I'm not a super religious person, nor I consider myself a guy that reads a lot, but sometimes my studies in Japanese calligraphy takes me to unexpected (and fascinating) places.
Recently I came across this Japanese word, 煩悩 and I didn't know how to read it. After looking it up on Jisho, I learned that it's read "Bonnô" and literally translates to "annoy-worry", or more figuratively, the "worldly desires", or "Earthly Worries" as I've freely translated. And there's 108 of them!
I did know that the number 108 was important in Buddhism and other Asian religions, and it is said that every New Year, Buddhist temples in Japan ring the temple bell 108 times, one for each Bonnô, as a way to cleanse them and start the year auspiciously.
Searching about them, I found a list, in Japanese, with each Bonnô, with easy-to-translate names. Here are them in its entirety:
- 1.
A mind that clings to something and doesn't let go
- 2.
Strong anger that doesn't forgive others
- 3.
Complaining immediately without understanding
- 4.
Thinking strongly that you're smart
- 5.
Doubting even the correct things
- 6.
Thinking too much about your own body
- 7.
Thinking on everything as black-or-white
- 8.
Not recognizing that everything you do has an effect afterwards
- 9.
Strongly believing that what is wrong is actually right
- 10.
Easily believing in stupid teachings
- 11.
Wanting more even though you have enough
- 12.
Becoming easily hateful of your peers
- 13.
Doing bad things even if you know it is bad
- 14.
Always having the urge to tell others that you're incredible
- 15.
Doubting things that really happened
- 16.
Thinking nothing you do is relevant at all
- 17.
Thinking you're the #1 in everything
- 18.
Uncontrollable desire
- 19.
Getting mad at the smallest things
- 20.
Doing stupid things due to ignorance
- 21.
Thinking you're special
- 22.
Not believing the truth of things
- 23.
Not willing to believe in cause & effect
- 24.
Scolding your friend harshly for a mistake
- 25.
Being unable to function unless you're desiring something
- 26.
Being restless due to anger
- 27.
Immediately thinking you're stupid and acting as such
- 28.
Boasting about the things you can do
- 29.
Not being able to understand the truth
- 30.
Thinking that your actions will be fruitless
- 31.
Not being able to part ways with wrongful teachings
- 32.
Clinging and protecting wrongful teachings
- 33.
Having excessive desire that emanates from within your soul
- 34.
Repeating the same stupid mistakes constantly
- 35.
Having the desire to show off to others
- 36.
Doubting correct teachings themselves
- 37.
Being captivated by the beauty and strength of the body
- 38.
Thinking that every event is absolutely good or bad
- 39.
Denying that there is cause & effect
- 40.
Believing you're the only one who is always correct
- 41.
Mistaking wrong things as being correct
- 42.
Wanting more than you need
- 43.
Doing stupid things even though you were told not to
- 44.
Pretending to be knowledgeable in front of others when you're not
- 45.
Immediately casting doubt on everything you see
- 46.
Disregarding the result of good deeds and bad deeds entirely
- 47.
Believing everyone is wrong
- 48.
Feeling that you deserve more and more
- 49.
Doing stupid things and not being able to stop it on your own accord
- 50.
Sense of superiority towards other people
- 51.
Having a nihilistic approach to things and not being able to believe in anything
- 52.
Completely disregarding cause & effect
- 53.
Not parting ways with stupid teachings
- 54.
Desiring even things that you cannot see (honor, recognition)
- 55.
Immediately thinking everyone is evil
- 56.
Being unable to live without boasting yourself
- 57.
Suspecting even the true things
- 58.
Thinking that doing good things is stupid
- 59.
Being unable to overcome the feeling that you're the only one who is right
- 60.
Doubling down on wrong teachings
- 61.
Being mentally delusional
- 62.
Being so angry, it turns into hate
- 63.
Telling everyone you meet that you're the best
- 64.
Being doubtful of the right path
- 65.
Wanting to dominate others' thoughts by force
- 66.
Having excessively black-or-white way of thinking
- 67.
Constantly denying the cause & effect of things
- 68.
Interpreting a partial fact as if it were absolutely right
- 69.
Being focused only on wicked things
- 70.
Having a desire so great it feels like burning
- 71.
Committing the same mistake even though you've repented
- 72.
Always being easy on yourself and becoming complacent as result
- 73.
Only doubting the truth and not questioning the lie
- 74.
Believing that what you do will not come back to you
- 75.
Believing that only you know the truth and others don't
- 76.
Desiring for things even subconsciously
- 77.
Actively desiring for ignorance in face of truth
- 78.
Always being a show-off at all given opportunities
- 79.
Wanting to poke fun even at truthful things
- 80.
Not believing that your actions will be rewarded at all
- 81.
Earnestly thinking that wrong things are right
- 82.
Having an unstoppable desire to own things
- 83.
Doing wrong things even though you know it is evil
- 84.
Hurting others and not caring about it
- 85.
Immediately believing others are trying to deceive you
- 86.
Believing that the suffering that comes back at you is undeserved
- 87.
Focusing on even the most obvious lies
- 88.
Imprinting everything into your mind and being unable to forget it, even if it is wrong
- 89.
Having strong desires since birth
- 90.
Having a short temper since birth
- 91.
Having bad habits since birth
- 92.
Having a prideful sense since birth
- 93.
Being unable to control yourself
- 94.
Acting foolishly without being able to stop
- 95.
Always seeing yourself as being at the top
- 96.
Failing to control your own desires
- 97.
Doing evil even though you are fully aware of the consequences
- 98.
Being so conceited that it is impossible to do away with it
- 99.
Not feeling ashamed at your own evil acts
- 100.
Doing evil actions even in front of others
- 101.
Being so jealous that you're unable to be genuinely happy at others' successes
- 102.
Being extremely stingy and unable to share
- 103.
Being excessively frustrated at the past and being unable to move forward
- 104.
Being in a lethargic state to the point that it feels like you're sleepy
- 105.
Being so stressed that your mind cannot focus properly
- 106.
Always bottling up and restraining your feelings
- 107.
Being so angry that you explode every time
- 108.
Trying to hide your own mistakes and sins
Having personally translated each one of them to the best of my humble ability, I noticed they felt kind of repetitive, with many entries relating to being too conceited, or desiring a lot. A couple of them are centered in the belief of Cause and Effect, which I believe is central to the concept of Karma, or as people say, "fuck around and find out".
After showing this to my friend and wondering why there are 108 Bonnô, seeing that there are several ones that feel like "repeats" of the same concept, they quickly replied:
Well, if it is true that there are 108 worldly worries then you shouldn't doubt or suspect it. Otherwise you'd be committing several violations.
Having realized the foolishness of my question, I agreed with them, and moved on from this thought.