3: The Book of the Threes
VII. The Great Chapter — AN 3.69: Unskillful Roots
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1“Mendicants, there are these three unskillful roots. What three? Greed, hate, and delusion.
2Greed is a root of the unskillful. When a greedy person chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is unskillful. When a greedy person, overcome by greed, causes another to suffer under a false pretext — by execution or imprisonment or confiscation or condemnation or banishment — thinking ‘I’m powerful, I want power’, that too is unskillful. And so these many bad, unskillful things are produced in them born, sourced, originated, and conditioned by greed.
3Hate is a root of the unskillful. When a hateful person chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is unskillful. When a hateful person, overcome by hate, causes another to suffer under a false pretext — by execution or imprisonment or confiscation or condemnation or banishment — thinking ‘I’m powerful, I want power’, that too is unskillful. And so these many bad, unskillful things are produced in them born, sourced, originated, and conditioned by hate.
4Delusion is a root of the unskillful. When a deluded person chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is unskillful. When a deluded person, overcome by delusion, causes another to suffer under a false pretext — by execution or imprisonment or confiscation or condemnation or banishment — thinking ‘I’m powerful, I want power’, that too is unskillful. And so these many bad, unskillful things are produced in them born, sourced, originated, and conditioned by delusion. Such a person is said to have speech that’s ill-timed, false, meaningless, not in line with the teaching and training.
5Why is this?
This person causes another to suffer under a false pretext — by execution or imprisonment or confiscation or condemnation or banishment — thinking ‘I’m powerful, I want power’. So when someone makes a valid criticism, they’re scornful and admit nothing. When someone makes a baseless criticism, they make no effort to explain, ‘This is why that’s untrue, this is why that’s false.’ That’s why such a person is said have speech that’s ill-timed, false, meaningless, not in line with the teaching and training.
6-8Such a person — overcome with bad, unskillful 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 place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
Suppose a sal, axlewood, or papra tree was choked and engulfed by three camel’s foot creepers. It would fall to ruin and disaster. In the same way, such a person — overcome with bad, unskillful 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 place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
These are the three unskillful roots.
9There are these three skillful roots. What three? Contentment, love, and understanding.
10Contentment is a root of the skillful. When a contented person chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is skillful. When a contented person, not overcome by greed, doesn’t cause another to suffer under a false pretext — by execution or imprisonment or confiscation or condemnation or banishment — thinking ‘I’m powerful, I want power’, that too is skillful. And so these many skillful things are produced in them born, sourced, originated, and conditioned by contentment.
11Love is a root of the skillful. When a loving person chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is skillful. When a loving person, not overcome by hate, doesn’t cause another to suffer under a false pretext — by execution or imprisonment or confiscation or condemnation or banishment — thinking ‘I’m powerful, I want power’, that too is skillful. And so these many skillful things are produced in them born, sourced, originated, and conditioned by love.
12Understanding is a root of the skillful. When an understanding person chooses to act by way of body, speech, or mind, that too is skillful. When an understanding person, not overcome by delusion, doesn’t cause another to suffer under a false pretext — by execution or imprisonment or confiscation or condemnation or banishment — thinking ‘I’m powerful, I want power’, that too is skillful. And so these many skillful things are produced in them born, sourced, originated, and conditioned by understanding. Such a person is said to have speech that’s well-timed, true, meaningful, in line with the teaching and training.
13Why is this? This person doesn’t cause another to suffer under a false pretext — by execution or imprisonment or confiscation or condemnation or banishment — thinking ‘I’m powerful, I want power’. So when someone makes a valid criticism, they admit it and aren’t scornful. When someone makes a baseless criticism, they make an effort to explain, ‘This is why that’s untrue, this is why that’s false.’ That’s why such a person is said to have speech that’s well-timed, true, meaningful, in line with the teaching and training.
14-16For such a person, bad unskillful qualities born of greed, hate, and delusion are cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future. In the present life they’re happy, free of anguish, distress, and fever, and they’re also extinguished in the present life.
Suppose a sal, axlewood, or papra tree was choked and engulfed by three camel’s foot creepers. Then along comes a person with a spade and basket. They’d cut the creeper out by the roots, dig them up, and pull them out, down to the fibers and stems. Then they’d split the creeper apart, cut up the parts, and chop it into splinters. They’d dry the splinters in the wind and sun, burn them with fire, and reduce them to ashes. Then they’d sweep away the ashes in a strong wind, or float them away down a swift stream.
In the same way, for such a person, bad unskillful qualities born of greed, hate, and delusion are cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future. In the present life they’re happy, free of anguish, distress, and fever, and they’re also extinguished in the present life.
These are the three skillful roots.”
1"Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, akusalamūlāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Lobho akusalamūlaṁ, doso akusalamūlaṁ, moho akusalamūlaṁ.
2Yadapi, bhikkhave, lobho tadapi akusalamūlaṁ; yadapi luddho abhisaṅkharoti kāyena vācāya manasā tadapi akusalaṁ; yadapi luddho lobhena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto parassa asatā dukkhaṁ uppādayati vadhena vā bandhanena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā pabbājanāya vā balavamhi balattho itipi tadapi akusalaṁ. Itissame lobhajā lobhanidānā lobhasamudayā lobhapaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti.
3Yadapi, bhikkhave, doso tadapi akusalamūlaṁ; yadapi duṭṭho abhisaṅkharoti kāyena vācāya manasā tadapi akusalaṁ; yadapi duṭṭho dosena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto parassa asatā dukkhaṁ uppādayati vadhena vā bandhanena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā pabbājanāya vā balavamhi balattho itipi tadapi akusalaṁ. Itissame dosajā dosanidānā dosasamudayā dosapaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti.
4Yadapi, bhikkhave, moho tadapi akusalamūlaṁ; yadapi mūḷho abhisaṅkharoti kāyena vācāya manasā tadapi akusalaṁ; yadapi mūḷho mohena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto parassa asatā dukkhaṁ uppādayati vadhena vā bandhanena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā pabbājanāya vā balavamhi balattho itipi tadapi akusalaṁ. Itissame mohajā mohanidānā mohasamudayā mohapaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti. Evarūpo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo vuccati akālavādītipi, abhūtavādītipi, anatthavādītipi, adhammavādītipi, avinayavādītipi.
5Kasmā cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, evarūpo puggalo vuccati akālavādītipi, abhūtavādītipi, anatthavādītipi, adhammavādītipi, avinayavādītipi?
Tathāhāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo parassa asatā dukkhaṁ uppādayati vadhena vā bandhanena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā pabbājanāya vā balavamhi balattho itipi. Bhūtena kho pana vuccamāno avajānāti, no paṭijānāti; abhūtena vuccamāno na ātappaṁ karoti, tassa nibbeṭhanāya itipetaṁ atacchaṁ itipetaṁ abhūtanti. Tasmā evarūpo puggalo vuccati akālavādītipi, abhūtavādītipi, anatthavādītipi, adhammavādītipi, avinayavādītipi.
6Evarūpo, bhikkhave, puggalo lobhajehi pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto diṭṭhe ceva dhamme dukkhaṁ viharati, savighātaṁ saupāyāsaṁ sapariḷāhaṁ. Kāyassa ca bhedā paraṁ maraṇā duggati pāṭikaṅkhā.
7Dosajehi … pe … mohajehi pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto diṭṭhe ceva dhamme dukkhaṁ viharati, savighātaṁ saupāyāsaṁ sapariḷāhaṁ. Kāyassa ca bhedā paraṁ maraṇā duggati pāṭikaṅkhā.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sālo vā dhavo vā phandano vā tīhi māluvālatāhi uddhasto pariyonaddho anayaṁ āpajjati, byasanaṁ āpajjati, anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, evarūpo puggalo lobhajehi pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto diṭṭhe ceva dhamme dukkhaṁ viharati, savighātaṁ saupāyāsaṁ sapariḷāhaṁ. Kāyassa ca bhedā paraṁ maraṇā duggati pāṭikaṅkhā.
8Dosajehi … pe … mohajehi pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto diṭṭhe ceva dhamme dukkhaṁ viharati savighātaṁ saupāyāsaṁ sapariḷāhaṁ. Kāyassa ca bhedā paraṁ maraṇā duggati pāṭikaṅkhā.
Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi akusalamūlānīti.
9Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, kusalamūlāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Alobho kusalamūlaṁ, adoso kusalamūlaṁ, amoho kusalamūlaṁ.
10Yadapi, bhikkhave, alobho tadapi kusalamūlaṁ; yadapi aluddho abhisaṅkharoti kāyena vācāya manasā tadapi kusalaṁ; yadapi aluddho lobhena anabhibhūto apariyādinnacitto na parassa asatā dukkhaṁ uppādayati vadhena vā bandhanena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā pabbājanāya vā balavamhi balattho itipi tadapi kusalaṁ. Itissame alobhajā alobhanidānā alobhasamudayā alobhapaccayā aneke kusalā dhammā sambhavanti.
11Yadapi, bhikkhave, adoso tadapi kusalamūlaṁ; yadapi aduṭṭho abhisaṅkharoti kāyena vācāya manasā tadapi kusalaṁ; yadapi aduṭṭho dosena anabhibhūto apariyādinnacitto na parassa asatā dukkhaṁ uppādayati vadhena vā bandhanena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā pabbājanāya vā balavamhi balattho itipi tadapi kusalaṁ. Itissame adosajā adosanidānā adosasamudayā adosapaccayā aneke kusalā dhammā sambhavanti.
12Yadapi, bhikkhave, amoho tadapi kusalamūlaṁ; yadapi amūḷho abhisaṅkharoti kāyena vācāya manasā tadapi kusalaṁ; yadapi amūḷho mohena anabhibhūto apariyādinnacitto na parassa asatā dukkhaṁ uppādayati vadhena vā bandhanena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā pabbājanāya vā balavamhi balattho itipi tadapi kusalaṁ. Itissame amohajā amohanidānā amohasamudayā amohapaccayā aneke kusalā dhammā sambhavanti. Evarūpo cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo vuccati kālavādītipi, bhūtavādītipi, atthavādītipi, dhammavādītipi, vinayavādītipi.
13Kasmā cāyaṁ, bhikkhave, evarūpo puggalo vuccati kālavādītipi, bhūtavādītipi, atthavādītipi, dhammavādītipi, vinayavādītipi? Tathāhāyaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalo na parassa asatā dukkhaṁ uppādayati vadhena vā bandhanena vā jāniyā vā garahāya vā pabbājanāya vā balavamhi balattho itipi. Bhūtena kho pana vuccamāno paṭijānāti no avajānāti; abhūtena vuccamāno ātappaṁ karoti tassa nibbeṭhanāya: ‘itipetaṁ atacchaṁ, itipetaṁ abhūtan’ti. Tasmā evarūpo puggalo vuccati kālavādītipi, atthavādītipi, dhammavādītipi, vinayavādītipi.
14Evarūpassa, bhikkhave, puggalassa lobhajā pāpakā akusalā dhammā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Diṭṭheva dhamme sukhaṁ viharati avighātaṁ anupāyāsaṁ apariḷāhaṁ. Diṭṭheva dhamme parinibbāyati.
15Dosajā … pe … parinibbāyati. Mohajā … pe … parinibbāyati.
Seyyathāpi bhikkhave, sālo vā dhavo vā phandano vā tīhi māluvālatāhi uddhasto pariyonaddho. Atha puriso āgaccheyya kudālapiṭakaṁ ādāya. So taṁ māluvālataṁ mūle chindeyya, mūle chetvā palikhaṇeyya, palikhaṇitvā mūlāni uddhareyya, antamaso usīranāḷimattānipi. So taṁ māluvālataṁ khaṇḍākhaṇḍikaṁ chindeyya, khaṇḍākhaṇḍikaṁ chetvā phāleyya, phāletvā sakalikaṁ sakalikaṁ kareyya, sakalikaṁ sakalikaṁ karitvā vātātape visoseyya, vātātape visosetvā agginā ḍaheyya, agginā ḍahitvā masiṁ kareyya, masiṁ karitvā mahāvāte vā ophuṇeyya nadiyā vā sīghasotāya pavāheyya.
Evamassa tā, bhikkhave, māluvālatā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, evarūpassa puggalassa lobhajā pāpakā akusalā dhammā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Diṭṭheva dhamme sukhaṁ viharati avighātaṁ anupāyāsaṁ apariḷāhaṁ. Diṭṭheva dhamme parinibbāyati.
16Dosajā … pe … mohajā pāpakā akusalā dhammā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Diṭṭheva dhamme sukhaṁ viharati avighātaṁ anupāyāsaṁ apariḷāhaṁ. Diṭṭheva dhamme parinibbāyati.
Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi kusalamūlānī"ti.
Navamaṁ.