Part Two
Pleasure leads to preferences and these pre-references influence the process of feeling and relating to life.
a) The different forms of wanting
b) The Process of Feeling and Preferences
c) Summary and the Truth of Repetition
2a) The Different Forms of Wanting
Buddha discovered the truth about all forms of desire, not just the truth about craving.
Every small personal preference hinders our direct experience and relationship with the world.
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The text talks of craving or greed, however, Buddhism normally addresses all forms of desire, and even the slightest personal wish will prevent a fully spontaneous reaction, or the most creative or fulfilling experience ... most buddhists would surely agree that even the slightest personal wish will influence mindfulness during meditation, ... or not?
The point is buddha discovered the truth about all forms of desire, not just the truth about craving.
One of the repercussions of the development of the word dukkha as suffering, seems to be this complementary idea of craving or greed, indicating only the extreme forms of desire or wanting. Only this extreme forms of craving seem to support the extreme idea of suffering. Whereas things not running smoothly, could be caused by any smaller inclination or preference.
I feel the idea of craving or greed is almost moralistic. People who are greedy cause much suffering to others, … also, craving usually refers to sexual or other base desires like food, which for those in power and with money are fairly easily available. So i feel this craving/greed idea may have developed almost like a compensation for the normal person so that they believe all these riches were not valuable in reality (maybe like the sermon on the mount "blessed are the poor").
In addition the 2nd and 3rd noble truths understand desire
in 3 forms ... "craving for sensuality, craving for becoming, craving
for non-becoming"(3) seems the best translation.
Again, it seems that not just craving, but even the slightest preference or inclination is going to
influence us in some way ... and im open to suggestion, but i believe this is
particularly relevant in the sense of becoming : wanting to be someone, wanting to
confirm or change our self image and image for others. The continual
adjustments we make with our everyday thoughts and dreams to find how we
fit with the world, not just the special daydreams, the everyday
chatter which runs in the background, redifining ourselves - i believe
this influences practically all my thoughts.
It is important to realise Buddha was talking not only about all forms of wanting in the material world, but also all forms of wanting for our own self-image.
Craving has a large effect on us - but every small personal preference hinders our direct experience and relationship with the world.
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The Noble Truths |
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