Numbers 16:9

הַמְעַ֣ט מִכֶּ֗ם כִּֽי־הִבְדִּיל֩ אֱלֹהֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵעֲדַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְהַקְרִ֥יב אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָ֑יו לַעֲבֹ֗ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַת֙ מִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְהֹוָ֔ה וְלַעֲמֹ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י הָעֵדָ֖ה לְשָׁרְתָֽם׃

Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has set you apart from the community of Israel and given you direct access to perform the duties of the Lord’s Tabernacle and to minister to the community and serve them? 

One of the distinguishing features of Buddhist philosophy is that desire is the root of suffering. Once a person nullifies desire, suffering too disappears. For Korach, this certainly would have been the case. As a Levite, he was already elevated to a lofty position in the hierarchy of Jewish ritual life. It was his jealousy, his desire to have an even higher status that led him to challenge Moses and Aaron, and ultimately led to his downfall.

In Jewish tradition, this sentiment is expressed in Pirkei Avot, “Who is happy: The one who is satisfied with their lot.” Though it often seems that we must acquire more stuff, more status, more and more in order to be happy, that path only leads toward despair. What makes the Jewish version different from the Buddhist is that we do not seek to nullify desire. The rabbis teach that without our most base desirous nature humanity would not build houses, would not marry, and would not bear children. Desire, though potentially blinding, becomes critical for a functioning society!

Both the Jewish and Buddhist version of this teaching highlight a core truth. Satisfying the desires we seek is not the key to happiness. If we can’t find joy in what we have now, we won’t find it in what we acquire later. Though Korach was blessed with special privileges as a Levite, his desire for what he lacked blinded him from appreciating his blessings. For Korach, and for us, the lesson is clear: true happiness comes not from an unending quest for more, but from a mindful appreciation of the present.