Spring 2024 Volume 51(PDF)
Knowing Contentment
As the well-known Buddhist adage “Having little desire and knowing satisfaction” advises us, knowing contentment brings peace of mind and may facilitate our spiritual growth. This is why a number of spiritual masters in ancient India—including Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, identified contentment as among the highest states of mind to be cultivated in life.
But perhaps there needs to be some mention of criticisms of the notion of contentment. For example, the notion of contentment as a moral value could be critiqued as an ideology that convinces the poor and oppressed to accept their oppression.
We realize, however, that knowing contentment helps us distinguish between need and greed. We may also say that knowing contentment starts from our conscious act of looking into the causes of things and events around us.
Knowing contentment can provide deep insights into the true nature of the qualities that form the foundation of human existence, thereby promoting coexistence between different cultures and traditions.”
In the Spring 2024 issue of Dharma World, we hope to explore the meaning of knowing contentment in today’s society.
