expression
one cannot escape from one's worldly desires; the hounds of earthly desires would return each time they are driven away
A Buddhist proverb comparing worldly desires to persistent hounds that cannot be chased away. Used to express the difficulty of freeing oneself from earthly passions.
煩悩の犬は追えども去らずというように、なかなか欲を捨てきれない。
As the saying goes, 'the hounds of earthly desires would return each time they are driven away,' and I just can't seem to let go of my desires.
A Japanese proverb of Buddhist origin, literally meaning 'the dog of worldly desires does not leave even when chased away.' The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it reflects the Buddhist concept of 煩悩 (bonnō, 'earthly desires') as persistent afflictions.