Dharma Quote of the Week

128.
Desire is painful because of not getting,
Anger is painful through lack of might,
And confusion through not understanding.
Because of this, these are not recognized.

Desire produces suffering when one does not encounter what one badly wants. Anger produces suffering when one lacks might to crush the strong. Confusion* induces suffering when one fails to understand a subtle matter thoroughly. The inability to recognize these forms of suffering when one is overwhelmed by desire and so forth is great suffering indeed. Therefore, persevere in getting rid of the disturbing emotions. It is like a poor man's son who suffered because he wanted a queen.

A certain poor man wanted a queen, but kings keep their queens heavily guarded, and because he could not get her, his desire made him suffer. He felt anger toward the king for guarding his queens well, and since he could not do the slightest harm to the king, he suffered acutely on account of his anger. Blinded by desire and anger his confusion grew, and unable to understand the situation properly, he was tormented by the suffering it caused him.

--from Aryadeva's Four Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way: with Commentary by Gyel-tsap by Aryadeva and Gyeltsap, additional commentary by Geshe Sonam Rinchen, translated by Ruth Sonam, published by Snow Lion Publications

* confusion's function is to feed desire and anger.

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