Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The elephant, chasing after desire, walks straight into the trap and loses its freedom.
The deer, pulled by a sound it cannot resist, follows it into danger. A single craving, left unwatched, can lead a whole life astray.
One strong craving can be enough to trap a whole life.
Two more creatures show this. The elephant is caught because it follows desire. The deer is pulled by a sound, naad, and walks toward the hunter. Each one is undone by just one pull.
It is like a phone buzzing during homework. One buzz, one quick look, and suddenly the whole evening is gone.
In the tradition these are warning stories. The point is the pull, not the punishment. A craving that no one is watching can lead us far from where we meant to go.
Have you ever wanted something so badly you stopped noticing anything else?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI