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Resistance is Futile

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Resistance is Futile

In Buddhist practice, resisting reality when unpleasant things happen only generates mental distress (daurmanasya). This distress does not change the situation; it merely destroys our joy and undermines our wholesome qualities (kuśala).

This is famously illustrated in Shantideva’s Bodhicharyavatara (Chapter 6, Verses 9 and 10).

Verse 9: Maintaining Joy

Sanskrit Verse

अत्यनिष्टागमेनापि न क्षोभ्या मुदिता मया।
दौर्मनस्येऽपि नास्तीष्टं कुशलं त्ववहीयते॥ ९॥

Transliteration

atyaniṣṭāgamenāpi na kṣobhyā muditā mayā |
daurmanasye’pi nāstīṣṭaṃ kuśalaṃ tvavahīyate || 9 ||

English Translation

Even if something very unpleasant occurs, my joy should not be disturbed. For in mental distress, there is nothing desired, and one’s virtue is lost.

Word Meanings

Word-by-Word Analysis

  • अत्यनिष्टागमेन (aty-aniṣṭa-āgamena): by the occurrence (āgamena) of the highly undesired (ati-aniṣṭa)
  • अपि (api): even
  • न क्षोभ्या (na kṣobhyā): should not be disturbed / agitated
  • मुदिता (muditā): joy / gladness
  • मया (mayā): by me
  • दौर्मनस्ये (daurmanasye): in mental distress / depression
  • अपि (api): also / even
  • नास्तीष्टं (na asti iṣṭam): there is nothing desired or beneficial
  • कुशलं (kuśalam): virtue / wholesome qualities
  • तु (tu): but
  • अवहीयते (avahīyate): is lost / diminished / abandoned

Verse 10: The Futility of Worry

Sanskrit Verse

यद्यस्त्येव प्रतीकारो दौर्मनस्येन तत्र किम्।
अथ नास्ति प्रतीकारो दौर्मनस्येन तत्र किम्॥ १०॥

Transliteration

yadyastyeva pratīkāro daurmanasyena tatra kim |
atha nāsti pratīkāro daurmanasyena tatra kim || 10 ||

English Translation

If there is a remedy, then what is the use of mental distress? And if there is no remedy, then what is the use of mental distress?

Word Meanings

Word-by-Word Analysis

  • यदि (yadi): if
  • अस्ति (asti): there is
  • एव (eva): indeed / surely
  • प्रतीकारः (pratīkāraḥ): remedy / cure / countermeasure
  • दौर्मनस्येन (daurmanasyena): by mental distress / grief
  • तत्र (tatra): in that case
  • किम् (kim): what (is the use)?
  • अथ (atha): and if / on the other hand
  • नास्ति (na asti): there is no
  • प्रतीकारः (pratīkāraḥ): remedy / cure / countermeasure
  • दौर्मनस्येन (daurmanasyena): by mental distress / grief
  • तत्र (tatra): in that case
  • किम् (kim): what (is the use)?

References