c. Why do we have desires and how to control them?

Desire is born out of attachment that human beings have with the material world. This material world is perceived by human senses. Therefore, desire is natural.

Eastern wisdom – especially in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism – has highlighted the absolute absence of all (personal) desires as the hallmark of the highest spiritual wisdom. Upanishads declare that desire is the sign of ignorance (avidyā), and arises from the false sense of incompleteness (apoornatā).

Swami Visharadananda writes, “Why do we have desires?  Because we tend to identify ourselves with our body-mind ego or body-mind adjuncts/appearance (upādhi). We forget our divine nature, our atman-nature which is ever fulfilled and free from all worldly needs.”

The enlightened man, who has higher knowledge (vidyā), feels complete (poorna) and therefore has no need for seeking pleasure or for acquiring any object.

akāmo nishkāma āptakāma ātmakāmo

na tasya prānā utkrāmanti

brahma eva san, brahma āpnoti

Free of want, devoid of desire, having all his desires fulfilled,

delighting in the Self alone, this man is Brahman;

he attains Brahman. His energies do not lead to another birth.

Brihadāranyaka Upanishad, 4.4.6.

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Contributor: Jyoti Lulla

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