The more desires you have, the more misery you will create…
“The more desires you have, the more misery you will create for yourself. Misery is a consequence of desiring - and you go on desiring. In fact, you think that if your desires are fulfilled your miseries will disappear. In the first place they are never fulfilled; in the second place, if they are fulfilled, nothing is fulfilled by their fulfillment. You remain as empty as you have always been - or even more, because up to now you were occupied with a certain desire; now even that is fulfilled. A deep deep emptiness comes to you.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Desire generates endless dissatisfaction; fulfillment never resolves the underlying emptiness, leading to continual suffering.
In simple terms: Desire breeds misery.
Key Takeaway
Fulfilling wants doesn’t fill inner voids.
Themes
Desire
Suffering
Emptiness
Attachment
Impermanence
Mood
Melancholic
Reflective
Contemplative
Type
Philosophical
Spiritual
Cautionary
When to use this quote
- Pursuing material success
- Chasing relationship validation
- Seeking fame
- Attempting spiritual enlightenment
- Consumerist lifestyle
Key Concepts
Human wants
Psychological cycle
Existential void
Practical Applications
- Mindfulness practice
- Stoic reflection
Questions to Reflect On
- What does true fulfillment look like?
- How can one break the cycle of desire?