--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: human desires are the main cause of…" description: "\"“human desires are the main cause of suffering”\" — Siddhattha Gotama Buddha" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/siddhattha-gotama-buddha-10294_desire_human-desires-are-the-main-cause-of-suff_1837774.jpg" --- # human desires are the main cause of suffering ![“human desires are the main cause of suffering” quote by Siddhattha Gotama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/siddhattha-gotama-buddha-10294_desire_human-desires-are-the-main-cause-of-suff_1837774.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/siddhattha-gotama-buddha-10294_desire_human-desires-are-the-main-cause-of-suff_1837774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/siddhattha-gotama-buddha-10294_desire_human-desires-are-the-main-cause-of-suff_1837774.jpg) > ““human desires are the main cause of suffering”” [Siddhattha Gotama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhattha-gotama-buddha/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire is the root cause of suffering; eliminating desire leads to liberation. **In simple terms:** Desire causes suffering; let it go. Key Takeaway Cultivate detachment to ease suffering. Themes desire suffering liberation mindfulness Mood serene compassionate Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - ethical living - spiritual study Key Concepts Buddhism philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can desire be transformed, not just eliminated? - What practices help reduce attachment? A Different Perspective Desire isn’t the only cause of suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cause Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause-suffering/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires/) [Human Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-desires-248027/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Main Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/main-cause-544216/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [“Every human being desires love and happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-human-being-desires-love-and-happiness/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“I feel that human desires are absolutely necessary. They keep us alive. So, we shouldn’t frown upon them. And instead, should embrace them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhaidev/i-feel-that-human-desires-are-absolutely-necessary-they-keep-us-alive/) [Abhaidev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhaidev/) > [Global warming is real and human activity is the main cause. The consequences are mainly negative and headed toward catastrophic, unless we act. However,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/global-warming-is-real-and-human-activity-is-the-main-cause-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I have heard it said that families with many children and high birth rates are among the cause of poverty. It seems to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-have-heard-it-said-that-families-with-many-children-and-high-birth/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I believe that love is the main cause of all human suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marwin-machiaveli/i-believe-that-love-is-the-main-cause-of-all-human-suffering/) [Aruho Marwin Machiaveli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marwin-machiaveli/) > [The main cause that I have attached my name to and am working diligently in is the issue of climate change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-reuben/the-main-cause-that-i-have-attached-my-name-to-and-am-working/) [Gloria Reuben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-reuben/) > [Confusion is the main cause of worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/confusion-is-the-main-cause-of-worry/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Every man's ego is the main cause of anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/every-man-s-ego-is-the-main-cause-of-anger/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [“But there is no conceivable way of making people do things they do not wish to do. What is possible is to alter their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/but-there-is-no-conceivable-way-of-making-people-do-things-they-do/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Deep down, we remain human, very human and have all the desires to love and be loved by one person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-hume/deep-down-we-remain-human-very-human-and-have-all-the-desires-to-love/) [Basil Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-hume/) > [The individual feels the vanity of human desires and aims, and the nobility and marvelous order which are revealed in nature and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-individual-feels-the-vanity-of-human-desires-and-aims-and-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [...all enjoyment is dependent upon the frailty of human life and human desires ... if we were to have all we want and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-swallow-richards/all-enjoyment-is-dependent-upon-the-frailty-of-human-life-and-human/) [Ellen Swallow Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-swallow-richards/) > [The individual feels the futility of human desires and aims and the sublimity and marvelous order which reveal themselves both in nature and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-individual-feels-the-futility-of-human-desires-and-aims-and-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“On occasion a traveler will venture from one city to another. Is he perplexed What took seconds in Berne might take hours in Fribourg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/on-occasion-a-traveler-will-venture-from-one-city-to-another-is-he/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Photography is thus brought within reach of every human being who desires to preserve a record of what he sees… and enables the fortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eastman/photography-is-thus-brought-within-reach-of-every-human-being-who/) [George Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eastman/) ## More by Siddhattha Gotama Buddha > [“Work hard to gain your own salvation." --Last Words”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhattha-gotama-buddha/work-hard-to-gain-your-own-salvation-last-words/) [Siddhattha Gotama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhattha-gotama-buddha/) [Explore all 2 Siddhattha Gotama Buddha quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhattha-gotama-buddha/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. 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