If the true Buddhist wants for nothing, then what's the point in living? If one does not strive towards goals of some sort, which are usually made because one desires something (new material things, a better education, etc) then one is merely existing. To me, that's the antithesis of life. Life should be about improvement, appreciation, striving for something better.
Now if it's centered more around "desire as coveting", then I can understand and appreciate that. Enjoy what you have, work for something more, be content with where you are in your life right now.
It's not at all the first statement, but closer to the bolded statement.
It is partly (but only partly) avoiding "desire as coveting" by as close as possible to a true understanding of the vast difference between a "want" and a "need" -- which sounds very simple in statement, but it must not be in practice ... and all the proof one needs is to really look around at what goes on in the world.
(But again, that's a
very small part of it.)
I believe, (and somebody correct me if I'm wrong, its been a while since my World Religions class), that you are supposed to spend your life finding true enlightenment, so that you can attain Nirvana. Hence the meditating, serving others, and the renouncing of material possessions practiced by Buddha. With Buddhists, life IS about improvement, appreciation, and striving for something better. They try to improve themselves through meditation and self-denial, they appreciate life for what it is and what they have, not what they wish they could have, and they strive for something better, for that ultimate bliss, Nirvana.
Not to "correct" per se, because that's ^^^ on the Appian Way but it's not quite an arrival at Rome.
Buddhism is not at all about the extremes of ascetic self-denial, or even "self-denial" in the way that term is perceived in Western thought. That was Buddha
pre-enlightenment, directly after having renounced all worldly possessions and for some time adopting a life of practicing extreme asceticism ... which he tried directly after having conversely practiced the extremes of luxurious indulgence that, at his time, happened merely as an accident of birth ... as a consequence of having been born into a ruling noble family. The first true step in Buddha's enlightenment was The Middle Path, i.e, the practice of NON-extremeism. Rather than re-phrasing, as a simple explanation it's this, in part:
"What two? Sensual indulgence which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, and conducive to harm; and self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, and conducive to harm. The middle path, understood by the Tathâgata, avoiding the extremes, gives vision and knowledge and leads to calm, realization, enlightenment."
That's not its entirety, just what applies to the particular discussion here. But that first realization led to the Four Noble Truths and then on to the Eightfold Path. But also as applies to the discussion here (or at least to Renee's post and my reply), it's also not about practicing merely as a reaction to past suffering ... because
that is too much emphasis on connection to that which
is past ... which then is merely a coping mechanism rather than anything close to the Four Noble Truths or Eightfold Path.
Sorry if that sounds convoluted ... but not sure how else to explain it. Perhaps an easier way to explain is: How much free rent in your head are you going to choose to give to past suffering, and/or those persons or events that caused it? (And that "free rent" ... or how much of it is there ...IS a choice. It's entirely possible to make another choice, unless someone convinces themselves they "just can't help it". Yes, they can ... the only "just' there is they're "just" choosing not to.) But again, this is VERY simplistic and still not what Buddhism is all about, not by a long shot.
There are several different schools of thought in Buddhism, though.
I got the clearest picture of Zen from that little book I'm always talking about
Pure Heart, Enlightened Mind.
Yes there are different approaches, different schools of thought. But that book is an excellent example of one woman's journey.
