Is it possible to practice non-desire while still having a desire for Enlightenment?

Yes, it is possible. On the contrary, it becomes easier to practice non-desire when one has a strong desire for enlightenment. At a later stage, when one is about to attain full enlightenment, the desire for enlightenment also wanes off. But that’s a later thing, enlightenment begins from the moment we have Self-realization.

When there’s a burning desire for enlightenment, one is on the lookout for some Gnani, the Enlightened One, who has the spiritual power to help enlighten others. Only a lit lamp (the Enlightened One) can enlighten others. So, without the Enlightened One and His grace, we can neither enlighten our Soul (attain Self-Realization) nor can we attain full enlightenment. This means when one has the desire for Enlightenment, the desire for Enlightened One is also born inside a person. One longs to meet Him, one wants to attain His grace, and one gets desperate to remain in his shelter and complete the path of salvation.

Now, when the desire for enlightenment and the Enlightened One reaches its peak, all other desires automatically seem meaningless and unworthy then. It’s like when one eats the delicious sweet, the desire for tea automatically wanes off, one does not then have to practice non-desire for it. But until the interest or the desire for enlightenment is not invoked, what can be done? Let’s understand…

We can develop the right understanding regarding these two desires: one - is the desire for worldly things and sensory objects, and the other is the desire for enlightenment. When we analyze the pros and cons of the two desires, we automatically begin to tend towards the desire for the latter, and thus the desire for worldly things and sensory objects begins to gradually subside of its own.

Once, a spiritual seeker asked the Enlightened One, “I have an equal desire for attaining sensory objects and also attaining enlightenment (to know who I am really), what do I do first?

The Enlightened One explained:

The fact is that the happiness derived from the sensory objects and the happiness from enlightenment are not the same.

When we attain happiness from the sensory objects, that happiness is all temporary. And if it were only temporary happiness, then (albeit temporary), we at least got the temporary happiness. But it doesn’t remain confined to that; when that temporary happiness goes, it finally gives unhappiness and then goes.

If you receive Rs. 5 crores right now, you will feel very happy. But if that money goes away, then how much suffering will come? And the money goes for sure. No one’s money sits forever. The buoyancy comes, for instance, when there is a bullish phase in the diamond market, one is in awe, people’s bungalows come up, and then bankruptcy also occurs, it happens, doesn’t it happen? So many people go bankrupt. At that time, so much suffering comes. Do you understand? So it’s like this.

You will receive all of this happiness, and also you will feel the happiness in it, but really when that material happiness is there, at that time, you do not experience peace within. One may have crores of rupees, but the restlessness and uneasiness within remains, tension, worry, etc. The botheration of protecting that money, the harassment of Income tax officials raiding you, the trouble from relatives as they’ll queue up asking for money when they come to know about it. There are so many problems; it keeps on and on inside. That’s not called real happiness. Real happiness is such that once attained, it never goes away. That’s the happiness of the Self. It is consistent, there is peace of mind. We have everything, yet we are at rest. There is no tension, no worry, no hassle. Suppose you are doing a business, then in there, if you get profit, it does not matter, and even if you do not get profit, it does not matter at all.

The Enlightened One further says:

It never happens that one who attains Moksh (the end goal of enlightenment), his happiness goes away. If one just starts walking a little on that path of attaining moksha, even then his happiness begins to overflow. And when one has attained it, then it’s an altogether different thing. It’s like when we are very hungry, we have not eaten for the last four days, and we receive an invitation to attend a wedding; then the moment we receive the invitation, lunch is still two hours away, but from that moment, the hunger starts subsiding, the delicacies ring in our mind and our mouth starts watering, “Vow, I will get jalebi to eat, I will get basundi to drink.” The contentment starts sprouting. Similarly, we begin to experience Moksh from here only.

We (at Akram Vignan) say, there are two stages of Moksh. The first stage of Moksha is attained here itself, while alive, in this body, in this life itself. It is called Jeevan-mukt dasha. Being free from all suffering is called Moksha. That’s the first stage of Moksh. It happens here only.

Then, when we are free from all karmas, that’s the final Moksha, of going to Siddh-Kshetra (the abode where all liberated Souls stay). It comes on its own. Once we’ve taken the ticket and are seated on the train, then Mumbai Central comes on its own; for that, we do not have to run to and fro inside the train. So once we’ve taken the ticket, our reservation is made, and from that very moment, there’s coolness inside that we’ll now reach, now there will not be any issue. How comfortable we feel, then there, no anxiety remains, no tension remains, nothing… everything goes away while reaching up to Mumbai. Similar is the case with Moksh; it’s secured (when we attain Self-Realization). And it comes into our experience that no suffering is able to touch me.

The above understanding helps us make a conscious decision to go to the Enlightened One and attain enlightenment (Self-Realization). Then, it does not remain a mere desire for enlightenment anymore. And thereafter, in the shelter of the Enlightened One, we gradually learn the practice of non-desire too.

To read more, visit: https://www.dadabhagwan.org/path-to-happiness/spiritual-science/the-real...