Buy Swami Chidananda
Eastern wisdom – especially in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism – has highlighted the absolute absence of all (personal) desires in a man as the hallmark of the highest spiritual wisdom. Upanishads declare that desire is the sign of ignorance(avidyā), and arises from the false sense of incompleteness(apoornatā). The enlightened man, who has vidyā, feels complete (poorna) and therefore has no need for seeking pleasure or for acquiring any object.
Free of want, devoid of desire, having all his desires fulfilled,
delighting in the Self alone, this man is Brahman;
he attains Brahman. His energies do not lead to another birth.
| akāmo nishkāma āptakāma ātmakāmo |
| na tasya prānā utkrāmanti |
| brahma eva san, brahma āpnoti |
Brihadāranyaka Upanishad, 4.4.6
(Chapter 4, Brāhmana 4, mantra 6)