of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan/Vajrayana) practicing alongside Bhikku's and studying under Monks such as Ajahn Sumedho and H.E Lopon Tenzin Jigme Rinpoche III. I am happy to receive any question you have on the vast topic of Buddhism and will endeavor to give you a clear and honest answer where possible.

Experience

I am a long-time lay practitioner and student of Buddhism for over 14 years. I have lived as a lay monastic in many monasteries around the world studying and practicing alongside the Sangha.

Organizations
Buddhism IS Forum (http://buddhismis.com) Tzu Chi Foundation, Taiwan. Amaravati Monastery, UK.

Publications
http://buddhismis.com http://knowbuddhism.info

Education/Credentials
Founder of the Buddhism IS Community Forum http://www.buddhismis.com

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.