Desire is a double-edged sword; it can beautify the world, yet it can also breed evil. Endless material pursuits may bring material abundance, but they rarely grant spiritual peace. The exhaustion people feel in life often stems from the "mental fatigue" caused by excessive desires. As the famous poem 'Ten Insufficient' from the late Ming Dynasty describes: "I rush about all day just to fill my hunger; once I have food, I think of clothes. Once I have silk and brocade, I complain my house is low. Once I build a tall mansion, I lack a beautiful wife. Once I have wives and concubines, I worry about having no horse to ride. Once I buy a fine horse, I lack followers. Once I have servants, I feel bullied for lacking power. Once I become a magistrate, I complain my rank is low. Once I climb to a high position, I dream of becoming an emperor..." This insatiable appetite reflects the expanding desire of "not satisfied with gold, wanting jade; not satisfied with a marquisate, wanting a duke's title; not satisfied with a duke's title, wanting to be emperor; and as emperor, seeking immortality." In reality, there are indeed many such people who have an endless craving: today they eat well, tomorrow they crave delicacies; today they are warm, tomorrow they want gold and silver; today they hold a minor office, tomorrow they aim for high power... They are never satisfied, always seeking more and better.
The greatest regret in life is being never satisfied; the greatest sin is being consumed by greed. In other words, the greatest disaster in the world comes from never being content, and the greatest crime comes from being burned by greed. There is an ancient story: A king, to thank a servant for years of loyal service, said to him, "Run forward as far as you can. As long as you return before sunset, all the land you encircle shall be given to you." Delighted, the servant ran frantically like a mad beast. Just as the sun was setting in the west, he finally completed the loop and returned to his starting point. However, the servant collapsed and died from exhaustion. The king sadly buried him. In reality, what he truly gained was only the seven-foot plot of land that buried him. This is the bitter fruit of excessive desire: by wanting too much and aspiring for too much, one inadvertently sacrifices oneself.
