Two Instincts Within the Mind

**Summary:** A story about the survival instinct and the pleasure-seeking instinct within each person, helping us understand why some choose to live while others choose death.

It was late afternoon at the meditation monastery. The pale golden sunlight stretched across the brick courtyard. In the lecture hall, the Master sat upon the dharma platform, his compassionate gaze looking down upon the assembly. The atmosphere was warm, the sound of a bell had just faded, and everyone remained absorbed in their own breathing.

The Master began his teaching on the five aggregates and the deeper layers of consciousness. When he mentioned the survival instinct and the pleasure-seeking instinct, he paused, his voice lowering.

"Have you ever wondered why some people are so impoverished they must beg for food, yet still strive to live? While others, wealthy and prosperous, might take their own lives just because they have gone bankrupt and lost everything?"

The entire room fell silent. A young novice sitting in the front row listened intently, his eyes wide open. The Master continued.

"This is because within each of us, there are two instincts: the survival instinct and the pleasure-seeking instinct. The survival instinct is the will to live, clinging to life at all costs. The pleasure-seeking instinct, meanwhile, is a constant craving for comfort, happiness, praise, and fullness."

The Master looked around, then spoke slowly. "For a person whose pleasure-seeking instinct is stronger than their survival instinct, pleasure is supreme. If they cannot be happy, they would rather die. For those whose survival instinct is stronger, they will endure suffering and humiliation, just to remain alive."

A Buddhist practitioner in the middle of the room nodded gently. The Master’s voice grew somber as he shared another memory. "I remember when I was still a student. In my neighborhood, there was an elderly man who was very fond of me. Every time I visited home, he would often send someone to invite me over for tea and to talk about morality. He had a youngest daughter. Whenever I came, she would often be seen flitting back and forth, bringing water and serving tea. I didn't pay much attention."

The Master paused, his eyes gazing into the distance. "Later, I ordained. When that family learned I had become a monk for good, that young woman took her own life. No one in the neighborhood knew the reason, and no one spoke of it. I don’t know if it was because of me. But since then, I’ve learned a lesson: when elders invite you for tea, you should not go."

A few soft laughs rippled through the hall, but they soon sank back into silence. The Master smiled gently and continued. "The newspapers are full of stories about suicide due to love or despair. When people feel there is no way out, no more joy left in life, they choose death. That is when the pleasure-seeking instinct wins. They cannot bear the suffering, the humiliation, so they let go."

The Master emphasized his point. "Understanding this, you will see clearly within yourself and within others. Meditating is to master these two instincts, to prevent them from leading us to create negative karma. If we are not greedy for pleasure and not afraid of suffering, then the mind will be peaceful and free."

The lecture hall remained still. The afternoon light had faded, and the shadows of the trees lengthened across the courtyard. Everyone sitting there seemed to be looking inward, perceiving those silent instincts that subtly govern every thought and action.

**Meaning of the Story**

The lesson the Master wished to impart is this: within every person’s mind, there always exist two instincts – survival and pleasure-seeking. If we let the pleasure-seeking instinct dominate, we easily fall into despair when we lose what we desire. Practice is to recognize and master these instincts, so they do not lead us to create karma, allowing us to live peacefully in any circumstance.

*Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang.*