The primary problem that Gotama Buddha discovered about the human mind is that it is constantly in a condition of craving and desire, also described as attachment. The mind constantly craves, desires, and attaches to possessions, relationships, wealth, fame, occupations, etc. A craving, desire, or attachment is “a mental longing for something with a strong eagerness”.

The unEnlightened mind continuously and endlessly has “cravings”, “desires”, “attachments”, “expectations”, or “wants” and because we cannot ever fulfill our endless “wants” with the mind craving permanence, the mind is discontent caused by our own cravings, desires, or attachments.

The mind is never content and craves more and more from life. This is the condition of the mind in the unEnlightened state creating a life of never ending pursuit of our cravings. Yet the mind can be trained to evolve past this never ending cycle of craving. The mind can attain a “Higher Consciousness” through the pursuit of Enlightenment.

It is the mind’s ignorance or “unknowing of true reality”, that the unEnlightened mind does not understand what it does not understand, that is keeping it in the unEnlightened state. Through acquiring wisdom in these Teachings, the mind gradually awakens to its challenges and implements the solutions in a well developed life practice to eliminate cravings/desires/attachments, thus, eliminating 100% of all discontentedness.

As a kid, we feel that we could just be happy if we had a bicycle. We focus the mind on this goal and put lots of effort into obtaining a bicycle. We eventually obtain the bicycle. The mind is happy for a period of time but eventually the happiness associated with the bicycle reduces and the mind looks to its next craving or desire to create pleasant feelings.

Next, the mind wants a motorcycle. We apply the mind and effort to acquire this new item and the mind is happy. But, eventually this happiness wears off since conditioned happiness is impermanent. The mind conditioned its happiness on an impermanent condition so it wears off. The mind is seeking internal pleasant feelings based on impermanent conditions, therefore, the pleasant feelings are only temporary and the cycle continues.

Then, the mind craves an automobile. We apply the mind and effort to acquire this new item and the mind is happy.

Later, the mind craves a luxury automobile. We apply the mind and effort to acquire this new item and the mind is happy. But, eventually this happiness wears off since happiness is impermanent. The cycle continues leaving us unhappy and unsatisfied but still constantly developing new cravings for impermanent conditions to create inner pleasant feelings.

As long as the mind continues in the way, it will continue to chase after the objects of its affection constantly experiencing pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant. The mind will never experience a permanent peaceful and calm mental state as long as it is basing its inner feelings on impermanent conditions.

Craving, desire, attachment, mental longing with a strong eagerness, needs to be eliminated from the mind to train the mind to no longer chase after pleasant feelings through impermanent conditions.