欲望是动力，过度欲望却是毒药。

For example, there is a psychological condition called compulsive buying disorder. When people become depressed, they develop an obsession with buying to make up for the emptiness they feel. In the end, however, they no longer derive the same satisfaction that came with earlier purchases, and their suffering resumes.

比如，有一种心理病症——忧郁性购物。在得了抑郁症以后，经常去购物，以此来填补心灵的空虚。但到了最后，自己对购物也没有新鲜感了，也无法像刚开始那样容易满足了，于是痛苦又再度复苏。

Consequently, a lot of values accumulated over time have come under question. People have started to rethink what happiness is and how a new kind of happiness can be attained.

经过这些年的经验总结，人们在过去积累下来的很多观点，已经发生了动摇。大家开始重新审视幸福，并开始重新思考：到底该怎样去创造新的幸福途径？

Third, do not be too greedy. Most people have a misunderstanding about Buddhism and assume that Buddhism refutes all forms of desire and physical pleasures. This is not the case. The Buddha also acknowledged that, to a certain extent, desire is a driving force. For instance, the fervent wish to study the Buddhist teachings, to become Buddha, and to benefit sentient beings all constitute desire. Without this desire, one would lose the impetus to study the teachings. Thus, on the whole, the Buddha did not oppose desire. The Buddha said: ordinary people cannot do or survive without desire; they drink when they are thirsty and eat when they are hungry. However, when desire becomes excessive, it leads to consequences we do not wish to see — suffering, disappointment, hopelessness, etc.

第三，不要过度贪婪。绝大多数人对佛教有个误解，认为佛教否定了所有的欲望与肉体的享受。但事实并非如此，佛也承认：在某种程度上，欲望也是一种动力。比如，非常狂热地想学佛，想成佛，想利益众生，这都是欲望。如果没有这些欲望，就失去了学佛的动力。所以整体而言，佛没有反对欲望，但佛告诉我们：虽然凡夫不可能没有欲望，口渴了想喝水，肚子饿了想吃饭，这些都是人类的基本生存需求，是人的本能，不可能没有。但如果欲望超标、过度，就会导致我们所不希望看到的结果——痛苦、失望、沮丧等等。

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