20150804《靜思妙蓮華》群狗譬喻觀人心 (第623集)
（法華經•譬喻品第三）
⊙「世皆無常應觀不淨，由癡不悟喻烏甲蟲，迷失思惟墜入岐途，聖見三界不淨悲憫。」
⊙「狐狼野干，咀嚼踐踏，嚌齧死屍，骨肉狼藉。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙「由是群狗，競來搏撮，飢羸慞惶，處處求食，鬥諍摣掣，啀喍嗥吠。其舍恐怖，變狀如是。」《法華經譬喻品第三》
⊙犬科動物通稱，種類多，嗅覺聽覺靈敏，可訓練；亦聰明生慢，由是群狗競來搏撮。群狗，喻七慢。
⊙群狗：喻慢惑驅使人之身心。狗仗人勢，有大力，以強取之，貪奪無力之物。兩足翻尋收聚一處，曰競來搏撮。
⊙貪不知足曰飢。求不能得曰羸。種種營謀私利，尋愁覓恨，似癡如狂，曰慞惶。多貪之人雖富而貧，處處逐五塵之境也。
⊙飢羸：飢餓瘦弱，喻不得法性之法食。慞惶：恐懼驚惶，疑根未斷之貌。
⊙鬥諍：凡夫以名利為暗鬥明諍，或為名利相鬥，或因教理見解不和而諍，向前相奪，往來明爭暗鬥，互相牽掣，即爭鬥之形態。
⊙啀喍：開口見齒之狀，皆慢態。銜物死諍曰啀喍，失物潑叫曰嗥吠，即諍而怒之聲。
⊙群狗：喻疑使。眾生不明事理是非，而誘發五種慢性的煩惱，即貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑。
⊙群狗競取曰鬥，群狗相吠曰諍，向前相奪曰摣，往來相扯曰掣，即鬥之形。狗銜物死諍曰啀喍，失物潑叫曰嗥吠，即諍之聲也。
【證嚴上人開示】
「世皆無常應觀不淨，由癡不悟喻烏甲蟲，迷失思惟墜入岐途，聖見三界不淨悲憫。」
世皆無常應觀不淨
由癡不悟喻烏甲蟲
迷失思惟墜入岐途
聖見三界不淨悲憫
還是一樣，人間形象其實是無常。自古以來到現在，到底世間留著的人，年齡最長的到底有有幾個人？在世間的物質來說，建築物很好、很久，多久？千年還存在的又是有多少呢？
所以，我們現在學佛，我們要好好用心細思，很詳細，好好來思惟，我們的生活意義在哪裡呢？這我們若好好靜靜思考，其實眾生造業，尤其是罪業深重。
我們的心就是放散了，收不回來，所以在無明中，惑在造業。因為收不回來，無法去體會「世皆無常」，我們既然有因緣，得人身、聞佛法了，所以我們要將心不斷收回來，好好來想，「應觀不淨」。我們要如何降伏我們的欲念？財物、利欲，我們就想世間一切無常，何必計較那麼多呢？而若是男女色欲，我們就想「觀身不淨」啊！這個身體是這麼不乾淨，年齡到底有多才呢？一輩子何必為了卿卿我我，來造成了愛恨情仇。
我們要如何，將放散出去的煩惱去除？我們的心收回來，只用前面這兩句「世皆無常，應觀不淨」，我們就應該能夠體會到了，不必爭，也不要再貪戀。
所以「由癡不悟」。只是因為貪著利欲，這樣這個癡一直無法覺悟出來，這就譬如烏甲蟲，像這種生活在糞便裡面，牠力很微小，很微弱。這種的身體，生活在這樣的環境裡，與我們人的愚癡，不就是這樣嗎？人實在是很微小，很渺小，卻是他要說頂天立地是多麼的大，一直就是大吃小。這樣不斷去破壞，不斷去爭取，取來到底是有多久的時間呢？這種貪著，這都是愚癡。我們人生，豈不就是生活在這樣「癡不悟，如烏甲蟲」？這全都是「迷失思惟」，我們心亂掉了，凡夫無明迷惑、造業，這就是迷失。
我們修行一直說戒、定、慧。定就是禪，定、禪，那就是「思惟修」。卻是，我們失去了時時思惟，將我們的心，好好收納寂靜的法，我們時時都是迷失掉的較多。若是這樣迷在欲，利欲，或者是情愛，那就容易「墜落岐途」，這樣就會容易墜落。所以，聖人看這個「三界不淨」，所以諸佛菩薩悲憫。
好像這些話，每天都是這樣在說，卻是我們人人還是，能夠去想到的時間，到底有多少呢？所以就像像前面所說，「狐狼野干，咀嚼踐踏，嚌齧死屍，骨肉狼藉。」
狐狼野干
咀嚼踐踏
嚌齧死屍
骨肉狼藉
《法華經譬喻品第三》
爭啊爭啊，爭到底，最後的收場是什麼樣呢？那就是狼藉。下面這段 (經)文再說：「由是群狗，競來搏撮，飢羸慞惶，處處求食，鬥諍摣掣，啀喍嗥吠。其舍恐怖，變狀如是。」
由是群狗
競來搏撮
飢羸慞惶
處處求食
鬥諍摣掣
啀喍嗥吠
其舍恐怖
變狀如是
《法華經譬喻品第三》
看，這個狗若整群時，狗與狗之間互相也會爭鬥。其實狗是一種通稱，這個犬科，動物的類別，光說「犬」這個字，狗也是其中的一種，但是，狗類有很多種的狗類。有的是可以將牠訓練來當看門，有的可以將牠訓練來當導盲，雖然牠是狗，其實，牠有很靈敏的嗅覺以及聽覺，所以牠可以訓練，所以又很聰明，非常聰明。
所以聰明就生慢，人家說：「狗踏馬屎膨官勢。」這是臺語一句俗諺，狗也很會看情勢，也是很聰明，牠的主人，若是有名、有利、有力，牠也會仗著主人的勢力，這狗也是這樣。所以，「(由是)群狗，競來搏撮」，這個狗的慢心也很大。所以在「五鈍使」，貪、瞋、癡、慢、(疑)，這個狗類是屬在這個「五鈍使」，「慢」這類。
犬科動物通稱
種類多
嗅覺聽覺靈敏
可訓練
亦聰明生慢
由是群狗競來搏撮
群狗喻七慢
我們人就是和那種的狗類一樣，這種我慢的無明來驅使我們，我們這個身去造作很多的事情。所以「仗人勢，有大力，以強取之，貪奪無力之物」。狗也是以強力，去貪奪那個弱小的，所以牠「群狗搏撮」，所以人也是一樣，同樣以大吃小、這樣以強欺弱等等，這人與狗類都是差不多，有這樣的性。
又再，「兩足翻尋收聚」。狗若要占，占牠所有要的東西，四隻腳，牠就是這樣一起去「搏撮」。要的東西，兩隻腳占住，還在那個地方翻，翻那個東西裡面一翻，同樣，像我們人在尋找東西，也是很狂，「我要的東西到底在哪裡呢？」一頭栽進去，這樣一直在翻、在找，這狗也是這樣。
所以，這個身與心受這種的「慢使」，強力，這樣貢高我慢，一直要占為己有，這心都沒有停歇，身也沒有停息下來，所以身心這樣強力忙碌，到底是為什麼呢？
群狗：
喻慢惑驅使
人之身心
狗仗人勢
有大力以強取之
貪奪無力之物
兩足翻尋收聚一處
曰競來搏撮
下面再說「飢羸慞惶，處處求食」。有力的在那裡爭，沒力的呢？那就是貪不知足曰「飢」。我們人，有的人一直在貪，生活足夠就好了，卻是他還是一直感覺不夠。不夠，求不能得曰「羸」，羸就是瘦，很瘦的意思；感覺營養分都不夠，又肚子餓，很瘦，像這種，永遠都是求不足，這種的，像這樣，永遠都營養不夠的人一樣。
所以種種營謀私利，一直要去謀我自己所得的東西，永遠不夠，所以一輩子就是尋愁覓恨，一直自己去找煩惱，這種尋愁覓恨，若是做不到，他就是恨，恨我這場生意沒做到，所以，這種人真的是「似癡如狂」，這叫做「慞惶」。就是光一直鑽營、一直拚，永遠都是貪，這種的「飢羸慞惶」。
多貪之人雖富而貧，處處馳逐五塵之境。
貪不知足曰飢
求不能得曰羸
種種營謀私利
尋愁覓恨
似癡如狂
曰慞惶
多貪之人雖富而貧
處處逐五塵之境也
看起來他很富有，財產很多，但與貧困的人是沒有差多才。所以我常常說，貪與貧差多少呢？所以「雖富而貧」，像這樣的人永遠都說不夠，所以他就處處馳逐五塵之境，就是在這個地方，在色、聲、香、味、觸，這五塵之中永遠貪無窮盡。這人間就是這樣。
飢羸：
飢餓瘦弱
喻不得法性之法食
慞惶：
恐懼驚惶
疑根未斷之貌
所以「飢羸」就是飢餓瘦弱，譬喻不得法性之法食。「慞惶」就是「恐懼驚惶，疑根未斷」。
我們沒有得到法！我們若有得到法，我們就都懂得，知足、感恩、善解、包容，像這樣的人生多麼豐富呢！若是沒辦法知足的人，這是因為他不得法性，他法沒有入心來，我們清淨的本性沒有啟發到，所以我們的慧命還是很乾枯，我們慧命沒有受到法水滋潤過，所以它就是譬喻飢羸。
「慞惶」就是恐懼驚惶，疑根未斷。因為法若不入心，就只是怕，怕名失去，怕利被人奪走，像這樣常常都是驚惶，這就是法不入心。這種疑，「這個人與我交情，是不是因為他對我，有什麼樣的貪念？有這樣的人，所以無法交到談得來的朋友，全是害怕、懷疑，這就是法沒有入心，怕的行動、做的行為，全都不正確，所以也是很辛苦。
再來「鬥諍摣掣」。這種的鬥爭，凡夫，他名利為暗鬥明爭，又再或為名利相鬥，或者是因為教理見解不和而諍。諍論，這何必呢？道理原來就是這樣的道理，何必諍呢？為世間的名利而鬥，為信仰的教理，這樣是非在那裡諍，有什麼用呢？我們自己要提起了智慧，該走的方向是什麼，對的路，走就對了，正確的事情，做就對了，何必去爭啊、去鬥啊？實在是不需要。
但是「鬥爭」這個名詞，在這近百年的時間，造成了人生多少悲悽苦難！互相明爭暗鬥，不論是向前去奪，或者是往來的明爭暗鬥，若這樣互相牽制，所以是非就很大，不斷地產生，不斷地爭鬥，人間什麼時候能和平呢？這種爭鬥的形態，什麼時候才能消弭掉呢？還是人心！
鬥諍：
凡夫以名利
為暗鬥明諍
或為名利相鬥
或因教理見解
不和而諍
向前相奪
往來明爭暗鬥
互相牽掣
即爭鬥之形態
所以，鬥爭的形態，那就是「啀喍嗥吠，其舍恐怖，變狀如是」。「啀喍」就是像這些狗類在爭，群狗，整群的狗食在爭食，爭，爭一堆的肉、骨，牠在那裡爭，腳占到的，牠還在看其他的，感覺那是我的，你還來！所以就展開了開口見齒之狀，這種不曉得你們想得出，這種的形容嗎？
啀喍：
開口見齒之狀
皆慢態
銜物死諍曰啀喍
失物潑叫曰嗥吠
即諍而怒之聲
狗占著這個東西，又捨不得放掉，又眼前的東西快要被人奪去，嘴咬著東西，那個面容整個這樣咧開，齒，就是牙齒全都露出來，但是咬著東西的嘴張開，這種猙獰的臉孔。你們若看到在爭，就是這樣，狗群在爭是這樣，而人群若在爭又是什麼樣呢？所以這種慢就是憍慢、自大，這種的形態。像這樣在爭，這叫做「啀喍」。
東西要占有，道理想要爭，這種又要名、又要利，這種的情形，這叫做「啀喍嗥吠」。互相叫，你罵我、我罵你，狗在吠都是在互罵，像這樣「啀喍嗥吠」，「失物潑叫」這叫做「嗥吠」，東西我要占有，若是還要的占不到，牠就大小聲了，這就是我們人也是這樣，潑婦罵街，這不只是潑婦罵街，那就是癡人，就是這樣在罵人，很多。
群狗：
喻疑使
眾生不明事理是非
而誘發五種
慢性的煩惱
即貪瞋癡慢疑
所以，群狗譬喻「疑使」。眾生不明事理是非，引發出了五種的慢性煩惱：貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑。五種的慢性，貪也是有慢，瞋也有慢，癡也有慢，慢，慢中帶慢，疑也有慢。所以這種的「鈍使」含藏著很多的煩惱。
因貪等為鬥諍
復謂是非而爭
名摣掣
發言論決是非之理
名啀喍嗥吠
上正明五鈍
所以因貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑等，在鬥爭，「復謂是非而爭」，這種「摣掣」。「發言論」，到底你是我非等等，這樣「啀喍嗥吠」，這就是「五鈍使」。
所以，群狗競爭來搏來取，這些狗全都圍過來，像這樣你來我往，互相爭奪，這種的生態，實在是很可憐。
群狗競取曰鬥
群狗相吠曰諍
向前相奪曰摣
往來相扯曰掣
即鬥之形
狗銜物死諍曰啀喍
失物潑叫曰嗥吠
即諍之聲也
所以，眾生與這一切，人類與一切眾生全都一樣，所以全是動物類。
所以說，狗類很多，其實動物類更多，所有的動物牠有牠的特性，卻是人類動物，那就是涵蓋了所有動物，
全都在我們人的心態裡，所以生態，動物的生態，人的心態。總而言之，我們要明道理，我們要瞭解是非。所以「世皆無常，應觀不淨」，自然我們的無明，就能夠這樣降伏下來。所以大家時時要多用心。
Explanations by Master Cheng-Yan
Subject: Canines as an Analogy for People’s Minds (群狗譬喻觀人心)
Date:August.04. 2015
“Everything in the world is impermanent, and we should contemplate impurity. Due to ignorance, we cannot awaken; this is likened to a black-shelled beetle. When our thinking becomes lost, we take the wrong fork. Noble beings see the Three Realms as impure and thus have compassion.”
As I have said, everything in this world is in fact impermanent. From ancient times until now, among those who have lived, how many can actually be considered to have had long lives? In terms of material things in this world buildings can last for a long time. For how long? How many places are still standing after 1000 years? So, as we learn the Buddha’s Way, we should be mindful and meticulous and carefully contemplate. What is the meaning of our lives? We must earnestly and quietly contemplate this. Furthermore, sentient beings create karma, especially severely negative karma. Our minds are scattered and we cannot focus them, so we create karma out of ignorance and delusion. Because we cannot rein in our minds, we cannot realize how “The world is impermanent.” Since we have the karmic conditions to be born human and listen to the Buddha-Dharma, we must continue to refocus our minds and earnestly think about this.
“We should contemplate impurity.” How do we control our desires? To address wealth and personal gain, all we have to do is think, “Everything in the world is impermanent; why take issue over anything?” To address the desire for sensual pleasures, we can “contemplate the body as impure.” The human body is very unclean. How long will we actually live? In this lifetime, why should we let our desire for intimacy lead us to create afflictive emotions? How can we eliminate our scattered thoughts and afflictions? By reining in our minds. All we need is to recall the opening phrases, “Everything in the world is impermanent; we should contemplate impurity.” From this we should be able to realize that there is no need to fight or be attached.
“Due to ignorance, we cannot awaken.” Because we cling to our desire for wealth, we cannot awaken from our state of ignorance. This is analogous to being a black-shelled beetle. They live out their lives in excrement. They are very small and weak, and they physically live in such an environment. Aren’t people living in delusion just like them? Humans are truly insignificantly small, but we claim to be so great, to be on top of the world. We continually take advantage of the weak; we continually destroy things and fight others. Even if we obtain things, how long can we actually possess them? This greed and attachment arises from a state of ignorance. Aren’t we all living in such a state?
“Due to ignorance, we cannot awaken; this is likened to a black-shelled beetle.” This happens when “Our thinking becomes lost.” Our minds are all mixed-up; ordinary people are ignorant and confused, so we create karma. This happens because we are lost. As we engage in spiritual practice, we always talk about precepts, Samadhi and wisdom.
Samadhi is a meditative state. To cultivate Samadhi and meditation, we must “cultivate contemplation.” But we have lost our constant contemplation of how we can gather our minds into a tranquil and still state. More often, we are lost. If we are lost in desires, the pursuit of wealth or personal affections, then we will easily “take the wrong fork” and fall [into a lower realm].
So, noble beings see the Three, Realms as impure.Thus all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have compassion for us.We seem to be saying the same things every day.However, how often do each of us think about these concepts?
The previous sutra passage states, “Jackals and foxes chewed, trampled, sucked and gnawed on corpses, whose bones and flesh were scattered about.”
We keep fighting and fighting, until ultimately, what do we end up with?Things scattered about.
The next sutra passages continues on to describe, “This pack of canines battled to seize small bits. Emaciated by hunger and maddened by fear. They clashed and fought, grabbed and pulled, growling and barking at each other. This house was terrifying, having come to look like this.”
See, when in a pack canines will fight with and harass each other.In fact, canine is a general term.In the family candidate there are many animals.Animals described by the family “canidae” include all the canines.But there are many different species of canines.
Some dogs can be trained to quad the door.
Some can be trained to quid the blind.Since they are dogs, they have an acute sense of smell and hearing, so they can be trained to use that.They are also very clever.
Out of cleverness arises arrogance.People say “the dog steps on horse feces and exaggerates his status”.This is an old saving in Taiwanese.
Dogs can assess situations so they are very clever.If their owners are well-known, wealthy and powerful, they will take advantage of their status.Even dogs do this.
So, “This pack of canines battled to seize small bits.”Canines also possess the tendency of arrogance.Among the five chronic afflictions of greed anger, ignorance arrogance, and doubt, canines are categorized under the chronic affliction of “arrogance”.
The family canidae includes many different species.Their sense of smell and hearing is sharp, and they can be trained.With their intelligence, they become arrogant.A pack of canines fight to seize small bits so they are an analogy for the seven kinds of pride.
We humans are like these canines.The ignorance of self-arrogance drives us.Therefore we take all kinds of physical actions.So, [dogs] “rely on the power of humans, and having great strength, they forcefully seize and take from [ones] with no strength”.
Canines also use their greater strength to seize and take from those with less strength.So, “The pack of canines seize small bits.”
Some people are the same.The bigger overwhelm the smaller the strong take advantage of the weak and so on.In this way people and canines are similar; they both have this kind of nature.
Also.“They dig and search with two feet, defending what they have found.”When dogs take possession of something they will place all four feet on top of it.After holding down what they want with two of their feet they will still continue to dig and root around.
Similarly, when we humans search for something we can go wild.“Where is the thing I’m looking for?”We dive in head first digging through and looking for that thing.Dogs do this too.
Therefore, their bodies and minds are strongly driven by the “delusion of arrogance” so they are conceited and arrogant and always want to claim things for themselves.If their minds never stop moving, neither will their bodies.Their bodies and minds are so forceful and busy, but for the sake of what?
Pack of canines:
Just as the delusions of arrogance drive people’s thoughts and actions, dogs rely on the power of humans, and having great strength, they forcefully seize and take from ones with no strength.They dig and search with two feet, defending what they have found.Thus they battle to seize small bits.
The next part states, “Emaciated by hunger and maddened by fear, they dashed about seeking food everywhere.”Those with strength fight each other.
What about those without strength?Their insatiable greed is “hunger”.Among humans, some are always greedy.Although they have enough to live on, they still feel that they do not have enough.Being unable to quench desires is being “emaciated”.
In this verse, “emaciated” means to be very thin. They feel malnourished and are always hungry and scrawny. Never being able to quench their desires, they are like those who never feel well-nourished. So, with various methods, people pursue their own personal gains. They keep thinking that what they have attained is still not enough.
So, all their lives they are hateful and angry and keep creating problems for themselves. They bring worries and anger on themselves. If they cannot complete the deal they want, they hate that they could not make it happen. So, this kind of person truly has “ignorance [that] is like madness”. This is ‘maddened by fear”.
We keep currying favor and fighting for more. Limitless greed is like being “emaciated by hunger and maddened by fear. Those who are greedy may be rich but feel poor and follow objects of the five desires everywhere”
“Insatiable greed is called hunger. Being unable to quench desires is being emaciated. With various methods, people pursue their own personal gain, bringing on hatred and anger. This ignorance is like madness; thus it says they are maddened by fear. Those who are greedy may be rich but feel poor and follow objects of the five desires everywhere.
Some seem to be very rich, with many possessions, [but their state of mind] is not much different from that of the poor. So, I often talk about the similarities between greed and poverty. Thus, those who are rich may feel poor. People like this never feel they have enough so they pursue their objects of desire everywhere. In this world, amidst the sense objects of form, sound, smell, taste and touch, their greed for the objects of desire is endless. This is what people are like.
“Emaciated by hunger” is to be starving and weak, like being unable to get spiritual nourishment. “Maddened by fear” means they have a terrified and frightened appearance that comes from not severing the root of doubt.
We may have yet attained the Dharma. If we have attained the Dharma, we will be content, grateful, understanding and accommodating. Isn’t such a life one of great wealth? People who are not able to feel content have not tapped into their Dharma-nature. They have not taken the Dharma to heart, so they have not awakened their pure nature. Their wisdom-life is still parched because they lack the nourishment of Dharma-water. This is similar to being emaciated by hunger.
“Maddened by fear” means they have a terrified and frightened appearance that comes from not severing the root of doubt. If they do not take the Dharma to heart, they will be fearful; they fear losing their fame and wealth to others. People like this are constantly frightened. This is because they have not taken the Dharma to heart.
Because they have doubts, they wonder if people are friendly to them because of some ulterior motive. People with this kind of doubt can never make any close friends. They are fearful and suspicious, because they have not taken the Dharma to heart. When they act out of fear, they will not do things in the right way. This makes life hard for them. “They clashed and fought, grabbed and pulled”. People fight like this. Ordinary people secretly and openly fight over recognition and personal gain, or clash for the sake of the same. Perhaps people fight because of differences in their understanding of teachings and principles. Why is this argument necessary? Principles have always been principles. What is there to argue over? People fight over worldly recognition and gain and argue over what is right or wrong regarding principles of faith. What is the use of all this? We must elevate our own wisdom and, once we know the direction to follow, we should just stay on that course.
When it comes to the right thing to do, we should just do it. What is there to argue over and fight about? All of that is really unnecessary. But, “They clashed and fought”. In the last 100 years, this has led to so much sorrow and suffering. People fight openly and clashed secretly. They advance forward to seize or right openly and secretly in all dealings. They mutually hold each other back, so major conflicts will endlessly arise and lead to endless clashes. Then when will this world be at peace? With all this fighting and clashing, when will it finally be over? [This depends on] people’s minds.
They clash and fight: Ordinary people secretly and openly fight over recognition or personal gain, or clashed for the sake of the same. Or they may fight because of differences in understanding of the teachings and principles. They advance forward to seize and fight openly and secretly in all dealings. They hold each other back; these are all forms of clashing and fighting.
Fighting and clashing are like “growing and barking at each other.This house was terrifying
having come to look this.” “Growing” is what canines do when they fight. A pack of canines will fight over food or over a pile of flesh and bones. When they fight, as they hold what they seized under their paws, they try to lay claim to other things. They feel “This belongs to me, don’t you dare.” So, they open their mouths to reveal their teeth.
Can you imagine what this looks like?
Growling: Opening one’s mouth to reveal teeth. This is an attitude of arrogance. Biting something and fighting for it is growling. Losing something and crying out is barking. These are the sounds of angry fighting.
Canines lay claim to things and are reluctant to let go. When they see that something they want is about to be taken away, they seize it in their mouths and pull back their lips to reveal all their teeth. When they bare their teeth after biting down on something, they appear to be very fierce. If we see canines fighting, this is what they look like. If this is what canines fighting look like, what does it look like when people are fighting?
They look arrogant and self-important. Fighting like this is like “growling.” They want ownership of all things and want to win on principle. They want both recognition and personal gain. This situation is called “growling and barking.” The way people shout and curse at each other is like how dogs bark at each other. This is like “growling and barking.” “Losing something and crying out” is called “barking.” They try to lay claim to something. If they cannot claim what they want, they get very loud.
We humans do the same thing when we shout and curse at each other. We not only shout and curse when we fight, some people, out of ignorance, often yell at other people.
So, a pack of canines is an analogy for “the afflictions of doubt.”
When people cannot tell right from wrong in matters and principles, that induces five types of chronic afflictions, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt.
There is arrogance in all these afflictions in greed, there is arrogance in anger, there is also arrogance in ignorance, there is also arrogance. Even in arrogance, there is more arrogance Doubt also contains arrogance. These chronic agents of action contain many afflictions.
Out of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt, we clash and fight. “We also argue over right and wrong, so. We grab and pull.” “Debating” who is right and wrong and so on is “growling and barking.” These are the five chronic afflictions.
When a pack of canines battle to seize things, these canines all gather around and tug back and forth to take things from each other. This is a very sad way of living.
The pack of canines battling is called clashing. Their barking at each other is fighting. Going forward to seize is grabbing. Tugging back and forth is called pulling. These are all forms of conflict. Biting something and fighting for it is growing. Losing something and crying out is barking. These are the sounds of fighting.
So, when it comes to sentient beings, humans are just like other sentient beings. We are all animals. There are many species of canines, but there are many more species of animals.
All animals have special characteristics. But human [characteristics] include all the animal characteristics. We have all these tendencies within us.
So, the behaviors of animals can all be found in the human mentality. In summary, we must understand the principles and be able to distinguish right from wrong. “Everything in the world is impermanent, we should contemplate impurity.” In this way we can naturally tame our ignorance. So, we must always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV – Wisdom at Dawn program – Explanation by Master Chen-Yen)
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