From the dear is born grief, from the dear is born fear. For one freed from the dear, there is no grief; whence fear?

Piyato jāyatī soko — from the dear is born grief: piya (dear) → soka (grief). The equation is direct. Grief is proportional to attachment: the more dear, the more intense the grief at its loss or threat of loss.

Piyato jāyatī bhayaṃ — from the dear is born fear: attachment generates not only grief at loss but anticipatory fear. One who loves compulsively lives in constant fear of losing what they love.

Piyato vippamuttassa natthi soko kuto bhayaṃ — for one freed from the dear, there is no grief; whence fear?: vippamutta is completely freed. Liberation from compulsive attachment eliminates simultaneously grief and fear.

Verses 212-216 form a sequence that substitutes piya with different forms of attachment (pema, rati, kāma, taṇhā), each generating grief and fear. The repetitive structure creates a cumulative effect pointing to attachment as the universal source of emotional suffering.