# DESIRE IS DEPENDENT ON FOCUSING

There is an idea – originating from religious and spiritual thought – that the senses lead to sensuality and worldly desire. This idea influences our entire cultural understanding. It is incorrect.

The senses can only lead to wanting and worldly desire when they are focusing.

## Focusing and Desire

Focusing doesn't automatically lead to wanting or worldly desire. But when focusing causes pleasure (or even promises some future pleasure) – then we start wanting.

Wanting always results in repetitions, either the idea will repeat in our memory or there will be an actual repetition in practical life.

The main sign of wanting is – repetitive focusing.

Wanting and sensory desire are always intrinsically connected with focusing. They're caused in part by focusing, and they always result in focusing.

## But focusing isn't the only thing our senses can do.

Animals have a way of using their senses without focusing.

Panoramic sensing is the active and receptive awareness to everything happening in the immediate environment in this present moment. It is impossible to be panoramically aware in the past or the future.

Panoramic sensing is the easiest and most natural way to neutralise all forms of doing, thinking, and getting, and all sensory desire or wanting.

Panoramic sensing, if it's pleasurable, can only lead to more panoramic sensing.

Predatory animals have a way of combining their focused and panoramic abilities. They hunt for and have the intention of finding prey. Under the influence of focusing, we witness again the connection with wanting and desire.

Panoramic sensing is clearly not a state of sensory withdrawal, neither is there any wanting or sensory indulgence. Panoramic sensing fulfils the criteria of the Buddhist Middle Way perfectly. This is a practical expression of The Middle Way.

Related Explanation – Chapter 2 The Benefits / To Want, We Have to Focus and conclusion – Reversing the Normal Rules

Please continue with Sukkhist Buddhism

Back to Chapter Four : Buddhism and Wheels
Back to THE PANORAMA SENSES Priority Pages