Less Desire = Less Sufferings?

I was browsing thru a few of my friends' blog when i saw an entry which he had written months ago. I was stunned for a minute, after recovering, i realise what he said is pretty true. If you have less desire, you will have less suffering? However, subconsciously, you still have that irritating desire.

He said we should have less desires in life so that we would have less sufferings. I agreed with him. But the problem is we subconsciously have a lot of desires - buy flat, eat at nice restaurant, perform well at work, earn a lot of money, gain admiration from others.

The other problem is, we like to compare ourselves with others. When we do comparison with others, we might desire to do better then others and this may add on to our unhappiness when we cannot attain it. However, if we do not compare ourselves with out peers and work hard and strive harder, people will think of us as slackers, poor performers, incapable employees.

So how true do you agree? I guess this is part of life and we have to live with it. If we are free from desire, we would have attained enlightenment! It is not easy to renounce from the world. I was having a conversation with mum abt this issue.

If there is ever one day, i no longer have the desire to
- earn more money
- find better job
- get married
- travel
- party
- shop

It is time to declare that i have renounced from the world. I have seen thru everything and is free from desire. haha... I seriously doubt i can. Now, we know not everyone is suited to be a monk or nun. It is never easy to overcome all kind of desires. I will have to live with what i have right now. well well....