DESIRE, AMBITION AND SELFISHNESS

The transience of life, the falsity of worldly pleasures, and the inevitability of death are some of the pertinent issues raised by Sri Rama before the Assembly of the Sages (Yoga-Vasistha, 1.31.1). Sri Rama describes life as fragile as a drop of water on a shaking leaf, seeking to understand how to escape desire and achieve inner peace. The truth is well decorated by delineating the phenomenal world as transient, false, fragile, and illusory, but knowing all these, everybody is in a vain quest to satiate the insatiable desires and drive to fulfil them by becoming ambitious and self-egoistic. The ego's output from its offshoots turns out to be a Frankenstein devouring its originator. In this way, egocentric desires arise from a turbulent mind, driving individuals to seek, acquire, and strive for control over wealth, power, and fame in any area they focus on. Acquire what? Wealth, power, and fame for possession and control. It is unaware that all these desires originate from the body-mind complex, which consists of transient structures and processes aimed at the same fleeting dimension. When the body-mind complex eventually ceases to exist, everything contained within it also disappears. The outward movement to gratify its sensual desire in the external dimension is a result of the thought-manufacturing machine of the mind, which often distracts individuals from the deeper journey of Atma-vichar, or Self-enquiry and understanding their true nature. Leo Tolstoy brilliantly says, "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself," emphasising that true, lasting transformation begins with Self-enquiry, Self-knowledge, or Self-awareness. Sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda asserts that nothing exists in the external dimension, as externality is a creation of the mind. An uncontrolled mind manufactures innumerable thoughts that tend to move outwards that get into the myriad of its own creations. However, a controlled, tranquil, and serene mind remains inward to locate itself in Atman, or Self; feel; rejoice; experience; and think of that only, whether in a waking or dreaming state. Fixation appears to reside in one's inner magnitude rather than in external factors, suggesting that true contentment and understanding come from within rather than from the chaotic influences of the outside world.

 1. Outline 

The triplets of desire, ambition, and selfishness are the projections of a turbulent mind onto its externality to gratify in the sensual arena. Each propels the other in a cyclic process in the vacuity of space and containment of time. Desire boosts ambitions and selfishness. However, no desire can ever be satisfied, as its very creation is in the vacuity and circulation in the transience of the externality, from which it tries to get its sensual derivatives of the distinct identity of egocentricness. The triplet of desire, ambition, and selfishness leads one astray and to their inability to see the same Atman, or Self, in all beings and all beings in Self. The body-mind complex of egoism maintains its distinctive

separateness far away from internal indivisibility, imperishability, and eternity of Atman, or Self, an inseparable essence of Brahman, or Cosmic Self. The ultimate remedy for a separate identity based on a turbulent mind propelled by desire, ambition, and selfishness is Self-realisation that all beings are one in Atman. When one sees all beings in Self and Self in all beings, there is equanimity, detachment, and forbearance and no place for hate, jealousy, selfishness, or delusion. This is the state of a controlled mind of tranquillity and serenity. In such a state of mind, catalysts for discipline, dispassion, discrimination, desirelessness, and detachment arise. It tends to move inwards to relish the joy of eternal bliss that remains in perpetuity. This has been beautifully elucidated by Swami Sivananda. He says the goodness, the light, the pleasure, and the beauty of the world are not to be found there even in name. Even the splendour of the sun and the grandeur of the creator are superseded by the Absolute. That state is experienced when the senses cease to work together with the mind and when the intellect does not move and when there is mere consciousness. When all desires that are lodged in the heart are liberated, then the mortal becomes immortal. Herein he attains Brahman. The state of becoming the Absolute is not a loss of all that we love, Swami Sivananda contends, but is the perfect fulfilment of all our aspirations. Our finitude is broken, imperfections destroyed, and we are installed in the blessed state of eternal satisfaction. All our desires are fulfilled at one and the same time. We become the source of infinite joy and bliss. We experience birthlessness and deathlessness. None is superior to us. What is that by knowing which everything else becomes known? That is Brahman. That is to be known. Brahman is Truth, Knowledge, Infinity, Bliss. Brahman is Bhuma, where one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, and understands nothing else. It rests on nothing else. On It everything else rests. One who knows this rejoices in his Self and rests content in his Self.

 

2. Scriptures 

Katha Upanishad likens the mind to reins, the body to a chariot, and the senses to horses. To achieve the greatest goal, one must control these and keep desire, ambition and selfishness, offshoots of the ephemeral body-mind complex, at bay from dictating one's life journey to realise Self and, ultimately, liberation. The Upanishad highlights the importance of discipline, dispassion, discrimination, discernment, detachment, dedication, devotion, and Dharmic duty, which can guide one in inculcating inner mastery in navigating the complexities of life processes. All these suggest that these qualities are essential for maintaining control over the mind and senses to achieve Self-realisation and liberation. A serene mind keeps senses under control, enabling one to embark on a journey towards enlightenment, transcending the limitations of limited worldly adjuncts. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (2.4.2-6), through the discourses between Sage Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi, teaches that everything is loved for the sake of Atman, or Self, not for its own sake. It posits that the Self is the ultimate, non-dual essence of all beings and objects, recommending it be heard, reflected upon, and realised. Desire, ambition and selfishness have no place, as they are inconsistent and anathema to the eternity, infinity and imperishability of Atman, or Self. This way, the Upanishad says wives, children, wealth, or even husbands are not loved for themselves but because Atman, or Self, resides within them and is loved. The ultimate object of love is one's own Self, which is the inner Self of all beings, which should be realised. The realisation should be heard of Shravanam, or listening; Mananam, reflection; and Nididhyasanam, or meditation. Since everything in the universe is a manifestation or reflection of that Self, or making it, "everything is Self". Isha Upanishad (verse 1) opens with the instruction to enjoy the world through renunciation, detachment and perseverance and "do not covet anyone’s wealth". It teaches that all beings and moving things are pervaded by Brahman, or Supreme Self. Renunciation does not mean escaping the world, but freeing the spirit from selfish desires to seek eternal bliss. True enjoyment of the world comes by letting go of attachment, recognising that nothing belongs solely to the transient psycho-physical ego. It says to see Atman, or Self, in all beings and all beings in Atman. Srimad Bhagavad Gita (3.37-41) says this body-mind complex is the breeding ground of desire, passion, lust and anger. Know this as the sinful, all-devouring enemy in the world. Just as a fire is covered by smoke, a mirror is masked by dust, and an embryo is concealed by the womb, similarly, one’s knowledge gets shrouded by desire. The knowledge of even the most discerning gets covered by this perpetual enemy in the form of insatiable desire, which is never satisfied and burns like fire and clouds one’s knowledge and deludes the embodied soul. Therefore, in the very beginning, bring the senses under control and slay this enemy called desire, which is the embodiment of sin and impedes in Self-knowledge and Self-realisation. Bhagavad Gita (3.42-43) says the senses are superior to the gross body, and superior to the senses is the mind. Beyond the mind is the intellect, and even beyond the intellect is Atman, or Self. It advises subduing senses, mind, and intellect by Atman, or Self, and killing this formidable enemy called 'lust'. Yoga-Vasistha (1.31.3-4) metaphorically describes the human mind as clouded by Avidya, or ignorance, when the mind is surrounded by the winds of Vāsanā, or subtle desire, with flashes of dark ambition, or false hopes, and Moha, or mist of delusion, roars and thunders. Yoga-Vasistha continues to raise doubts on our contentment and composure when temptations of our desires dance like peacocks around us. How shall we save ourselves from the temptations, chaos and restlessness of mind due to cravings, selfish ambitions and lack of clarity? This state of mind is compared to a dark, tumultuous storm where the "mist of delusion" blinds the individual. What can we do under the misty cloud of error, raising our tempestuous desires which flash forth in the lightning of ambition and burst out in the thunderclaps of selfishness? It raises apprehension about the frenzied and chaotic nature of the worldly mind, which is dominated by greed and passion. Yoga-Vasistha (1.31.9-21) explores the torment of the mind; the pain of worldly existence caused by desire and aversion, pleasure and pain, and all the players of opposites; and the necessity of destroying the ego-mind to attain ultimate peace. True freedom is freedom from these pairs of opposites, comparing the inevitability of suffering to the nature of fire. It highlights that the mind's incessant thoughts can only be destroyed through specific knowledge and techniques, not by mere effort, such as meditation, self-inquiry, and understanding the nature of reality.

 3. Remarks 

Desires, ambitions, and selfishness are identified as the primary causes of suffering, ignorance, and bondage to the Samsara Chakra, or cycle of birth and death. They limit one's potential by separating a separate egocentric identity based on transient psycho-physical structure as if it were distinct from Brahman, or Absolute Existence. Desires are described as ropes of bondages that bind Atman, or Self, to the phenomenal world. They are considered endless; just as fire increases with oil, desires are insatiable and can never be contented. To remain in contentment is foreign to such people. They are unable to see Atman in all beings and all beings in Atman. Ambitions directed solely toward sensual pleasures, power, or material wealth are seen as wasteful, as they lead to dissatisfaction even if achieved and anger if thwarted. However, if there is a supposition of complete fulfilment of desires being satisfied, such a state, according to Yoga-Vasistha (1.31.9), is a pleasant state of the world being bathed in the abundance of spring with abundance of honey and sweetness transforming the entire world as beautiful, pure, and delightful. It represents a state of joy where the inner state mirrors the outer world. 

-Asutosh Satpathy