TAM BÀNH: Three kinds of negative emotion (Greed, Anger, Delusion) like the Three Devils, which consist of: Banh Cu at the head, Banh Chat at the belly, and Banh Kieu at the legs: they tend to instigate immoral acts (in other places, they are called Banh Cu, Banh Can and Banh Duc).

By Nguyen Quoc Hung’s dictionary, this is a Buddhist term, meaning three devils surnamed Banh, located at the head, forefront (between two eyebrows), and belly, which often enduce one to commit aggression, cruelty and, on the day of Metal Monkey (Canh Than), they go reporting to Heaven about human sins.  Therefore, Tam Banh means  indignation and aggressiveness. People often apply to women.  The Đoạn Trường Tân Thanh has this:

“One the old hag is done hearing her confession,

Immediately she showed her Three Kinds of Emotion.” 

LỤC TẶC: Six robbers, that is, six sense organs: Eyes, Ear, Nose, Tongue, Body, and Thought.  The reasons to call them robbers are that they tend to instigate one to self-immerse in feminine beauty, melody, fragrance, taste, comfort and idea for fame.

Those who practice Buddhism need to strictly control these six sense organs lest they should destroy the accumulated merits of practicers once they were unleased.  An average human being tends to be susceptible to the six sense objects which always take turns or together attract them one way or the other.  A practicer must be highly aware of the temptations which challenge them every minute of their lives until they reach full enlightment or succumb to their own weakness.  Many kings and nobles have fallen because they let themselves be pulled away by one or more of these six sense objects, especially female beauty.  From these temptations, both the noble folks contract one sin after the other, such as scramble for glory and depravity.