desire and pleasure

[cattasalla]

Sometimes it's thought that Buddhism is about getting rid of all desire or eschewing pleasure. But that is completely incorrect, and in the suttas the Buddha is explicit on both of these points. Certain desires and pleasures, ones that lead to awakening and liberation and compassion and bring about the cessation of suffering are to be cultivated. It's the ones that lead to constriction, to tightness and closing down, and are the origin of suffering that are to be abandoned. And to know which is which, you cultivate and apply an expanded awareness or mindfulness, to be aware of the intentions motivating them and the effects they'll have. The application of awareness in this way is what is called paññā, discernment or wisdom.