October 24, 2012 – Give Up Desire

This world was built by Ignorance and Error that they might know.
Wilt thou abolish ignorance and error ?
Then knowledge too will perish.
Thou canst not abolish ignorance and error,
but thou mayst transmute them into the utter and effulgent exceeding of reason.

Sri Aurobindo

(Thoughts and Aphorisms 90)

Give Up Desire

The Buddha has said that there is a greater joy in overcoming a desire than in satisfying it. It is an experience everybody can have and one that is truly very very interesting…..

There is a kind of inner communion with the psychic being which takes place when one willingly gives up a desire, and because of this one feels a much greater joy than if he had satisfied his desire. Besides, most usually, almost without exception, when one satisfies a desire it always leaves a bitter taste somewhere.

There is not one satisfied desire which does not give a kind of bitterness; as when one has eaten too sugary a sweet it fills your mouth with bitterness. It is like that. You must try sincerely. Naturally you must not pretend to give up desire and keep it in a corner, because then one becomes very unhappy. You must do it sincerely.

The Mother

The Great Adventure 18