When does one know when desire begins and when it ends?

[Lin Ji]

I like Being's observations and basically I agree with him.

Just a little adding: desire in itself is not "bad", or an obstacle to meditation. Nothing can be "bad", or an obstacle, when the mind is clear. The main problem is attachment to (identification with) desires. If a man can simply watch his desires, and simply watch them, as something belonging to others, not being concerned whether they are satisfied or frustrated, watch them change and go withouth identification with the ego who creates them.... then, there is no problem at all.

To the title question ("when does one know when desire begins and when it ends") I would simply answer that until "you" "know" something, attachment to desire is still here. To know something is to separate your being from things: this creates the "self" which unavoidably will refute or desire the things "known". So, to dispel desire one has to dispel "knowing", and immerse himself in the stream of life, conscious but not "knowing" anything: keeping his conscience awake, but turning off his mind.

 

[Akshara Dasa]

I know that this is an older thread, but I feel the need to express this. It is a misunderstanding to say that desires, attachments, anger, greed, or anything of that nature is the cause of your suffering. They are not. It is not the desires, the attachments, the anger, or the greed. It is the one who desires, the one who attaches, the one who is angery, and the one who is greedy. If you elminate one desire, another will come to take its place. Why? because there is someone who desires. Eliminate the "desirer" and the desires will be gone. Eliminate the thinker, and the thoughts will stop. So, who is the thinker, the desirer, the attached one? That thought "I", the concept "I am the body". Eliminate that and all of your problems will cease. The path is simple, we make it hard. That place where there is no hint of the thought "I", that is Pure Being. Just eliminate the "I" thought. Dont be celibate, dont supress, or anything like that. If it exists in the mind, that is the problem. Just drop the "I" thought. If you are just celibate, that doesnt mean the lustful person is gone. And if that lustful person is still there, know that sometime in the future, sex will be there. So just drop the "I" thought and all problems will solve themselves!