Quench The Flames Of Desire
Endless desires and attachment to material possessions can keep people unhappy, while contentment, the right inner attitude and surrender to divine will can bring lasting happiness and peace. Accepting both joy and sorrow with faith helps individuals overcome suffering and find inner tranquillity.
Dada J. P. Vaswani’s reflection explores how overcoming excessive desires can help people find contentment, happiness and spiritual peace | AI Generated Representational Image
Many of us think we are free, that we have a choice in all we do. But in reality, we are not free. We are ‘bound’ to our desires and wishes.
Man is unhappy because he always desires to have more, much more than he needs. Our desires multiply and keep us bound to material possessions. We are never content.
It is only contentment that brings joy and peace within.
Desire And Suffering
When the Buddha attained enlightenment, he realised that desire is the root cause of all suffering. “Quench the flames of desire,” Buddha urged his followers. “Give up your desires and you shall find peace within.”
Let me repeat to you, it is not the external material wealth which will give us joy, but the right inner attitude which will bring us happiness and peace.
God gives us many gifts, but if He takes away any one of them, we feel miserable and inconsolable. We begin to blame God. Why me? Why did this have to happen to me? How could God be so unkind to me? We begin to question His wisdom. We refuse to submit to His will. Little do we realise that there can be no happiness, no lasting peace for those who do not surrender to the divine will.
Surrender To Divine Will
I have often shared this beautiful prayer with my friends. Let me repeat it to you!
Thou knowest everything, Beloved,
Let Thy Will always be done!
In joy and sorrow, my Beloved,
Let Thy Will always be done!
(Dada J P Vaswani was a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader.)
RECENT STORIES
-
-
-
-
-