Let’s look at an interesting question – which actually hit me pretty hard many years back! I call it the “Buddha – Napolean Hill” Puzzle!
Right from my childhood there were many books at my home on many topics. Some of them were related to Buddhism. During my school days, I read in one of those books that Gautama Buddha said that “Desire is the cause of suffering” (Original Pali language word used is Taṇhā, which means “craving, desire or attachment”).
After a while, I got to know about a very famous book called “Think And Grow Rich”. It’s written by Napolean Hill, after personally interviewing, studying and analyzing some of the most successful people of his time – such as Herny Ford, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas A. Edison, etc. Napolean Hill, at the beginning of that book itself, says that desire is the starting point of all achievement!!!
I mean – isn’t that very confusing?!!! Buddha says that desire is the cause of suffering and Mr.Hill says desire is the starting point of all achievement!
And here’s my question for you:
Is one of them false and the other right?
Or both of them are false?
Or both are right and there is an underlying connection between both the statements?!
For the sake of clarity, let me ask the question in a different way in the context of a situation: Let’s suppose a student comes to you saying that he/she wants to get a very good grade in the coming exams. Would you suggest based on Buddha that the student better not have such a desire or will you suggest based on Napolean Hill and encourage the student to pursue the desire?
You can click the link below to read my perspective about the “Buddha – Napolean Hill” puzzle. But I want you to first think about it and then read my perspective. It is very much possible that your perspective and mine will very much be the same. Or they can be different also. Either way – I would like you to come up with your own answer for this before reading my perspective.
My answer to the “Buddha-Napolean Hill” Puzzle is available here!