The Dhammapada states a universal truth, namely that "desire is unquenchable" and explains that "he who desires to awaken, consumes his desires with joy" (Chapter 14). These statements prove similar to the four noble truths, according to which to live is to suffer and desire causes suffering; therefore, temptation cannot be avoided because it is omnipresent. When explaining the results of “desiring pleasure or nursing pain,” the Buddha states that “there is only pain” (chapter 16). Desire clearly only causes difficulty when attempting to achieve Nirvana, and the Dhammapada seeks to convey the importance of clearing the mind and purifying one's thoughts. Continuing to contrast lust and happiness, the Buddha explains that "there is pleasure and there is bliss, renounce the former to possess the latter" (chapter 21). It is not possible to feel true jubilation while desires and attractions cloud the mind. Expressed through Buddhist teachings and in an important religious text, the action of overbearing desire and obscene thoughts proves to be a crucial step in ultimately achieving