The Three Mental Poisons

Introduction

In Buddhist teachings, the three mental poisons—also referred to as the three fires or three unwholesome roots— make reference to ignorance, greed, and aversion; the poisonous states of mind that create, sustain, and perpetuate non-virtuous and unskillful thoughts and actions. The three mental poisons demonstrate how dangerous and destructive thoughts and feelings can be if they are not acknowledged, understood, and transformed by the self (Burk 2018). Ignorance/delusion refers to a wrong understanding or misperception of reality. Craving/greed refers to our selfishness, and habit of always wanting bigger and better and overall lack of willingness to achieve contentment (Nhat Hanh 1988 15-16) . Aversion/hatred refers to our resistance and dislike towards people that we do not like, our own feelings of discomfort, and difficult circumstances. With ignorance as the root, the three mental poisons are hindrances that are at the true causes of human suffering (dukka), and unwholesome karma (akusala) (Jenkins) (Burk 2018) .

Representation of Mental Poisons

A common depiction of the three mental poisons is an illustration of a cockerel to represent ignorance, a snake to represent aversion, and a pig/hog to represent greed. The drawing is significant because it puts on display the toxicity that the three poisons manifest as they are in pursuit for what is ahead of them while at the same time being at risk of consumption by whatever is behind them. (Burk 2018).

Ignorance

Ignorance or delusion is our wrong perception of the reality we live in. Without a realistic gage on the world we live in, the ignorant have no ability to understand things as they are. In Buddhist teachings, life relies on the symbiotic relationship between interdependence and impermanence. Without a strong link between interdependence and impermanence, we cannot attain stability and clarity within the self, with those around us, and with life in general (Bahiya 1970). With the inability to connect with the self, the ignorant feel a constant need to reach outside of themselves to derive happiness, pleasure, and sense of belonging only to recognize that what they are searching for cannot be found, but must be attained. People are often under the misconception that there is a permanent self and that our states of mind are fixed, unchanging, and are not supposed to change (Nhat Hanh 1988 15-16) (Jenkins). Ignorance also connotes to unwillingness to acknowledge the constant changes within ourselves and throughout the world we live in. There is no possibility for growth or improvement without clarity and acknowledgement.  

Antidote to Ignorance

To successfully and consistently live a life without delusion, one has to cultivate wisdom, and right understanding. One large aspect of cultivating right understanding is by seeing reality, whether good or bad, for what it is. Ignorance is largely manifested through the distorted lens of our desires, fears, expectations and hopes. In focusing solely on what we want and what we hope for, we lose the ability to be at peace within ourselves and with others because the greed drives us, and with that greed often comes the lack of acknowledgement that all humans are inseparably related. With knowledge and awareness of the inseparable relation between humans then the Buddhist notion of karma can be understood in full; with wholesome karma bringing positive results and unskillful/unwholesome karma bringing negative results.

Greed

Greed or craving, is often characterized by clinging, unquenchable thirst (tanha), and lust. Greed is difficult to satisfy with our first inclinations being to find varying objects of desire to appease our cravings. Greed creates a hunger that is insatiable for the self as the sensations of dissatisfaction and incompletion are intermingled. The dissatisfaction stems from the continuous search for more outside of the self, while the feeling of incompletion stems from the disillusionment of an unattainable goal created out of ignorance (Burk 2018). The frustration that arises from feeling this insatiability leads to feelings of entitlement and subsequently deeper feelings of discontent, for contentment under the guise of greed can never be achieved. Greed also manifests itself by way of not showing compassion or generosity to the self and those around you. The lack of compassion and generosity is rooted in sentiments of self-preservation and self protection, in constantly worrying about the self, one will lose touch with the environment around them (Jenkins)(Garfield 1995 pp 77-78).

The Antidote to Greed

In order to overcome greed, one has to learn to cultivate and sustain contentment, detachment, selflessness, and generosity. The cultivation of these qualities has to be done slowly and over time as there must be a balance between the possibility to move forward and grow, and balance of contentment within the present (Burk 2018). In experiencing symptoms of greed, one can contemplate the impermanence of the objects or people that they are yearning for (Nhat Hanh 1988 pp 15-16). Another way to unlearn greed is by practice of giving up the things we are most attached to. In addition, the service to self and service to others such as community service, can relinquish symptoms of greed over time (Jenkins).

Hatred

Hatred is centered towards our anger and repulsion towards unpleasant people, circumstances, and in some cases even towards our own feelings. With aversion humans often resist feelings of discomfort, unhappy feelings, difficult circumstances and people we do not like. Hatred propels us into a cycle of seeking out the negative and looking for conflict in our day to day interactions(Garfield 1995 pp 77-78). As a result of the vicious cycle of negativity, the mind is unable to be at ease; instead it becomes alight with continuous thoughts and methodologies on how to best protect ourselves and how to exact revenge on those who have or could harm us (Burk 2018). Hatred is a slow working poison that begins with the dissolution of the self; beginning with denial, resistance, and lack of acknowledgement. There can be no love without understanding, and understanding cannot be had without honesty, that honesty being first and foremost with the self (Bahiya 1970).

The Antidote to Hatred

In order to overcome hatred, one has to learn how to cultivate compassion, understanding, and kindness to the self and others. In everyday interactions with the self and others, in using compassion, understanding, and kindness the poison of hatred in its many forms are counteracted. Similarly to how we are taught to be open minded and to embrace the differences of others, that same mindset has to be applied when not perceiving through the lens of hatred. The challenge in attaining complete relinquishment from the poison is learning how to let go of all defenses, be open-minded, and let go of denial(Jenkins).

References

1. Bahiya. “THE THREE POISONS.” THE THREE POISONS, 1 Jan. 1970, dharmacharibahiya.blogspot.com/2010/08/three-poisons.html
2. Burk, Domyo. “Buddha’s Teachings Part 6: The Three Poisons as the Root of All Evil”, The Zen Studies Podcast, May 11, 2018 https://zenstudiespodcast.com/three-poisons/
3. Garfield, Jay. The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way (p 77-78), New York, 1995
4. Jenkins, Reginald, et al. “The Three Poisons.” Sunyata Buddhist Centre, Sunyata Buddhist Centre, www.sunyatacentre.org/the-three-poisons/.
5. Nhat Hanh, Thich. The Heart of Understanding, Berkeley California, Parallax Press, 1988

Further Readings

1. Bahiya. “THE THREE POISONS.” THE THREE POISONS, 1 Jan. 1970, dharmacharibahiya.blogspot.com/2010/08/three-poisons.html. This article from the Sunyata Buddhist centre examines and presents to readers the many ways that each mental poison can be created and sustained in relationships with themselves, others, and the world around us. 
2. Burk, Domyo. “Buddha’s Teachings Part 6: The Three Poisons as the Root of All Evil”, The Zen Studies Podcast, May 11, 2018 https://zenstudiespodcast.com/three-poisons/ This article delves into the cyclical relationship between aversion, ignorance, and craving and specifically how each poison manifests itself, and how that manifestation perpetuates success of the following poison.
3. Jenkins, Reginald, et al. “The Three Poisons.” Sunyata Buddhist Centre, Sunyata Buddhist Centre, www.sunyatacentre.org/the-three-poisons/. This podcast talks about the roots of unskillful karma, wholesome karma and the role motive and good intent play in receiving positive and negative karma.

External Links

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaO_6K6d-50&feature=youtu.be This video is led by Thubeten Chodron who teaches viewers the antidotes to anger, attachment, and misunderstanding in its relationship to action and reaction.
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9PCNHosQ-s This video discussed the three poisons and a multitude of antidotes  from both early Buddhist teachings and more recent teachings
3. https://zenstudiespodcast.com/three-poisons/  This podcast speaks in depth about the nature of unwholesome karma and its relation to the three poisons and how the two form a symbiotic relationship., as well as the antidotes to the three poisons.