Meditate with desire? Yes (Ajahn Chah)

Ajahn Chah (ajahnchah.org) via Ven. Sujato, Ellie Askew, Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

I crave to make an end of craving. Is that OK?

Lustful desire (thirst, craving, clinging, greed) is a defilement. But we must first have some kind of desire (ambition, a sense of urgency, determination, the will to gain some good) to start practicing the Middle Way.

Suppose we went to buy coconuts at the market, and while carrying them back someone asked: "Why did you buy those coconuts?"

Why did you buy this hard shell, to eat?

"I brought them to eat."

"Are you going to eat the shells, too?"

"Of course not."

"I don't believe you. If you're not going to eat the shells, why did you buy them?"

Well, what would you say? When asked, how are you going to answer that question?

We practice with some form of desire to begin with. If we had no desire at all, we wouldn't practice. Contemplating in this way can give rise to wisdom, you know?

Master Chah mindfully meditating in the forest

For example, with those coconuts, are you going to eat the shells as well? Of course not. Then why did you buy them? They're very useful for wrapping up the contents of coconut. If after eating the contents we throw the shells away, there's no problem.

• [Don't throw them away until they've served their purpose.]

Our practice is like this. We're not going to eat the shells, but it's not yet time to throw them away.

We keep them first, just like we do with some forms of desire. This is how the practice of Buddhism is. If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, that's their business. Let them. We know what we're doing.

The Buddha on Beauty: "Miss Universe"

Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez (left) is crowned Miss Universe 2009 by 2008 Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza, another Venezuelan, at Atlantis, Paradise Island Bahamas, on August 23, 2009 (AFP/Timothy A. Clary). Latin Beauty Wins "Miss Universe" Again / PHOTOS

Five Desirable Things

(AN V, 43)

Once the Buddha addressed the multi-millionaire householder Anathapindika:

"There are, O householder, five things that are wished for, loved, and agreeable yet rarely gained in the world:

1. beauty
2. long life
3. happiness
4. fame
5. rebirth in heaven

"But of these five, I do not teach that they are to be obtained by prayer or by vows. If one could obtain them in that way, who would not obtain them?

"A noble disciple, householder, who wishes to have beauty should follow a path of life that is conducive to beauty. [The ancient commentary to this sutra explains that this means a path of meritorious conduct by practicing generosity, virtue, and meditation; the cause of beauty is non-anger]. By following such a path, one will obtain beauty [here and now or even hereafter], be it divine or human. It is not befitting that one should pray for beauty, or make vows, or take delight in doing so.

"A noble disciple, householder, who likewise wishes to have long life, happiness, fame, and rebirth in heaven should follow a path of life that is conducive to long life, happiness, fame, and rebirth in heaven. By following such a path one will obtain them [even without wishing]. It is not befitting that one should pray for them, or make vows, or take delight in doing so."