According to Buddhism, the main source of our suffering is our preoccupation with our own desires. Suffering is said to be caused by selfish cravings and desires. The way to enlightenment, for Buddhism, therefore involves detaching from our narrow concern with ourselves, escaping the prison of our own desires and illusions.
Do you think it is possible to live according to this teaching in the contemporary United States? Is there a conflict between what Buddhism teaches, and how we are encouraged to think and act in our society? What are your thoughts on this?
From my point of view, I believe it is possible to live nowadays in the USA according to this Buddhism teaching. We used to live thinking about tomorrow, our future, desires. Desires are part of our lives. We can survive because of them. It is almost impossible to detach it. It is hard to give up.There is always something that we are bared from. We try to reach our goals because of our concerns and desires. Nowadays is everything all about money. Everybody thinks how to make more money, feed the family, pay bills, tuition fees and etc. Everybody desires to gain wealth, fame, power, stature, acceptance, cars, houses, contentment,Without desire nothing can't be accomplished.
