Greed – Hate – Delusion

The Blessed One said, “Monks, if you are asked by wanderers of other sects, ‘Friends, there are these three qualities. Which three? Passion, aversion, & delusion. These are the three qualities. Now what is the difference, what the distinction, what the distinguishing factor among these three qualities?’ —
when thus asked, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this way, ‘Friends, passion carries little blame and is slow to fade. Aversion carries great blame and is quick to fade. Delusion carries great blame and is slow to fade. (AN 3.69 -Titthiya Sutta)

Greed

1. What do you think? Is there greed?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”

2. “Covetousness is the meaning of that, I say. Through greed a covetous man kills breathing things, takes what is not given, commits adultery, and utters falsehood, and he gets another to do likewise.

3. Will that be long for his harm and suffering?”
“Yes, venerable sir.” (AN 3.66  Sāḷha Sutta)

Hate

1. “What do you think, is there hate?”
“Yes, venerable sir.” —

2. “Ill-will is the meaning of that, I say. Through hate a malevolent man kills breathing things , takes what is not given, commits adultery, and utters falsehood, and he gets another to do likewise.

3. Will that be long for his harm and suffering?”
“Yes, venerable sir.” (AN 3.66  Sāḷha Sutta)


4. ‘But what, friends, is the reason, what the cause, why unarisen aversion arises, or arisen aversion tends to growth & abundance?’

‘The theme of irritation,’ it should be said. ‘For one who attends inappropriately to the theme of irritation, unarisen aversion arises and arisen aversion tends to growth & abundance…’

5. ‘But what, friends, is the reason, what the cause, why unarisen aversion does not arise, or arisen aversion is abandoned?’
‘Good will as an awareness-release,’ it should be said. ‘For one who attends appropriately to good will as an awareness-release, unarisen aversion does not arise and arisen aversion is abandoned. This is the reason, this the cause, why unarisen aversion does not arise and arisen aversion is abandoned.’ . (AN 3.69 -Titthiya Sutta)

6. “But, friend Ananda, seeing what drawbacks in aversion do you advocate the abandoning of aversion?
“An aversive person, his mind bound up, overcome with aversion, wills for his own detriment, wills for the detriment of others, wills for the detriment of both. He also experiences mental stress & sorrow. But having abandoned aversion, he doesn’t will for his own detriment, doesn’t will for the detriment of others, doesn’t will for the detriment of both. He doesn’t experience mental stress or sorrow.

“An aversive person, his mind bound up, overcome with aversion, engages in bodily misconduct, in verbal misconduct, in mental misconduct. But having abandoned aversion, he doesn’t engage in bodily misconduct, in verbal misconduct, or in mental misconduct.

“An aversive person, his mind bound up, overcome with aversion, doesn’t discern, as it actually is, what is of profit to himself, what is of profit to others, what is of profit to both. But having abandoned aversion, he discerns, as it actually is, what is of profit to himself, what is of profit to others, what is of profit to both.

“Aversion, my friend, makes you blind, makes you sightless, makes you ignorant. It brings about the cessation of discernment, is conducive to trouble, and does not lead to Unbinding. (AN 3.72 Channa Sutta)

Delusion

1. “What do you think? Is there delusion?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”

2. “Ignorance is the meaning of that, I say. Through ignorance a deluded man kills breathing things, takes what is not given, commits adultery, and utters falsehood, and he gets another to do likewise.

3. Will that be long for his harm and suffering?”
“Yes, venerable sir.” (AN 3.66  Sāḷha Sutta)

4. ‘But what, friends, is the reason, what the cause, why unarisen delusion arises, or arisen delusion tends to growth & abundance?’
‘Inappropriate attention,’ it should be said. ‘For one who attends inappropriately, unarisen delusion arises and arisen delusion tends to growth & abundance…’

5. ‘But what, friends, is the reason, what the cause, why unarisen delusion does not arise, or arisen delusion is abandoned?’
‘Appropriate attention,’ it should be said. ‘For one who attends appropriately, unarisen delusion does not arise and arisen delusion is abandoned. This is the reason, this the cause, why unarisen delusion does not arise and arisen delusion is abandoned.’ . (AN 3.69 -Titthiya Sutta)

6. “But, friend Ananda, seeing what drawbacks in delusion do you advocate the abandoning of delusion?”
“A deluded person, his mind bound up, overcome with delusion, wills for his own detriment, wills for the detriment of others, wills for the detriment of both. He also experiences mental stress & sorrow. But having abandoned delusion, he doesn’t will for his own detriment, doesn’t will for the detriment of others, doesn’t will for the detriment of both. He doesn’t experience mental stress or sorrow.

“A deluded person, his mind bound up, overcome with delusion, engages in bodily misconduct, in verbal misconduct, in mental misconduct. But having abandoned delusion, he doesn’t engage in bodily misconduct, in verbal misconduct, or in mental misconduct.

“A deluded person, his mind bound up, overcome with delusion, doesn’t discern, as it actually is, what is of profit to himself, what is of profit to others, what is of profit to both. But having abandoned delusion, he discerns, as it actually is, what is of profit to himself, what is of profit to others, what is of profit to both.

“Delusion, my friend, makes you blind, makes you sightless, makes you ignorant. It brings about the cessation of discernment, is conducive to trouble, and does not lead to Unbinding. (AN 3.72 Channa Sutta)