Desire in its usual sense is always based on a selfish idea. When you think, “Nothing wrong to extend my desire,” if someone says you shouldn’t do so, then you will feel bad [laughs]—you will feel some restriction. That is control in its ordinary sense. But if you understand your desire as pretty selfish, then naturally you will limit your desire to some extent. That is not control. That is the way desire should be. There is a big difference.
—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-08 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.