Akusalamūlasutta
The teachings on the three unwholesome roots—greed, aversion, and delusion—detail how these mental states lead to suffering, oppression, while their wholesome counterparts—contentment, good-will, and wisdom—pave the way for happiness and liberation. Cultivating these positive roots transforms individual lives and promotes a more compassionate and understanding world.
“Bhikkhus, there are these three unwholesome roots. What three? Greed (lust, desire, attachment), aversion (ill-will, hatred, resentment), and delusion (assumption making tendencies, absence of close examination and verification).
Greed is a root of the unwholesome. When a person overcome by greed chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is unwholesome. When such a person causes another to suffer through killing or binding, theft or censure, banishment or various forms of oppression with the mindset of power and dominance, that too is unwholesome. Thus, due to greed, originating from greed, arising from greed, dependent on greed, many evil, unwholesome states come to be.
Hate is a root of the unwholesome. When a person overcome by hate chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is unwholesome. When such a person causes another to suffer through killing or binding, theft or censure, banishment or various forms of oppression with the mindset of power and dominance, that too is unwholesome. And so these many bad, unwholesome things are produced in them, born, sourced, originated, and conditioned by hate. Thus, due to hate, originating from hate, arising from hate, dependent on hate, many evil, unwholesome states come to be.
Delusion is a root of the unwholesome. When a person overcome by delusion chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is unwholesome. When a such a person causes another to suffer through killing or binding, theft or censure, banishment or various forms of oppression with the mindset of power and dominance, that too is unwholesome. Thus, due to delusion, originating from delusion, arising from delusion, dependent on delusion, many evil, unwholesome states come to be. Such a person, bhikkhus, is called a speaker at the wrong time, speaker of falsehoods, speaker of what is not beneficial, speaker against the Dhamma, speaker against discipline.
Why, bhikkhus, is such a person called a speaker at the wrong time, speaker of falsehoods, speaker of what is not beneficial, speaker against the Dhamma, speaker against discipline? Because, bhikkhus, this person causes suffering to another through killing or binding, theft or censure, banishment or various forms of oppression with the mindset of power and dominance. When spoken to truthfully, he disregards it, does not acknowledge it; when spoken to untruthfully, he does not make an effort to clarify, saying ‘this is false, this is untrue.’ Therefore, such a person is called a speaker at the wrong time, speaker of falsehoods, speaker of what is not beneficial, speaker against the Dhamma, speaker against discipline.
Such a person, bhikkhus, overwhelmed, with a mind overwhelmed by evil, unwholesome states of greed, hate and delusion, experiences suffering in this very life, with distress, with misery, with agony. And after the breakup of the body, after death, rebirth in a state of deprivation is to be expected. Suppose a sal, dhava (axlewood), or a bamboo was choked and engulfed by three kinds of creepers, it would fall to ruin and disaster. In the same way, such a person—overcome with bad, unwholesome qualities born of greed, hate, and delusion—suffers in the present life, with anguish, distress, and fever. And when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect to be reborn in a bad place.
These are the three unwholesome roots.
There are these three wholesome roots. What three? Contentment, good-will (loving-kindness), and wisdom (inclination to carefully examine and independently verify).
Contentment is a root of the wholesome. When a contented person chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is wholesome. When such a person, not overcome by greed, doesn’t cause another to suffer through killing or binding, theft or censure, banishment or various forms of oppression with the mindset of power and dominance, that too is wholesome. Thus, due to contentment, originating from contentment, arising from contentment, dependent on contentment, many wholesome states come to be.
Good-will is a root of the wholesome. When a loving person chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is wholesome. When such a person, not overcome by hate, doesn’t cause another to suffer another to suffer through killing or binding, theft or censure, banishment or various forms of oppression with the mindset of power and dominance, that too is wholesome. Thus, due to good-will, originating from good-will, arising from good-will, dependent on good-will, many wholesome states come to be.
Wisdom is a root of the wholesome. When a wise person chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is wholesome. When such a person, with a mind not overcome by delusion, doesn’t cause another to suffer through killing or binding, theft or censure, banishment or various forms of oppression with the mindset of power and dominance, that too is wholesome. Thus, due to wisdom, originating from wisdom, arising from wisdom, dependent on wisdom, many wholesome states come to be. Such a person, bhikkhus, is called a speaker at the right time, a speaker of truths, a speaker of what is beneficial, a speaker in accordance with the Dhamma, a speaker in accordance with discipline.
Why, bhikkhus, is such a person called a speaker at the right time, a speaker of truths, a speaker of what is beneficial, a speaker in accordance with the Dhamma, a speaker in accordance with discipline? Because, bhikkhus, this person does not cause another to suffer through killing or binding, theft or censure, banishment or various forms of oppression with the mindset of power and dominance. When spoken to truthfully, they acknowledge it and do not scorn; when spoken to untruthfully, they make an effort to clarify, saying ‘this is false, this is untrue.’ Therefore, such a person is called a speaker at the right time, a speaker of truths, a speaker of what is beneficial, a speaker in accordance with the Dhamma, a speaker in accordance with discipline.
For such a person, bhikkhus, bad unwholesome qualities born of greed, hate, and delusion are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future. In the present life, they live happily, free of anguish, distress, and fever. In the present life, they are extinguished.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a sal tree, or an axlewood, or a bamboo was choked and engulfed by three kinds of creepers. Then a person comes with a spade and basket. They would cut the creeper at the root, dig it up, and pull it out, down to the fibers and stems. Then they would split the creeper apart, cut up the parts, and chop it into splinters. They would dry the splinters in the wind and sun, burn them with fire, and reduce them to ashes. Then they would sweep away the ashes in a strong wind or float them away down a swift stream. In the same way, bhikkhus, for such a person, bad unwholesome qualities born of greed, hate, and delusion are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future. In the present life, they live happily, free of anguish, distress, and fever. In the present life, they are extinguished.
These, bhikkhus, are the three wholesome roots.
Greed, aversion, and delusion are considered unwholesome because they bind individuals to a cycle of suffering (dukkhā). Greed encompasses the insatiable desire for more, whether it be material possessions, power, or experiences. Aversion represents a deep-seated ill-will, an emotional resistance to what is present or a desire to avoid or destroy what is disliked. Delusion is the misunderstanding of the nature of reality, leading to misguided actions based on incorrect perceptions and assumptions.
Conversely, the wholesome roots offer a path toward liberation and peace. Contentment is the antidote to greed, representing a state of satisfaction and acceptance of what one has. Good-will, the opposite of aversion, is the wish for the well-being of oneself and others, free from hostility. Wisdom, countering delusion, involves the clear understanding of the true nature of things, leading to actions based on insight, close examination and independent verification rather than ignorance.
By cultivating the wholesome roots, individuals can transform their lives, moving away from the causes of suffering toward a state of inner peace and happiness. This shift not only benefits the individual practitioner but also contributes to a more compassionate and understanding world through a practitioner’s interactions with others.
Related Teachings:
Why do beings live in hate? (DN 21) ↗️
The dark chain of causation (Excerpts from DN 15) ↗️
The way to look after yourself and others | At Sedaka (SN 47.19)
You must log in or register to comment.