Absolutely no desires?

[LamDuongT]

For a while, I've always thought about how desires cause suffering, and if I want to root out all sufferings is to cease all desires. But the other day, as I was watching a documentary film on the Buddha, the Dalai Lama came on and talked about how you have to have the desire to become Buddha to become Buddha. But then I thought about this. Won't the desire to become Buddha itself will cause suffering? Because when you just keep trying and trying to become Buddha and you can't succeed, you suffer (or rather dissatisfaction). So then when the state of your mind has no desires left, you attain Buddhahood? What does everyone think on this matter?

[Goofaholix]

There is nothing wrong with desire, we all desire food for example and if we didn't we probably wouldn't bother to eat and would die, it's natural and we need it.

Desire to become awakened is a good thing to have.

It's when desire compounds into craving and clinging that it causes suffering. Unlike desire craving and clinging can really dominate ones state of mind and cause suffering, not only that but obtaining what one craves for does not satiate it and we end up craving something more.

So best to learn to notice and let go of craving and clinging early on.

[Deshy]

Won't the desire to become Buddha itself will cause suffering? Because when you just keep trying and trying to become Buddha and you can't succeed, you suffer (or rather dissatisfaction). So then when the state of your mind has no desires left, you attain Buddhahood? What does everyone think on this matter?

Imo, desire is not the same things as wholesome intention. Desire to become enlightened usually disturbs and agitates the mind and obstructs one from entering samadhi states needed for wisdom to arise. Although desire drives a beginner to enter the path, he will eventually identify its effects on the mind and gradually abandon this desire. But he will continue to have intentions.

As I have said before, I feel that the practice is a gentle and gradual process - a complete way of life; not a "task" to be taken and thrived with desire for an end result as the Olympic champions do.

[andyrobyn]

Use of words often makes expression of the relevant point difficult, doesn't it?

I agree with Deshy above about the distinction between intention and desire. For me, seeing that the journey is where practice happens rather than at a destination we need to arrive at keeps the focus from jumping forward to desire.

[Ngagpa]

seeing that the journey is where practice happens rather than at a destination we need to arrive at keeps the focus from jumping forward to desire.

Well said :up2:

[londonerabroad]

Desire is quite natural since we are living in the realm of desire. It is our clinging, our attachment, particularly to a false idea of self, which is the cause of our suffering. The Dalai Lama is a Mahayana Buddhist and as such he sees enlightenment as something to strive for for the sake of all sentient beings so this desire is seen to be wholesome from a Mahayana and particularly a Tibetan Buddhist perspective - it is called the awakened desire or Bodhicitta.

[Rosebud]

I've always thought (even before I looked at Buddhism) that the base of suffering is selfishness or pride. Desire can be another form of selfishness. Like someone said before, intentions tell what kind of desire it is.