WHAT ARE THE ROOTS OF UNSKILLFUL
AKUSALAMULA SUTTA
“Mendicants, there are these three unskillful roots. What
three? Greed, hate, and delusion.
Greed 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.
Hate 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.
Delusion 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.
Why 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 to have speech that’s
ill-timed, false, meaningless, not in line with the teaching and training.
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 bad place.
Suppose a sal, axlewood, or boxwood 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 bad place.
These are the three unskillful roots.
There are these three skillful roots. What three?
Contentment, love, and understanding.
Contentment 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.
Love 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.
Understanding 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.
Why 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.
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.
Suppose a sal, axlewood, or boxwood 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.”