The Buddha’s Secret to Controlling Your Desires

Once, a young man came to Gautam Buddha and said, Oh Buddha, why do I get such bad thoughts? I don't want these impure desires in my mind, but I constantly think about lust. I feel restless, and all my energy and time are wasted thinking about these desires. I can never find peace. Every time I see a woman, I get attracted to her, and I can't control myself. Gautam Buddha smiled and asked the young man, Do you know what lust is? The young man replied, I don't know what lust exactly is, but I do know that it's something bad. Buddha then said, First, you need to understand that nothing inside us is naturally bad. Lust is just another feeling, a sign that we lack something in life. For example, if you lack wealth, you'll desire wealth. Lust is just a type of longing. When it's physical, we call it lust. The young man asked, But where does this lust come from? Buddha replied, Lust doesn't come from anywhere. It's already inside you. It's necessary, otherwise, how would humanity continue? Lust in itself is not bad, but how you use it can be. People often become so attached to their desires that they think of nothing else. That's the real problem. Buddha continued, Even animals have lust. But we don't call their lust wrong, do we? The young man asked, Why is that? Buddha explained, Animals don't use lust for pleasure, they use it for reproduction. Humans, on the other hand, use it for pleasure. Nature gave us lust to continue our species, but humans have turned it into a goal of life. This is where it becomes a problem. The young man then asked, Why do I feel overwhelmed by lust? And why does it always come back? Buddha told him to listen carefully, saying that he would explain everything. Once, there was an ashram where a master lived with his disciples. The disciples used to go to a nearby village for alms, and one of the disciples had to cross a river to reach the village. One day, the disciple saw a young man hiding behind a tree. Curious, he asked, What are you doing here? The young man replied, Can't you see? Look at how those beautiful girls are fetching water from the river. The disciple looked but saw nothing unusual. He said, They are just fetching water. What's the big deal? The young man replied, Look at their graceful bodies, their thin waists, and how their hair flows while they carry the pots. This time, the disciple started looking closely, and suddenly he too became captivated by the sight. He began hiding behind the tree and watching the girls every day. Soon, his mind was filled with thoughts of them, and he couldn't focus on his duties at the ashram. His master noticed this change and decided to follow him one day. The master saw his disciple hiding behind the tree and watching the girls at the river. The master confronted him and asked, What are you doing? The disciple was shocked and ashamed. He said, Forgive me, master. I was led astray by that young man, but I promise I won't do it again. The master said, No problem, but remember this. We become like the company we keep. If you surround yourself with bad influences, their thoughts will enter your mind too. The disciple returned to the ashram and tried to focus on his work, but now he felt restless and irritable. He couldn't even eat or sleep properly. One night, the master came to him and said, How many times have you made a promise and broken it? The disciple cried and said, Master, I keep trying, but my mind is out of control. I want to get rid of these bad thoughts, but I can't. The master said, Come with me. He took the disciple to the ashram's garden, where water from the river was flowing through a channel. The master asked, Can you stop the flow of this water? The disciple quickly blocked the channel with mud, and the water stopped for a while. But soon it started flowing again. The master said, See, no matter how much you block the water, it will always find a way. The disciple asked, Is there any way to stop the bad thoughts from coming into my mind? The master took him to the source of the river and said, If you block the water here, it will never reach the garden. You must stop the thoughts at their source. But remember, just as the plants in the garden need water, your body also needs balance. Too much or too little of anything can destroy you. The master explained, If I tell you not to think about mangoes, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? The disciple replied, A mango. The master smiled and said, That's how the mind works. When you try to forcefully stop bad thoughts, they only become stronger. Instead of suppressing them, learn to balance them. He continued, Sometimes, bad thoughts come from the people we associate with. You must choose your company wisely. The disciple understood his master's teachings and felt at peace. The next day, he went back to the river for alms. This time, when the girls offered him water, he blessed them and felt only positive energy. The young man who used to hide behind the tree came to him and said, Wow, today you even got close to them. The disciple replied, We spend so much time looking at others, but we never look at ourselves. Stop wasting time, improve yourself and do something meaningful with your life. The young man stopped hiding behind the tree, changed his habits, and worked hard to improve his life. So, you see, the company you keep and the thoughts you entertain matter a lot. Buddha asked the young man, Did you find the answers to your questions? The young man replied, Yes, thank you, Buddha. Gautam Buddha said, When bad thoughts arise, don't blame yourself. Just try to find balance and understand yourself. I hope this story has helped you gain a better understanding of how to control your thoughts and desires. If you enjoyed the story, don't forget to subscribe.