back - YOU TELL ME - 15/10/07

Hugo Marroquín Rivera sends me a paragraph from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his book on Flux, which pointedly says:

“Hinduism and Buddhism prescribe the elimination of any purpose as a condition for happiness. They state that it is only abandoning all desires and achieving a purpose-free existence that we can have a chance to avoid unhappiness. This way of thinking has influenced many European and American young people, leading them to reject any kind of aim and to think that the belief in a totally free and random behaviour will lead them to illumination.”

I had read the book, without ever having dared to pronounce the author’s algebraic name, and I agree that there is some danger in interpreting Buddhism that way; but in real fact, Buddhism does not say that. It does not reject desire (iccha) but anxiety in one’s desire (trishana) which is not the same. An aim helps at the beginning setting up a direction and motivating the march; but it later hinders the effort with the worry to reach the goal and the anxiety in doubts that can spoil the whole enterprise.

I knew a boy whose desire to become a doctor led him to get good marks and thus to secure admission into Medical College. But, once there, the anxiety to pass all the exams defeated him and made him drop out of College. Desire helps; anxiety hinders.

The important thing in Buddhism is living the present, which, when fully lived, will by itself lead to the future. The caterpillar does not become a butterfly by trying hard to become one, but by simply being a good caterpillar. If it tries, it’ll spoil everything. Let us be Oriental.

Lao Tzu: “For ever tarrying in purposelessness.” A great master.