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LEAD ARTICLE | EASTERN HORIZON 5
A key principle in Buddhism Let’s try and find out! There is another Sanskrit word
is the original goodness in also translated as desire: Chandā.
us, sometimes described as We’ve never really given it much This type of desire does not cause
the Buddha nature that we all of a chance, at least at a cultural suffering. This could be the desire
possess. Is this concept of human level. But we can all experience the to awaken, to be of service, to learn
nature compatible with current discomfort that comes from our something, to help others, etc.
thinking in western psychology? greed and hatred, as well as that of Notice how this is still desire, but
others. We can also experience the is much harder to turn into greed.
Yes. Western psychological science comfort that comes from letting go So if we gave up greed, we could
labored under a deficit model for of them. still desire many things without it
many decades, but psychologists like causing problems.
Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers It is a misunderstanding that letting
opened up a growth-oriented go of greed, for example, means How can an understanding of
approach. In the late 1990s, the that we give up on getting what we the reality of impermanence,
Positive Psychology movement need. In the U.S., this is partly due suffering, and non-self help us to
began, focusing on human well- to a misunderstanding of Buddha’s lead a more positive and happier
being. This doesn’t mean that we Second Noble Truth, usually life?
ignore issues such as trauma, but translated as desire is the cause of
hopefully we can stop seeing them dukkha. This doesn’t mean that all Many Americans feel that Buddhism
as defining features of ourselves. desire causes suffering. The word is somehow a negative perspective,
he used is tṛṣṇā (Skt; tanha, Pali). because it makes us confront
Buddhism teaches that to This is a clinging desire, where we realities such as impermanence
eliminate suffering we must feel like we won’t be ok unless we and suffering. But although
uproot the three defilements get what we want. This type of examining these can certainly feel
of greed, hatred, and delusion. desire has discomfort built right uncomfortable, if we ignore the
Can a human being continue to into it. But all desire is not this. truth we are out of touch with
survive if there is no more greed reality, and this almost always
or hatred? brings much greater discomfort (not
only to ourselves).
