Dan Rowden: desire is absence.
Comprehend and/or concede that and we can continue.
earnest_seeker: I do not and will not concede that. Desire is the feeling that something would be nice to have/possess/achieve/whatever. One can simultaneously desire and actually have/possess/achieve/whatever that thing.
Much to my chagrin, I have to concede this one to Dan. A synonym for "want" is the word "lack."
But in turn, Dan should concede the fact that desire does not necessarily vanish when the lack or absence does. That, in reality, is the whole problem, is it not? Very few
wants are actually
needs. Almost everybody has some money. And almost everybody desires more. (Therefore, no true primary absence as we already have
some money.) Now in the event that more money is received, does the desire for even more disappear? Rarely, if ever.
One can look at desire as
perceived absence. But the perception is often misleading and in fact is the cause of attachment, sorrow, and suffering. Very often a man desires a woman (and it works the other way around, too) but merely the companionship and simple presence (as opposed to
absence) is perceived to be inadequate. In such cases, over-possessiveness occurs and the relationship becomes strained and maybe even ruined.
So linguistically, I believe Dan is correct here. And in practice, the healthy situation would follow right along. You desire something, you get it, the desire is replaced by something else because the thing is no longer absent but present. The desire may be replaced by gratitude or appreciation. If the desire persists, it mutates into something less healthy like greed or possessiveness. Part of enlightenment is learning to manage physical needs and desires so they do not manage you. It is too easy to become attached to satisfying desires. You can become a sex addict or a glutton for food or a money-grubbing scrooge.
Desire is absence, then, if you are among the more enlightened. If not, it never goes away and can consume you.
