EARTHLY DESIRES ARE ENLIGHTENMENT

A very good morning to all of you.

We all have always heard that we should not have any desires. Desires give rise to sufferings and we
should try to eradicate these desires.

RIGHT??????

So according to you all, what is a desire?

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Theoretically, Earthly desires indicate illusion, enlightenment indicates awakening to the truth.
Undeniably , desire gives rise to suffering, but it is simplistic to therefore dismiss it as wholly evil. As long
as one is alive , one is bound to have desires; they are necessary to sustain life. Desires are driving force
of civilization.

Lotus Sutra states, “ Without either cutting off earthly desires or separating themselves from desires,
they can purify all their senses and wipe away all their offences.”

Even ordinary people whose lives are dominated by earthly desires, burdened by negative karma and
affected by suffering can by awakening to the reality that Buddhahood exists within their lives, manifest
the wisdom of Buddha enlightenment, liberate themselves from suffering.

So lets discuss most basic types of earthly desires and how can we transform them:

 GREED
It means to become slave of hunger, fame, money….. For example, At the same time if we see it
as hunger for knowledge, it opens up new fields of research and endeavour.
Impression

 ANGER
It signifies the rage within one’s life or the state of being controlled by impulsive emotions. .
Anger is charcterized by one's strong attachment to the idea of one's own superiority and the
need to surpass everyone at any cost, this often prevents one from revealing one's true self or
seeing others as they are
Example: Anger when directed against evil has motivated the framing of laws and securing the
public order.
Impression
A parent when scolds a child, it ultimately for child’s good.(to be elaborated)
  STUPIDITY
It refers to foolishness of not being able to understand the nature of circumstances or the selfish
attachment to immediate profits.
Impression

For example a student used to study just a day before exam, wasting time watching TV and
playing video games( BEING FOOLISH). But still he used to score average marks. But later he
realized that he is efficient enough to study in less time as well.

CONCLUSION

The word “are” in “earthly desires are enlightenment” does not mean that earthly desires are
enlightenment, but that without eradicating these desires one can attain enlightenment. Through our
practice, As we raise our fundamental life condition, what functioned earlier as an earthly desire begin
to function as enlightenment, and what produced suffering start to produce joy.

When we chant NMRK, we manifest lifestate of buddhahood in which we begin to view our desires,
problems and worries differently . we no longer fear them, hope wells from within our life and these
very problems propels us forward.

So greater the worries and sufferings, through chanting NMRK, we can transform them into even greater
happiness, lifeforce and good fortune.

When we carry our practrise sincerely, even the most mundane, deluded impulse can be transformed
into something nobler. This way, our desireswill quite naturallydevelop from self focuswed ones to
broader ones concerning our families, friends, communities and ultimately the whole world.

Thank you.