Catalyst of Suffering

It is the basic teaching of Buddhism — that the root of all human suffering lies not in desire itself, but in our grasping.

More specifically, it’s our clinging that acts as a catalyst, turning desire into suffering.

You see, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting something or pursuing what you love.

However, when you act from a place of lacking, you inevitably become attached to the object of desire, worrying you might eventually lose it.

And the more you worry, the tighter you latch on, desperately hoping that this thing, this very thing you treasure so dearly, will manifest and last.

Yet the truth is, this hope or obsession is bound to fail you for two obvious reasons.

First, life is unpredictable and impermanence is the nature of existence. You can’t demand that life proceed as you wish.

Second, as with sand in your fist, the tighter you grip, the faster it slips away.

So when your fantasy eventually collapses before reality, you are left with excruciating pain — because your fear of losing it becomes the very reason you lose it.

So then what can you do about it? What is the cure for it?

Well, the answer is not simple, but clear: just as you cannot cling to your breath without losing it — to have it, you must let it go.