Ramblings of a Monk

煩惱為何義    何故欲消除    能擾亂其心    不得安樂住    發動諸惡業    令招感苦果    故一切佛子    應除滅煩惱

What is the meaning of ‘Defilement’,

For what reason (that we) desire its eradication?

(Defilements) can agitate the mind,

causing it not to abide in happiness (at ease),

evoking various harmful karma (actions through body, speech or mind),

causing (one) to experience painful fruits (results),

Hence all disciples of the Buddha, should eradicate defilements.

During Group Practise @ SBF yesterday, I shared the above verses and we discussed what defilements were.  The Chinese word “煩惱” captures the meaning rather succinctly, but it appeared to the group that the word ‘defilement’ seem quite alien to most people.  When quizzed for a meaning of ‘defilement’ outside of the Buddhist teachings, we found that most people (within the group) do not use it frequently enough.  We later settled for “that which ‘soils’, ‘dirties’ ” … ‘tarnish’ perhaps?

Defilements literally means ‘that which defiles’, or the impurities within or without (outside of) an object that makes the object impure, dirty, soiled etc.  The pali word is ‘kilesa’, ‘klesa’ in Sanskrit and is typically translated as . . . → Read More: 如何消除煩惱 How to remove defilements?