Summary:

Lesson 23 explains why Desire can't be eliminated, and why it's NOT a hindrance to Enlightenment (mokṣa). We also learn correct/incorrect method to MANAGE desire all the way to your last breath. You'll also see a typical timeline of a Spiritual aspirant seeking Truth – how and why one easily gets sucked into endless promises to Liberation.

TOPICS COVERED:

1. Proper relationship with desire
   

   What are the 3 ways how to properly manage desires? (use below Mind-map for help)

   Please explain each of 3 methods in your own words per your own understanding.

2. Improper relationship with desire
   

   QUESTION 1:

   Suppose a soccer ball is maliciously is taken away, and the victim gets angry and starts entertaining adharmic/himsa (injurious) thoughts-actions towards perpetrator.

   Question is, in light of what you've learned, what is causing victim to overreact in this manner, in hopes to gain back his-her object of Desire?

   QUESTION 2:

   Suppose Mr. Himsa loses his job and panics because he can't support himself and family anymore. So Mr. Himsa – in attempt to “help” his family, decides the easy and quick route of making money by taking advantage of unsuspecting tourists – by overpricing them on services which actually cost 10x less.

   What is Mr. Himsa doing wrong in reference to Dharma? Write out a paragraph(s) on this using information you've learned so far.

   —
   Answer: Mr. Himsa is helping himself – at expense of cheating/scamming another – through an act which he himself wouldn't appreciate if that same act was done onto him. This accumulates Papa (inauspicious) Karma. Which produces inauspicious Effects in the future – which he will deal with sooner or later. 

   The irony is, one would gladly cheat another to gain temporary happiness… at expense of putting off permanent happiness/immortality.

3. Why Jīva chases “things”?
   

   1) In your own words explain, what would one have to believe or think, which would cause him-her to endlessly chase for new experiences within oneself and in external world?

   2) What would you say to one, in order to help them see that everything is impermanent, subject to coming-going? (Including their own intensity of desire about chased Objects)

   3) How would you sell them on the teaching that what they're really looking for is PERMANENT SATISFACTION?

4. Jijñāsu: Last path of aspirant before mokṣa (Freedom)
   

   Who is a jijñāsu? What is his-her interest? (use below Mind-map for help)

5. mokṣa = focus shifted from CHANGING to UNCHANGING
   

   Write 1 page, what about statement means. Use everything you've learned in course so far.

   Reason for extra length is it will reveal how deep your knowledge is about mokṣa. Because above statement is why all Upaniṣads were written.

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Download visual mind map of this session.

9 Oct