Desire as the Cause of Human Suffering

Originally posted by tomtom232
Is this true? At least in western culture? I have thought about this quite a bit
and want to know your thoughts. It seems to me that the more we desire the more we suffer...so I believe this is true...(especially in relationships 🙁 )

Primitive desire coming from oneself could be positive influence as it would provide motivation and purpose to get on with things or to solve practical problems as obstacles to one's desire. I don't think that is direct cause of major suffering even in the western world.

It could be "expectation" that causes misery and suffering when it cannot be met to the reality. One's expectation for oneself to obtain or achieve something, or by others surrounding and influencing. In addition "envy" bring negativeness.. but I suppose I'm now diverging from your initial question.

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before or not, but I've studied Buddhism at college and University for about 3 years and as a lay buddhist for about 5 more years.

Desire isn't the problem, it's impermanence that's the problem. The things that you desire never last whether you attain them or not, which leads to unhappiness.

Check out the 4 noble truths and the 8 fold path and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Surely it goes the other way around? Human suffering causes desire. No suffering, no desire.

Originally posted by Conrau K
Surely it goes the other way around? Human suffering causes desire. No suffering, no desire.

A human doesn't need to be suffering to desire, but desire will always cause suffering. It's the belief that suffering is permanent that also perpetuates the suffering. Nothing is permanent, so therefore there is no need to suffer if you don't get what you desire. In fact just by desiring something you fail to grasp the fact that acquiring it will eventually lead to suffering.

That's not to say that people shouldn't desire things because unless you are trying to attain nirvana desire is natural. The trick is to understand that desire will never make you happy.

Originally posted by Starrman
If you need something to make you happy and unhappiness is the result of not getting what you need, how can that be the fault of the need? It must be that you are not fulfilled which brings about unhappiness.

i suppose the thought goes like this: if you are unhappy because of an unfulfilled desire, then you can either fulfil the desire or eliminate it. either way, you no longer have an unfulfilled desire and no longer have this reason to be unhappy.

Originally posted by Iron Monkey
i suppose the thought goes like this: if you are unhappy because of an unfulfilled desire, then you can either fulfil the desire or eliminate it. either way, you no longer have an unfulfilled desire and no longer have this reason to be unhappy.

Yeah, but you have to also understand that even by fulfilling the desire you will never be truly happy due to it's impermanence. Happiness can't come through external means, you have to be tranquil within yourself before you can realise true happiness and that means the complete elimination of desire. It's a hard concept for most westerners to grasp because we're flooded with marketing and labels day in day out.

Originally posted by tomtom232
Aren't you truly happy when you desire nothing more? The reasoning would be that you have everything you need to be happy thus you desire nothing.

Or maybe happiness is the jurney, the working towards of your hearts desire? Maybe not ataining it but deciding what it is and working (if you're lucky enoough, with someone) towards it.