A Journey from Attachment to Liberation — Deep Connection Between Suffering, Desire, and Enlightenment
Life is inevitably steeped in suffering, as Buddhism teaches us. There are four core sufferings — birth, old age, sickness, and death — that no one can escape. Beyond these, we also face countless other challenges like fear, longing, frustration, and loss, which weigh on our hearts.
The answer lies within us. Much of our suffering arises from attachments to people, possessions, ideas, and desires. These attachments bind us, creating restlessness and dissatisfaction. We cling to things we cannot hold forever, and in doing so we create unhappiness.
At first, it seems logical to think that happiness would come from eliminating desires, as they often lead to frustration. But Buddhist teachings offer a deeper insight: the path is not about rejecting desires but also understanding them.
Earthly desires are not inherently bad — they are part of being human. Rather than suppressing them, we are encouraged to observe them with clarity and wisdom.
This idea is captured in the concept that “earthly desires are enlightenment.” At first glance, this seems paradoxical — how can desires, which often lead to suffering, also lead to wisdom?
The key is how we engage with these desires. The point is not to suppress or indulge in them, but to see them. When understood, desires can become a source of insight and lead us to liberation.
People often take two approaches toward desires: one is to suppress them, seeing them as obstacles to peace; the other is to surrender to them, believing they are natural and good.
Neither approach leads to lasting happiness. Suppression creates inner conflict, while unchecked indulgence leads to emptiness.
The true challenge is learning to live with our desires — allowing them to exist without letting them control us. Buddhism teaches that both desires and enlightenment are inherent in us.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna addresses the nature of desire by urging Arjuna to act without attachment. He says, “You have the right to work, but never to the fruit of work.”
This teaching echoes Buddhism: we are not to abandon our desires but to act without attachment to the results.
Krishna stresses the importance of detachment, not as a rejection of the world, but as a transformation of how we engage with it. It is not the desires that cause suffering, but our attachment to their outcomes.
Both the Gita and Buddhism teach that desires are part of human nature, but the key is to engage with them in a way that doesn’t lead to bondage.
We are called to purify desires, transforming them into a means for spiritual growth. Krishna encourages us to offer our desires to the divine, turning everything into an act of devotion.
Purifying desires means aligning them with our higher purpose. By refining our senses and desires, we transcend attachment and find wisdom.
Paradox
Desires, which often cause pain, can also lead to wisdom. The key is not to eradicate them but to understand and transform our relationship with them.
The Gita and Buddhism teach us, that our desire when rightly understood, can bring us to fullness and liberation. By engaging with them consciously, we can turn suffering into wisdom, attachment into freedom, and transform things that weigh us down into the source of our highest transformation.
This post was first published on this blog Oct 14, 2007
I like the article. However, it seems that the “Earthly desires” being spoke of are materials and not something like sex. So, for those of you who are searching for some insight on that subject I offer this: I don’t deny my desires but I’m not a slave to them.