Hungry Ghost
Children’s fairy tales contain simple, important lessons. Humpty Dumpty makes me cautious.
Emotions aren’t complex intellectual erector sets of thought.
They’re simple.
Basic.
Emotional seeds blossom like flowers to guide your heart.
Buddhist traditions have stories about Hungry Ghosts.
A hungry ghost is the manifestation of unquenchable Desire.
It points to a powerful coalition of feelings that motivates unwise choices and drives foolish behavior.
By identifying that force and noting its impact on your heart, some measure of control is possible.
The Wish Fulfilling Tree captures the powerful and unpredictable nature of craving.
Magic wish-fulfilling tree
The Wish Fulfilling Tree
A weary spiritual seeker sits below a magic wish-fulfilling tree.
He thinks, “It would be nice if I had a drink of water to quench my thirst.” And in the next moment, a cup of water appears. He thinks it odd that such a thing could occur, but he quenches his Thirst without inquiring further.
Then he thinks, “It would be nice if I had food, shelter, and someone to share it with.” And in the next moment, everything appears in front of him. He thinks it odd, but he satisfies his Desires without inquiring further.
Then he thinks, “I’ve roamed the earth looking for satisfaction only to be left wanting. But here at this place, I get everything I desire. How wonderful!” His curiosity satiated for the moment; he dropped that thought without inquiring further.
Then he thinks, “It must be this powerful tree that grants my wishes. I wonder if it creates bad things too? Perhaps it will create a powerful monster that will consume me?”
And it did.
(The end)
Hungry Ghost
Whoa!
Jarring ending.
WTF happened?
I don’t get it. I want more!
Like many Buddhist stories, the meaning isn’t apparent upon first reading, but the lesson I’ve taken from this story is about my relationship with Wanting.
Jack Kornfield, The Roots of Buddhist Psychology was Buddhism 101 for me. I’ve listened to all 9 hours many, many times! Thank you planting seeds of virtue as you showed me my mind. Fabulous!!!
Satiation is an Illusion
Satiating Desires is futile.
Another Desire arises in replacement.
Repeatedly.
Perpetually.
The Wheel of Samsara. Spinning like a roulette wheel. We are balls bouncing, banging, trapped forever inside.
True Satiation is a doorway. Extinguish desire, the door opens, you exit Samsara and enter Nirvana, the Pure Land of Total Inner Peace.
What’s worse is that while pursuing Desire, you exist in a constant state of lack, unsatisfied and disappointed.
Lack Sucks.
Lack drains Qi.
It eats you up inside.
It’s Sisyphus from ancient Greece, endlessly pushing that emotional boulder up the hill, tasting brief satisfaction at the peak before tumbling down, repeating the cycle over and over and over again.
It’s our empty consumer society promising happiness and fulfillment with a new car, a new house, social status, and conspicuous consumption.
Most people don’t obtain their objects of desire to discover the truth of their emptiness.
Many who obtain everything they want refuse to acknowledge that emptiness because the regret over a wasted lifetime chasing rainbows is too much to bear.
