The Afflictions and Habitual Tendencies of Sentient Beings Are Not Easy to Subdue

Because sentient beings take the aggregate of feeling (vedanā) as the self and cling to the aggregate of feeling, for the sake of inner feelings they give rise to craving and aversion, thereby committing boundless and immeasurable sinful karma. If one does not take the aggregate of feeling as the self, does not cling to the aggregate of feeling, does not crave pleasant feelings, and does not feel aversion toward disagreeable feelings, then craving and aversion will not arise, and one will not commit evil karma without even knowing it.

The most conspicuous characteristic of sentient beings in the Saha world is greed, aversion, and ignorance; the most pervasive affliction in the human realm of the desire realm is craving. Although one has studied and practiced the Buddha's teachings and understands something of cause and effect, knowing that craving is the root of sinking in birth and death, still, because karmic obstructions are deep and heavy, one cannot subdue craving. Whether layperson or monastic, the subduing of all afflictions is extremely, extremely difficult. Because habits have been deeply ingrained through countless kalpas of birth and death, they are rooted so firmly that it is hard to shake them even in the slightest.