At the age of twenty-nine Gautama slipped away from his palace
in the middle of the night, leaving behind his family and possessions.
He traveled as a homeless vagabond throughout northern India, searching
for a way out of suffering.
He visited ashrams and sat at the feet of gurus
but nothing liberated him entirely - some dissatisfaction always remained.
He did not despair. He resolved to investigate suffering on his own
until he found a method for complete liberation. He spent six years
meditating on the essence, causes and cures for human anguish.
In the end he came to the realization that suffering is not caused
by ill fortune, by social injustice, or by divine whims.
Rather, suffering is caused by the behavior patterns
of one's own mind.
until he found a method for complete liberation. He spent six years
meditating on the essence, causes and cures for human anguish.
In the end he came to the realization that suffering is not caused
by ill fortune, by social injustice, or by divine whims.
Rather, suffering is caused by the behavior patterns
of one's own mind.
Gautama's insight was that no matter what the mind experiences,
it usually reacts with craving, and craving always
involves dissatisfaction. When the mind experiences something
distasteful it craves to be rid of the irritation.
When the mind experiences something pleasant,
it craves that the pleasure will remain and will intensify.
Therefore, the mind is always
dissatisfied and restless.
it usually reacts with craving, and craving always
involves dissatisfaction. When the mind experiences something
distasteful it craves to be rid of the irritation.
When the mind experiences something pleasant,
it craves that the pleasure will remain and will intensify.
Therefore, the mind is always
dissatisfied and restless.
This is very clear when we experience unpleasant things,
such as pain. As long as the pain continues, we are dissatisfied
and do all we can to avoid it. Yet even when we experience pleasant
things we are never content. We either fear that the pleasure
might disappear, or we hope that it will intensify.
such as pain. As long as the pain continues, we are dissatisfied
and do all we can to avoid it. Yet even when we experience pleasant
things we are never content. We either fear that the pleasure
might disappear, or we hope that it will intensify.
People dream for years about finding love but are rarely satisfied
when they find it. Some become anxious that their partner will leave;
others feel that they have settled cheaply, and could have found
someone better. And we all know people who manage to do both.
when they find it. Some become anxious that their partner will leave;
others feel that they have settled cheaply, and could have found
someone better. And we all know people who manage to do both.
~ Yuval Noah Harari