Ānanda explains to the brahmin Uṇṇābha how desire is abandoned by developing the four bases of psychic ability.
"Thus have I heard - At one time, the Venerable Ānanda was staying at Ghositā’s park in Kosambi. Then the brahmin Uṇṇābha approached the Venerable Ānanda. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Ānanda. After exchanging friendly and courteous greetings, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the brahmin Uṇṇābha said to the Venerable Ānanda: “Master Ānanda, for what purpose is the spiritual life lived under the ascetic Gotama?”
“Brahmin, it is for the purpose of abandoning desire that the spiritual life is lived under the Blessed One.”
“But, Master Ānanda, is there a path, is there a way to abandon this desire?”
“Yes, brahmin, there is a path, there is a way to abandon this desire.”
“What, then, is the path, what is the way to abandon this desire?”
“Here, brahmin, a bhikkhu: 1) develops the basis of psychic ability that is endowed with collectedness arising from desire (an aspiration, a goal, an interest, an objective, i.e. a wholesome desire) and accompanied by intentional effort; 2) develops the basis of psychic ability that is endowed with collectedness arising from energy (persistence) and accompanied by intentional effort; 3) develops the basis of psychic ability that is endowed with collectedness arising from [purification of] mind and accompanied by intentional effort; and 4) develops the basis of psychic ability that is endowed with collectedness arising from investigation (consideration, reflection, and examination) and accompanied by intentional effort. This, brahmin, is the path, this is the way to abandon this desire.”
“In that case, Master Ānanda, it would be impossible to abandon desire by means of desire itself.”
“Then, brahmin, I will ask you a question. Answer as you see fit. What do you think, brahmin: Did you earlier have the desire, ‘I will go to the park,’ and now that you have come to the park, has that desire you had before to come to the park been abandoned?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Did you earlier arouse energy, thinking, ‘I will go to the park,’ and now that you have come to the park, has that energy you had before to come to the park been abandoned?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Did you earlier resolve in your mind, ‘I will go to the park,’ and now that you have come to the park, has that resolution in the mind you had before to come to the park been abandoned?”
“Yes, Master Ānanda.”
“Did you earlier make an investigation, ‘Shall I go to the park?’ and now that you have come to the park, has that investigation you had before to come to the park been abandoned?”
“Yes, sir.”
“In the same way, brahmin, when a bhikkhu is an Arahant, one whose taints have been exhausted, who has lived the spiritual life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, attained his own goal, utterly exhausted the fetters of existence, and is completely liberated through final knowledge, the desire that he had before for the attainment of arahantship is abandoned once arahantship is attained. The energy that he had aroused before for the attainment of arahantship is abandoned once arahantship is attained. The resolution in the mind that he had before for the attainment of arahantship is abandoned once arahantship is attained. The investigation that he had made before for the attainment of arahantship is abandoned once arahantship is attained. What do you think, brahmin, such being the case, does the [path] have an end or is it endless?”
“Indeed, Master Ānanda, in such a case, the [path] has an end, it is not endless. Excellent, Master Ānanda, excellent. It is as if one were to set upright what had been overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to hold a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms. So, too, Master Ānanda has, in many ways, made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, and to the Dhamma and to the Bhikkhu Saṅgha. Let Master Ānanda remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge from this day onward, for life.”
The path to enlightenment can only be undertaken with an aspiration (a goal, an objective, an interest, i.e. a wholesome desire). As the teaching on the detailed analysis on the four bases of psychic abilities shares, this should be present in balance - not too low that it causes one to be inwardly inhibited, i.e. overcome by lethargy, dullness and drowsiness and not too intense that it leads to restlessness, and neither in a way that it leads to attention becoming outwardly scattered (i.e. sensual desires / craving / wanting and yearning for material objects and experiences).
Similarly, while keeping in mind the qualities of fewness of desires and contentment, one can have some other aspiration - whether worldly or spiritual in nature, as they pursue the path to enlightenment.
Related Teachings:
The defining characteristic of living beings (SN 23.2) - Rādha asks the Buddha about a the term “being”, and the Buddha explains in terms of craving for the five aggregates. He compares such craving to a child playing with sandcastles.
Why does the Buddha teach the removal of desire and lust (SN 22.2) - When a number of bhikkhus are heading for lands west, the Buddha advises them to speak with Sāriputta before they go. Sāriputta reminds them that in foreign lands they will be scrutinized for their understanding, so they need to be able to answer questions on the teaching. He goes on to explain that the Dhamma is for the removal of desire for the five aggregates.
Forest Retreat | Suitable place to live (MN 17) - The Buddha teaches the bhikkhus how to reflect on a dependence that one is taking using the example of a suitable place to live: a forest retreat, a village, a market town, a city, a country. He concludes with an example of depending on a certain person similarly.