Desiring suffering

You know, I am not aware that, anywhere else in the world, philosophers were so down on desire. A stray chap, here and there, may have sort of moaned about desire being the root of all evil but he generally got drowned out by the cacophony of others shouting the opposite. In India, though...I mean go to Hinduism, Buddhism, whatever and, sooner or later, up pops a diatribe about desire.

Can Tiru, then, be far behind on this issue? And so...

Avaa Illaarkku Illagum thunbam aqdhundael thavaa adhu menmel varum - Tirukkural

Those without desire are without suffering, If there be desire sufferings shall follow endlessly - Loose Translation.

So there. Tiru may not talk about desire leading to expectations which in turn leads to disappointment etc etc. He just takes the shortcut and directly says that desire causes suffering endlessly and lack of desire equates to lack of suffering.

The problem, generally, is in understanding desire. When these chaps talk of desire, it is normally desire of the senses OR desire that arises out of comparison with others. It is THAT desire which they are all so down on. Because it is that sort of desire that leads to the negatives arising out of desire - greed, envy etc. Which, as anyone will readily agree, are the root of suffering.

There are desires relating to character. To excel, to become a better person, whatever. Those are not the desires which Tiru is against nor are those the desires which he think leads to endless suffering.

Especially if you follow the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita. You set your course by the goal of your desire. But you travel without any specific expectations about your progress towards your goal.

Effort is in your hands; have no expectations about the fruits thereof.