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desire then； there are various kinds of desire … there is the strong desire which makes one's mind change from something peaceful to something which is pletely intent on one object； there is the desire of carefully planning how to gain an object which one wants and so forth。 Then with regard to the various views； what is meant here by 'view' is wrong view。 Wrong view here can be divided into five； such as the general wrong mind； or wrong consciousness； and so forth。 Then with regard the third； existence in and of itself … here； what is meant by existence can also refer to the cycle of existence； or samsara； and can also refer to karmic actions in the dormant and also in their fully ripened states。 So those four rivers bined as one are what is carrying our kind mother sentient beings along。 So if we imagine somebody who has fallen into a fast…flowing river or fallen into the rapids … if they are able to shout for help then that is one thing； and if they are able to swim then there is every possibility that they will be able to reach the banks of the river and get out of this fast moving current。
However； this is not the case because as the next line of the root text tells us … 'tied by strong bonds of karma so hard to undo'。 So not only are these kind mother sentient beings swept along in this rapid； but in addition； their hands and feet are tied up； they are pletely bound up with very tough ropes and cannot possibly move。 And you would think then that even if this is the case they might be able to get out of these bonds by contortion or suchlike； but this again is not the case because in addition to being bound； （as the third line reads） they are 'caught in the iron net of self…grasping'。 So here 'iron net' can also be translated as 'cage'。 So not only is one bobbing along pletely bound by the strong bonds of karma； but one is also wrapped in this chain…mail of self…grasping。 And you would think then that as this is the case； if one was fortunate enough to e into contact with a fisherman sitting on the riverbank； by calling out to him； if he is a kind…hearted individual； he might throw us a line or try to hook us out。 However； this is again not the case because as the fourth line reads … 'pletely enveloped by the darkness of ignorance'。 So if we look at this example … someone has been throw into a rapid； is being swept along by this powerfully moving water； not only are they bound up but they are wrapped in chain…mail and it is the middle of the night； so there is no chance even to e into contact with somebody on the riverbank who one could call to and request assistance because it's in the middle of the night； it's very dark； and nobody goes to the riverbank at that time。 So in the same way there are the four powerful rivers which we have just gone through （the four causes of the cycle of existence）； then fettered by bonds of karma； wrapped in this chain…mail of self…grasping； pletely enveloped in the darkness of ignorance … that is the pitiful state of one's kind mother / father sentient beings。
Physical and Mental Suffering
So as is mentioned in Aryadeva's book The Four Hundred Verses； the aristocrats are beset with mental suffering whereas the ordinary person is beset with physical suffering。 Whatever kind of suffering one is engaged in； one should daily try to put an end to such suffering。 So here then we can divide dissatisfaction grossly into two； that is to say； dissatisfaction； or suffering which is physical and then that which is mental。 Then those kind of aristocrats； those who have very fine jobs； they are individuals who do not suffer so much physically … they have nice places to live； nice food to eat and so forth； however they have a lot of mental torment … thinking about the various businesses which they are involved in； the various meetings they have to go to and so forth … that is their lot of suffering。 Whereas for an ordinary working person there is not so much mental worry about rushing to meetings； buying and selling stocks and so forth； but there is physical suffering in that one has to work for one's living so therefore one engages in various strenuous activities。 This is not something which is easily seen in the West； but in India if you look around building sites there are no cranes or lifting devices … bricks are carried by the local people stacked high on the head and the cement is carried on the back by the coolies and so forth。 So if you see the very low…paid； low caste people in India you will see that they go through immense physical difficulty； but when they sit down there is not so much mental dissatisfaction or suffering； but rather their lot is that of physical difficulty。 Then as the text goes on to say； whatever kind of suffering it is … whether mental or physical； one should daily engage in a practice which is going to bring about the thorough removal of that dissatisfaction。
So using that quote from The Four Hundred Verses then； a person who has wealth when viewing how poorer people live might think 'living such an aristocratic life is not all it's cracked up to be … living in the open； living a pauper's life is something that is quite delightful。 I think I'm going to give up everything and go and live as a pauper！' And then the paupers； or the working people； when viewing the aristocrats； or the wealthy individuals； think 'oh； we have such a hard time … all this work we have to do but those guys are just sitting around； they have nice food to eat； servants to wait upon them； nice fortable beds and so forth。 How great it would be to achieve such a status！' However； if we look at that with a vaster view； we see that both kinds of individuals are undergoing dissatisfaction； and the dissatisfaction which they are undergoing is same in essence but different in aspect； different in aspect in the sense that for a poorer individual it is physical but for a wealthy individual it's mental。 But the contaminated actions which have brought about their very existence are ones within which one can never find any permanent peace； rather as we mentioned earlier； the first moment can be somewhat peaceful or joyful； but then as soon as that is over with； the experience changes into something other than what it initially was。 So viewing the cycle of existence； or samsara； as the product of contaminated actions； contaminated destructive emotions and so forth； then we should strive to put an end to all dissatisfaction and the causes of that dissatisfaction； not just one particular kind of those various kinds of dissatisfaction。 We should strive to abandon the whole of the cycle of existence； and this is echoed in the prayer to the lineage gurus of the Lam Rim genre of teachings by Tsong Khapa when he says that one should strive to abandon the cycle of its existence through seeing its faults； through seeing how it is impermanent and through seeing how it is not something that is very stable。
BODHICITTA
So then through contemplating the faults of the cycle of existence and then generating a mind which wishes to abandon those faults and the sufferings ing therefrom； one can strive in the practice of generating the mind which cognises selflessness； （whether it be selflessness of persons or selfles