Life is ordinary, and in this lifetime, no one can escape the seven emotions and six desires.
In Buddhism, the “seven emotions” refer to “joy, anger, worry, fear, love, hatred, and desire”.
The seven emotions of humans are innate. We instinctively smile when we encounter something joyful; we become angry when our bottom line is touched; we feel sad when faced with troubling matters; we fear when confronted with insurmountable issues; we love those with whom we share mutual feelings; and we desire to possess what we like.
Later, the philosopher Gao You of the Eastern Han Dynasty commented on the “six desires” mentioned in the “Lüshi Chunqiu: Gui Sheng” as: “The six desires are life, death, ears, eyes, mouth, and nose.”
Humans possess desires in their hearts, which fills them with curiosity about the world and anticipation for life.
· Joy ·
“Ru Meng Ling”
【Song】Li Qingzhao
Often remember the creek pavilion at dusk, intoxicated and unaware of the way back.
After the excitement, returning late by boat, mistakenly entering the depths of the lotus flowers.
Struggling to row, startling a flock of gulls and egrets.
Sometimes, the simplest things are the happiest. For no reason, with no demands, everything done should just follow the heart’s desires, and joy can ripple from the heart to the eyebrows.
· Anger ·
“Man Jiang Hong: Writing My Feelings”
【Song】Yue Fei
Anger rises to the crown,leaning on the railing, the rain has stopped.
Looking up, I let out a long howl to the sky, my passionate heart is intense.
Thirty achievements are dust and dirt, eight thousand miles of road, clouds and moon.
Do not wait idly, turning gray in youth, only to lament in vain.
The shame of Jingkang is still not avenged. The hatred of a minister, when will it be extinguished?
Drive the long carriage, trample the He Lan Mountain gap.
With a fierce ambition, feast on the flesh of the Hu people, laughing and drinking the blood of the Xiongnu.
Waiting to start anew, to reclaim the old mountains and rivers, facing the heavenly gate.
What kind of hatred can make one so furious? Internally, family is humiliated; externally, the country is invaded. Although one should not easily become angry, when one can no longer endure, there is no need to bear it any longer.
· Worry ·
“Short Song Line”
【Han】Cao Cao
To drink and sing, how much is life! Like morning dew, the days gone are bitterly many. With a sigh, worries are hard to forget. How to relieve worries? Only with Du Kang. The green collar of the youth, my heart is long. Just for you, I have pondered until now. The deer call, eating wild apples. I have honored guests, playing the zither and blowing the sheng. Bright as the moon, when can it be picked? Worries come from within, unending. Crossing fields and paths, uselessly trying to stay. Parting and talking, remembering old kindness. The moon is bright and stars are few, the crows fly south. Circling the tree three times, which branch can I rely on? The mountain does not disdain to be high, the sea does not disdain to be deep. Duke Zhou fed the hungry, the world returns to the heart.
As one grows older, worries seem to increase with the passage of time. Those things that were not considered before now flood the mind. Give yourself a chance to relax, warm a pot of wine and raise a glass to the bright moon, and let tonight’s self temporarily forget those worries.
· Fear ·
“Again Presenting to Wu Lang”
【Tang】Du Fu
In front of the hall, I beat the jujube with the neighbor, with no food and no children, just a woman. Is it not for poverty that there is this? Only because of fear, I must be close. Even if the distant guests are troublesome, inserting a sparse fence is very real. I have told of my poverty to the bone, thinking of the tears of war filling my handkerchief.
People fear because they face the unknown. And the hardest thing to understand in this world is the human heart, and whether a person treats others sincerely requires time to discern.
· Love ·
“Qiao Qiao Xian: The Delicate Clouds Play Tricks”
【Song】Qin Guan
Delicate clouds play tricks, flying stars convey hatred, the silver river is long and dark.
Golden wind and jade dew meet, surpassing countless in the world.
Soft feelings like water, beautiful times like dreams, how can I bear to look back on the return path?
If love lasts long, why care about morning and evening?
Love is a wonderful emotion; it not only warms the loved one but also brings satisfaction to the lover. True love does not seek security from the other, but rather supports each other and progresses together. Such love is not built in a day, but is nurtured over time, moment by moment, and lasts a lifetime.
· Hatred ·
“At the End of Heaven, Missing Li Bai”
【Tang】Du Fu
Cool wind rises at the end of heaven, what is the gentleman’s intention? When will the wild geese arrive, the rivers and lakes are full of autumn water? Articles resent fate for reaching, monsters delight in passing by.
Should share grievances with the souls, throwing poems to the Miluo.
Talented and unrestrained people are always easy to be hated by those with ill intentions. We can do nothing about reality, we can only do our best to be virtuous.
· Desire ·
“Shui Diao Ge Tou: When Will the Bright Moon Appear?”
【Song】Su Shi
When will the bright moon appear? I raise my glass to ask the blue sky.
I do not know the heavenly palace, what year is it tonight?
I wish to ride the wind back, but fear the cold of the jade tower,
the high place is unbearable cold.
To dance and play with the clear shadow, how is it like in the human world?
Turning the red pavilion, lowering the ornate window, shining on the sleepless.
There should be no hatred, why is it always round when parting?
People have joys and sorrows, separations and reunions, the moon has its phases of fullness and emptiness,
this has been difficult to achieve since ancient times.
But I hope people last long, sharing the beauty of the moon from thousands of miles away.
Being human in this world is valuable; even if one loses everything once had, as long as one is still alive, one can start anew.
· Life ·
“Jiang Cheng Zi: On the Night of the Twentieth Day of the Second Month, Remembering a Dream”
【Song】Su Shi
Ten years of life and death, both are vague.Not thinking,it is hard to forget.
Lonely grave a thousand miles away, no place to speak of the desolation.
Even if we meet, we should not recognize each other, dust on the face, hair like frost.
Last night, a quiet dream suddenly returned home.
In the small window, just combing my hair.
Looking at each other in silence, only tears flow like a thousand lines.
Guessing the place where the heart breaks year after year, on the bright moon night, the short pine hill.
In this world, apart from life and death, everything else is trivial; do not waste too much energy on meaningless things. Please cherish every day, and cherish everyone around us, do not wait until we lose them to regret.
· Ear ·
“Mourning Bai Juyi”
【Tang】Li Chen
Stringing pearls for sixty years, who taught the dark road to become a poet immortal. Floating clouds do not bind the name of Bai Juyi, creation is effortless, the character is Le Tian. The boy understands the long hate song, the Hu child can sing the pipa piece. The article has filled the ears of travelers, once thinking of you, I feel sad.
Excellent works not only can enter people’s ears but also can touch people’s hearts.
· Eye ·
“Climbing the Stork Tower”
【Tang】Wang Zhihuan
The white sun sets behind the mountains, the Yellow River flows into the sea. To exhaust the view of a thousand miles, one must climb another floor.
As the saying goes: “Standing high, one sees far.” When a person reaches a certain height, their vision becomes broader than before. One must make progress; otherwise, one is regressing.
· Mouth ·
“What I See”
【Qing】Yuan Mei
The cowherd rides a yellow cow, the singing voice shakes the forest and glades. Wanting to catch the singing cicada, suddenly closing his mouth and standing still.
The cowherd’s singing is crisp and bright because children do not have so many worries. He sings out of joy and wants to sing loudly, and he closes his mouth because he sees the cicada on the tree and wants to catch it. It is so simple and pure, yet many people yearn for it but cannot achieve it.
· Nose ·
“Opening the Hall and Giving Teachings”
【Tang】Master Huang Nuo
Dust and labor are extraordinary, tightly holding the rope to make a scene. Without experiencing a bone-chilling cold, how can one obtain the fragrance of plum blossoms?
The fragrance entering the nose can intoxicate and bring joy. The scent of plum blossoms is obtained after enduring the harsh cold; if one can endure trials, they can also become more excellent.
Life’s journey is long,we are like a white canvas, slowly filled with various colors through contact with society.
Life is also very short,looking back at the scenes of the past, it seems to have happened yesterday.
If tomorrow is the next life, today, which of the seven emotions and six desires will you use to spend your time? Or which desire will you satisfy?