chee1a1@jetson.uh.edu (Bandula Jayatilaka) (02/16/91)
hugh@cs.adelaide.edu.au (Hugh Garsden) wrote: >How can one desire to be enlightened? Presumably desire is one of the >things that hinders us in reaching enlightenment. If _I_ want to >be enlightened, isn't that an ego-desire? If so, I will never become >enlightened, because my ego will get in the way. So how can I desire >to be enlightened without involving my ego? Is there some other part >of me that does the desiring, and my ego must step aside? >----- >Hugh Garsden >University of Adelaide >hugh@cs.adelaide.edu.au The term desire is loosely used. So we tend to use the word desire for everything. But if we look at this problem in perspective of motivation it might be easier to resolve this confusion. For example, there is Maslow's hierarchy of needs, here we can see the variey of needs of the people, hence different motivations. The motivation to kill a person for wealth is an ego_desire. On the other hand, helping a wounded or dying person cannot be categorized as an ego_desire. In the former case, there will be greed, anger, sesual desires etc. then acts of killing, stealing, and lying etc. In the latter case, there would be other positive qualities such as compassion, patience, detachment, wisdom etc. that come into play. Similarly, if we consider the two actions involving mind: (i) fantasizing (ii) meditation for mental development we can see the different types of "desires". In the first case, there will be lustful thoughts, ignorance, greed etc, hence driven by ego_desire. In the latter case, the effort to remove the defilements from the mind, patience,detachment, wisdom, which in summary is a wanting to have the positive qualities of the mind (a subtle point- even this would become an ego_desire if we do this out of arrogance to show and tell others in order to look down upon others). I brought out these points to indicate that all "desires" are not ego_desires. Some we do out of desire to fatten our ego's the others we do out of another need (an altruistic motive - towards detachment from the ego, for helping others etc.) By looking at the human life, people start seeking true enlightenment by reflecting upon the unsatisfactoriness of the life. This is not done out of arrogance, or out of other ego_desires such as greed, lust etc. I mentioned the arrogance and true enlightenement as constrasting words because it might be possible for a person to attempt to find enlightenment out of arrogance in the sense to do it to look down upon others. Therefore, this search will not be for true enlightenment. On the other hand, such efforts would not succeed because the arrogance will become a hinderance in the search. >to be enlightened without involving my ego? Is there some other part >of me that does the desiring, and my ego must step aside? Yes, the ego steps aside. This happens gradually. The beginner practices this setting aside of ego by practices such as, giving (dana), practice of virtuous observances (seela) etc. In a smaller scale at the begining as the wisdom etc. develops, setting aside ego becomes more prominent. (The following terms may be confusing to non-buddhists, but for the benefit of the buddhists I state them here) As stated in buddhist teachings there are specific qualities of mind out of which a person seeks enlightenment. One is termed as Chandha in pali - which is the wanting to do the profitable. Then there is Shraddha - which is the likeness of the positive actions, qualities of mind etc. (which is often translated as faith, but which I feel is an insufficient word leading to misrepresentation of this quality). Then there is compassion or Karuna. Then going deeper, there are enlightenment factors, development of which is essential in gaining enlightenment. Analysis (Dhamm vichaya), mindfullness (Sati),concentration (samadhi),...etc. Out of this the factor arising last is the equanimity (upekkha). At this subtle level, the equanimity balances the mind by removing eagerness, as well as unhappiness hence balancing the mind properly for realisation of enlightenment. At this subtle level even the "desire" for enlightenment is let go of in order for the attainment. Buddhist teachings are gradual hence this subtle final stages should not be confused with the other essential qualities (such as chandha,shraddha, karuna etc.) required at the early stages of the search. Bandula Jayatilaka. (my mention of subtle technicalities of enlightenment are brought out here for the benefit of buddhists and not meant to imply that I have attained enlightenment)
acosta@locus.com (Joseph Acosta) (02/16/91)
In article <9102130550.AA12553@chook.ua.oz.au> hugh@cs.adelaide.edu.au (Hugh Garsden) writes: > >Subject: Desire for Enlightenment > > >How can one desire to be enlightened? Presumably desire is one of the >things that hinders us in reaching enlightenment. If _I_ want to >be enlightened, isn't that an ego-desire? If so, I will never become >enlightened, because my ego will get in the way. So how can I desire >to be enlightened without involving my ego? Is there some other part >of me that does the desiring, and my ego must step aside? > This is a very good question. My feeling is that the "desire" for elightenment is desire natural in most people. This desire eminates from within one's own buddha nature which desires to activated or pulled out of a state of dormancey. This nature can be clouded Even if one pursue's enlightenment from a "ego-desire", that eventually this "ego-desire" (whatever that might be) will be led to or in a state of enlightenment, thus this original selfish desire can be transformed into something great. In otherwords to cast your ego aside and ignore it would be wrong. Rather us as a tool to pursue your it and transform the ego along the path is the better way. Joe Acosta
hugh@chook.ua.oz.au (Hugh Garsden) (02/19/91)
In article <9102130550.AA12553@chook.ua.oz.au>, I write: |> How can one desire to be enlightened? Presumably desire is one of the |> things that hinders us in reaching enlightenment. etc.. There has been a problem with e-mail at my local site; it looks like any mail sent since I posted this article has gone into a big hole, perhaps never to be seen again. If anyone sent me mail about my article, would you please send again. Thanks. News is ok, though; I got the follow-ups that were posted. ----- Hugh Garsden University of Adelaide hugh@cs.adelaide.edu.au