CRAVING

When a person lives heedlessly,

his craving grows like a creeping vine.

He runs now here


& now there,


as if looking for fruit:


a monkey in the forest.




If this sticky, uncouth craving


overcomes you in the world,


your sorrows grow like wild grass


after rain.






If, in the world, you overcome


this uncouth craving, hard to escape,


sorrows roll off you,


like water beads off


a lotus.




To all of you gathered here


I say: Good fortune.


Dig up craving


— as when seeking medicinal roots, wild grass —


by the root.


Don't let Mara cut you down


— as a raging river, a reed —


over & over again.

If its root remains


undamaged & strong,


a tree, even if cut,


will grow back.


So too if latent craving


is not rooted out,


this suffering returns


again


&

again.

Buddha