To describe a pure, tranquil, or contemplative mind becoming contaminated or defiled by worldly worries, desires, or distractions, losing its serenity and purity. It's a metaphor for spiritual purity being tainted by secular concerns.
他原本希望通过隐居来保持内心的宁静，但时间久了，还是不免禅絮沾泥，被俗事所扰。
He originally hoped to maintain inner peace through reclusion, but over time, his contemplative mind inevitably became tainted by worldly affairs, like Zen catkins stained with mud.
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