Desire

“Desire is the source of all suffering.” ~ Mahatma Buddha

The above line, as I am sure all of us know, is said by a great spiritual leader. Yet, I personally, find this line conflicting. Desires do make us suffer. In the pursuit of our ambitions we make sacrifices, some big, some small, which cause us pain and with desire comes expectations don’t come true we despair. So that kind of rule’s out desire as a bad thing for if we don’t have any desire we won’t have any expectations which will harm us. But isn't this living, not living just existing. If we don’t desire, if we don’t dream of goals and don’t even try to achieve it just because of the fear of failing, wouldn't that mean we are virtually dead.

Although we shouldn't abandon our goals, there should be a limit to how far we should go in order to have it. The desire should not turn into an unhealthy obsession. In order to have something we want, we shouldn't harm others. And no matter what we shouldn’t be disappointed if we fail. This is what, I think, Mahatma Buddha wanted to convey.