On Khalil Gibran: What is pleasure and what is its place in life?

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

“Pleasure is a freedom song,

But it is not freedom.

It is the blossoming of your desires,

But it is not their fruit.”

~ Khalil Gibran

Questioner: Sir, what is pleasure, and what is its place in life?

Acharya Prashant (AP): Khalil Gibran is saying, “Pleasure is a freedom song, But it is not freedom. It is the blossoming of your desires, But it is not their fruit.”

Pleasure and pain are two ends of duality, but they should not be taken as separate. They are one.

Pleasure in itself will hold no attraction for you if you are not in pain. If you ask, “What is pleasure?” The answer has to be in context of pain.

Pleasure means nothing in absence of pain.

What is pleasure then? A temporary perception of cessation of pain. A temporary perception of relief from pain. And you know it is temporary. Experience has told you that. So on one hand, pleasure is relief from pain and on the other hand, pleasure is the apprehension of…