We human beings are easily influenced by life’s inherent impulses, the three poisons of greed, anger, and foolishness. We are fragile beings, like tiny vessels on a wild sea that are easily swayed or swamped by the powerful waves of destiny and karma. Just as a great storm may sweep a small boat to some uncharted destination, we are often impelled to act in ways that defy reason, allowing short-term self-interest to undermine our very survival. For example, though we know rationally that we must care for and preserve our environment, we destroy and pollute it for immediate gain. Or to give another example, though rationally we wish for peace, we allow insecurity and fear to drive us to fortify our military arsenals, creating the opportunity for a minor incident to trigger a great and terrible war. Things of this sort have occurred repeatedly in history.