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The Vimalakirti Sutra is about exactly this. Vimalakirti is a laymen householder who achieves enlightnment. Upon his passing, Buddha sends a bunch of spiritual masters and bodhisattva's to Vimalakirti's deathbed.

Vimalakirti proceeds to chastise them for how useless their 'enlightenment' is when it doesn't help anyone in the real world, and is only a self centered quest to save one's ego from suffering.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimalakirti_Sutra




The Bhagavad Gita is similar to the OP's issues. It deals with the conflicts we all face in life and how to resolve our wants with our duties. It's not a very long read, actually.

Note: Find a translation that works for you. Specifically, the word 'duty' meant something very different than it does today.

I recommend : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586380192/ref=as_li_tl?ie...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita

EDIT: For a more western take, I'd also recommend the Bible's knowledge books: Ecclesiastics, Proverbs, and Job. Again, a good translation is essential here, but I'm not about to recommend that.


Within all these comments, to me this was the most enlightened.




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