“Buddhism describes this transformation in the depths of consciousness as follows: ‘We burn the firewood of earthly desires and behold the fire of
Doughnuts & Porn
enlightened wisdom before our eyes.'[i] Rather than allowing the anger or grief we feel about our present circumstances to find outlet in acts that harm or degrade others, we must expand and elevate those feelings to become the motivation for action to counter the social ills and threats that bring suffering to ourselves and others. Buddhism teaches that such transformation enables us to live lives that illuminate society with the qualities of courage and hope.” – Daisaku Ikeda
So perhaps its not the craving of things that’s bad, we all have desires, but how we express those desires make all the difference in the long term results of our lives. So if we desire doughnuts and choose lettuce cups with chicken and sesame oil (not a bad alternative ..hey) or if we transmute the sexual urges to create songs, art, and poems (with the occasional romp in the forest) then in the end we create more value and we feel a whole lot better about ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually.
Its a sort of re-routing our desires to whatever can create the most value for ourselves, others and the greater good. This I like to call “living at the Peak.” So what kind of desires do you have and how are you addressing them? Feel free to comment below.