I know we’re going back and forth over a silly meme and in the context of a social media post I agree, but want to mention that the Buddha himself explicitly told people he was enlightened also. Of course, bragging about your status rather than stating it factually, or showing off your ‘abilities’ gained from it (such as flight, lots of people be floating in the mythology) is strongly discouraged since it gives people the wrong idea that these abilities and the status itself is the goal and can distort their views.
important concept in Buddhism, referring to “thirst, desire, longing, greed”, either physical or mental. It is typically translated as craving,
Craving! That’s the word I was missing
Common question people ask is “did the Buddha desire spreading the dharma after reaching enlightenment?” If youre using the English word in this context, its hard to explain why buddha ever did anything after enlightenment. "He eliminated all desires then immediately got up and did stuffbfor 50 years even though he had no deaire or wants.
That’s why craving is a much better translation. In some sense, the buddha wanted to spread the dharma after enlightenment. But he definitely did not crave or cling to the idea. (Iirc a god helped him reach that decision? I forget)
I definitely agree ‘craving’ is a better translation. You’ll find ‘desire’ all over in older translations still. I like to just use the terms Tanha and Chanda themselves when it makes sense. It was in the sutta I posted above that Brahma Sahampati convinced the Buddha to teach after he thought it may not be possible to teach people what he experienced. I’m sure it gets mentioned elsewhere since there’s a lot of repetition.
Bad community note tho, since the OP is just stating a tautology and doesnt mention buddhist philosophy at all.
Also, Buddhists usually use the terms attachment/clinging instead of desire or want
It isnt a tautology though? If you “brag” about your enlightenment you are still bound to a desire for social recognition.
“Transcending desire” is just another way of aaying you “want nothing”
This is like saying “i have trandcended horniness. I do not want sex” or “i have transcended hunger. I do not eat”.
It doesnt say anything about enlightenment
But they want to tell people that they have transcended. That’s not a tautology, it’s a contradiction.
I know we’re going back and forth over a silly meme and in the context of a social media post I agree, but want to mention that the Buddha himself explicitly told people he was enlightened also. Of course, bragging about your status rather than stating it factually, or showing off your ‘abilities’ gained from it (such as flight, lots of people be floating in the mythology) is strongly discouraged since it gives people the wrong idea that these abilities and the status itself is the goal and can distort their views.
Desire is used quite a bit, but it all depends on translation and preference.
Craving! That’s the word I was missing
Common question people ask is “did the Buddha desire spreading the dharma after reaching enlightenment?” If youre using the English word in this context, its hard to explain why buddha ever did anything after enlightenment. "He eliminated all desires then immediately got up and did stuffbfor 50 years even though he had no deaire or wants.
That’s why craving is a much better translation. In some sense, the buddha wanted to spread the dharma after enlightenment. But he definitely did not crave or cling to the idea. (Iirc a god helped him reach that decision? I forget)
I definitely agree ‘craving’ is a better translation. You’ll find ‘desire’ all over in older translations still. I like to just use the terms Tanha and Chanda themselves when it makes sense. It was in the sutta I posted above that Brahma Sahampati convinced the Buddha to teach after he thought it may not be possible to teach people what he experienced. I’m sure it gets mentioned elsewhere since there’s a lot of repetition.