The six roots and kamma: why the inclinations and tendencies of beings differ
- Win Thu Wun
- May 5
- 22 min read
Updated: May 7
Different beings have different mental inclinations and tendencies, which influence how they think, speak, act, and interact with others. These variations also affect those around them. The Abhidhamma Commentary explains the reasons for such differences in considerable detail.
As we know, our present existence is shaped by five key causal factors accumulated in the past: avijjā (ignorance), taṇhā (craving), upādāna (attachment), saṅkhāra (volitional formations), and kamma. The present mind continuum reflects (some of) the tendencies that were present in the past continuum when the kamma leading to our current rebirth was being formed.
The Buddha taught that there are three roots of evil: greed, hatred, and delusion. These three mental states form the foundation of all unwholesome tendencies, from the faintest mental inclinations to the most extreme expressions in thought, speech, and action. Whether appearing in subtle or gross forms, they are the primary causes of suffering and lead to the inferior results of kamma.
Conversely, these roots have their opposites: non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion. These are the three roots of good: they underpin unselfishness, generosity, and renunciation; the expressions of loving-kindness and compassion; and all achievements in wisdom and understanding. These roots are the sources of superior kamma, which results in beneficial outcomes and higher states of being.
The six mental states—greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), delusion (moha), non-greed (alobha), non-hatred (adosa), and non-delusion (amoha)—are pivotal in shaping the kamma. They determine the moral quality of actions and their consequences. These roots are the foundation of the saṃsāric experiences, from which both sweet and bitter fruits grow. The superiority or inferiority of kamma depends on the strength of these roots in the individual’s mental continuum. A mind dominated by the roots of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion leads to elevated actions and outcomes, while a mind governed by greed, hatred, and delusion results in harmful actions and inferior consequences.
As kamma are accumulated with these roots as their foundation, in the round of saṃsāra, among beings still wandering and roaming:
Greed is abundant in some;
Hatred is abundant in some;
Delusion is abundant in some;
Non-greed is abundant in some;
Non-hatred is abundant in some; and
Non-delusion is abundant in some.
The Abhidhamma Commentary explains what maintains this abundance, and what determines such diversity?
"Pubbe hetu niyāmeti. Kammāyūhanakkhaṇeyeva nānattaṃ hoti."
"Prior causes determine [one's nature]. Diversity occurs at the very moment of kamma formation." (Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.308)
The past causes, known as pubbe-hetu, maintain and determine such diversity and abundance. They "manage" and "regulate" it. Even at the time when the kamma that is currently giving results was being performed, these kamma were already diverse and varied, differing from person to person. These kamma manage and determine whether one will have abundant greed, be a person of great greed, have abundant non-greed, be a person without great greed, and so forth. In detail, it is as follows:
Type 1 Person: One With Strong Greed
(Strong Greed, Non-Hatred, and Non-Delusion / Weak Hatred, Delusion, and Non-Greed)
“For one in whom, at the moment of kamma formation, greed was strong and non-greed was weak, while non-hatred and non-delusion were strong, and hatred and delusion were weak, the weak non-greed cannot overcome greed, but the strong non-hatred and non-delusion can overcome hatred and delusion. Therefore, when reborn through that kamma, such a person is greedy but good-natured, not quick to anger, and possesses wisdom with diamond-like knowledge.” (Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.308)
At the moment this person performed the kamma that led to their present human rebirth, the following mental factors were present in their mind:
Mental Factor | Strength at the Time of Kamma Formation |
Greed | Strong and dominant |
Non-greed (generosity, renunciation) | Weak and ineffective |
Hatred | Weak and feeble |
Non-hatred (loving-kindness) | Strong and energetic |
Delusion | Weak and feeble |
Non-delusion (wisdom) | Strong and energetic |
Because non-greed was weak, it could not counteract the powerful greed. However, since non-hatred and non-delusion were strong and energetic, they successfully overcame hatred and delusion.
As a result, this person:
Is highly greedy, as a result of the dominant greed at the time of kamma formation.
Is peaceful, kind-natured, and not quick to anger, due to strong non-hatred suppressing hatred.
Possesses sharp, penetrating wisdom due to the strength of non-delusion.(Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.308)
Due to having cultivated kamma with strong greed, when that kamma bears fruit in a life, one becomes a person with strong greed, with attachment and desire for all animate and inanimate sense objects. Due to kamma with strong non-hatred (loving-kindness), one becomes a person who habitually lives with a peaceful mind. One becomes a person who does not get angry, does not have a bad temper, and is not dominated by hatred. Due to kamma with strong non-delusion (wisdom), one becomes a person with sharp, diamond-like wisdom. The energy and influence of the past reflect in the present. Similarly, the energy and influence of the present will continue to reflect in the future.
Let's consider the story of the wealthy merchant Jotika and his elder brother from a time before the appearance of Buddha Vipassī, during a period without the Buddha's teaching, when they each offered a sugarcane to a Paccekabuddha (Silent Buddha). The younger brother, who would later become the wealthy merchant Jotika, made an offering of a sugarcane to the Paccekabuddha and wished for the threefold happiness of human, divine, and Nibbāna. The elder brother, on the other hand, wished only for Nibbāna as a result of his sugarcane offering.
The recipient was the same, and the offering was the same. But their mental attitudes differed. The younger brother, the future Jotika, cultivated his kamma of giving while surrounded by the element of greed, with attachment to human and divine happiness. However, he also had the element of non-hatred (loving-kindness) towards the Paccekabuddha recipient, and was accompanied by the wisdom of right view regarding kamma and its results. The elder brother, by wishing only for Nibbāna, cultivated his kamma surrounded by the elements of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion. These three elements were strong and powerful in him.
When these kammas eventually bore fruit, both became extremely wealthy sons of merchants. When they encountered the dispensation of Buddha Vipassī, the elder brother, who had cultivated kamma surrounded by non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion, gave up all his wealth and prosperity to his younger brother, entered the monastic order, developed the practices of a monk, and became an Arahant. Due to kamma rooted in non-greed, he was able to relinquish his wealth and possessions without any attachment or desire, becoming a person without strong greed. Through the power of non-hatred (loving-kindness), he lived peacefully as an Arahant. Through the power of non-delusion (wisdom), he penetrated and realised the Four Noble Truths through the path and fruition of Arahantship. He became a person of great wisdom.
The younger brother, on the other hand, having cultivated kamma surrounded by the element of greed with attachment to human and divine happiness, could not relinquish his wealth and prosperity when he encountered it. He remained strongly attached and became a person of great greed. His element of non-greed was unable to overcome his strong element of greed. However, since his kamma was also accompanied by the elements of non-hatred (loving-kindness) and non-delusion (wisdom), he became a person with strong loving-kindness towards Buddha Vipassī. He built and offered a great monastery for the Buddha, and also became a person with great loving-kindness towards human beings.
With a mind suffused with mettā, he wished: "May people develop wholesome intentions through their veneration of the Buddha Vipassī; may their wholesome qualities grow through hearing the Buddha’s teachings; and may they gain special knowledge and insight." Moved by this boundless loving-kindness, he scattered rubies the size of kneecaps around the Gandhakuṭī monastery, declaring that anyone might take a handful. His compassion for humanity became deeply rooted. He wished that even those indifferent to seeing the Buddha would be drawn to the monastery by desire for the rubies, thereby gaining the chance to see the Buddha and hear his Dhamma. He did this dāna with the hope that, through listening, they might attain the profound benefits of the Path and Fruition knowledge. This generosity exemplified noble loving-kindness and noble wisdom, arising from the absence of hatred and delusion. Yet, because his non-greed was not strong enough to overcome his latent greed, he was still bound to wander the cycle of birth and death for 91 aeons and failed to liberate during the Buddha Vipassī's dispensation. However, as he had also wished for the great happiness of Nibbāna, he gained the opportunity for liberation during the dispensation of Buddha Gotama.
Looking at this discourse, we can understand that kamma cultivated in previous lives determines in this life:
Whether one becomes a person of great greed or not.
Whether one becomes a person of great hatred or not.
Whether one becomes a person of great wisdom or not.
Similarly, we can now understand that the kamma we perform in this life will determine these same qualities in our future lives. Therefore, when cultivating kamma, it is necessary to avoid surrounding it with inferior elements like greed, hatred, pride, conceit, envy, and stinginess, and instead to cultivate kamma surrounded by the most noble elements of loving-kindness, compassion, and wisdom.
What to be mindful of:
Now, within the Buddha's dispensation, there are clear meditative practices for developing the highest levels of loving-kindness, beautifying one's mind by imbuing it with loving-kindness, even to the attainment of the jhāna of loving-kindness. Similarly, there are clear meditative practices for developing the highest levels of compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity in one's mental continuum.
If one can successfully practise these concentration exercises, one's mind, in which loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity dwell, will be of a very high calibre. When one cultivates kamma surrounded and accompanied by such elevated mental states, if that kamma has the opportunity to give results, conditions and produces a new existence, in that life one will:
Become a person with great loving-kindness towards beings,
Become a person with great compassion towards beings,
Become a person with great sympathetic joy towards beings,
Become a person with great equanimity towards beings.
These are the elevated attitudes that should be held and maintained towards fellow beings as we journey through saṃsāra. They are highly desirable mental states. Being noble practices, they are also known by the special name of Brahmavihāra or "divine abidings."
Furthermore, the highest wisdom practices are also clearly present in this dispensation. The methods for seeing the extremely minute material clusters (rūpa-kalāpas) in the material world, the methods for penetrating these material clusters to the level of ultimate reality, and the methods for penetrating the cognitive processes that arise according to the laws of mind to the level of ultimate reality-these practices are available only within the dispensation of the Perfectly Enlightened Buddha. Similarly, practices related to dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda) and insight meditation (vipassanā) are available only within the Buddha's dispensation. Through successfully practising these methods, one can attain:
Knowledge that penetrates and discriminates mind and matter to the level of ultimate reality (nāmarūpapariccheda-ñāṇa)
Knowledge that discerns and grasps the causal conditions of these mental and material phenomena (paccayapariggaha-ñāṇa)
Insight knowledge that penetrates the impermanent, unsatisfactory, and non-self nature of these mental-material phenomena and their causes and effects, up to the attainment of Path and Fruition (vipassanā-ñāṇa)
Noble Path Knowledge (ariya-magga-ñāṇa)
Noble Fruition Knowledge (ariya-phala-ñāṇa)
These are the highest forms of wisdom. They are not forms of knowledge available outside the dispensation. They are not types of knowledge attainable in today's scientific world. Nor are they types of wisdom available in the various philosophical disciplines that exist outside the dispensation today. They are the most profound forms of wisdom that can be achieved only within the Buddha's dispensation.
The mind of a noble person, imbued with these highest forms of wisdom, is itself of the highest calibre. The mind of such a noble person, elevated to this highest level, can:
Rescue and liberate your mental and physical continuum from the great dangers of the lower realms.
Rescue and liberate you from the great dangers of the cycle of existence (saṃsāra): the great danger of ageing, the great danger of illness, the great danger of death, and the great danger of rebirth.
If the journey through saṃsāra is not yet complete and one must continue to wander through the cycle of existence, it can manage to make you a person of the greatest wisdom and intelligence.
These are the results of elevating one's own mind through loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion (wisdom). When one's mind is imbued with these wholesome elements and raised to a very high level, it elevates one's life, rescues one from various forms of suffering, and raises one to become a noble human being and a divine being. The countless Buddhas who have appeared, more numerous than the sands of the Ganges, also attained Buddhahood because they were able to imbue their minds with wholesome elements in the form of the ten perfections (pāramī). Therefore, the mind of a person, with effort, is the kind of mind that can become a Buddha.
If, however, the person does not elevate their mind in this way, if they cultivate unwholesome elements rather than wholesome ones, then their mind will become degraded. A degraded mind will lead to various lower states of existence.
If, in cultivating kamma, a person does so with the aspiration “never to be separated from this spouse, this son, this wife, this mother, this father, etc., or even to share the same nest on the same branch even when reborn as birds,” then their kamma is enveloped by the element of greed: the attachment and desire for one another. Should they perform meritorious deeds together, and that kamma ripens, leading them to meet again in a future life, they will find it difficult to part from one another and will become deeply entangled in mutual attachment.
In the same way, if one cultivates kamma surrounded by greed in the form of attachment to wealth, position, and status—with ambitions for business success, abundant riches, gold, or advancement in rank—then when that kamma bears fruit and results in a prosperous life, as in the example of Jotika mentioned earlier, one will find it hard to detach from possessions. If one attains high position, one will cling to it, unable to let go, like a frog or a snake grasping a stone.
If one cultivates kamma accompanied by hatred and dissatisfaction, then when that kamma bears fruit, one will become a person prone to intense anger and constant discontent—incapable of being satisfied with anyone in the world.
Moreover, if one cultivates kamma driven by boastfulness, exploitation, self-importance, and contempt, states led by greed and conceit, then when this kamma ripens, one will become boastful by nature, unable to refrain from self-aggrandisement, constantly seeking superiority over others, exuding arrogance, always looking down upon others, refusing to associate with them, or even to speak or reach out.
If one cultivates kamma suffused with envy (issā)—the mental state of resenting others' success and being jealous of their prosperity—then, when that kamma bears fruit, one will become filled with envy, unable to tolerate the sight of anyone more successful.
Likewise, if one cultivates kamma tainted by stinginess (macchariya)—the mental state that cannot tolerate others associating with one’s belongings, or interacting with one’s animate or inanimate sense objects—then when that kamma bears fruit, one will become steeped in stinginess. One may become unable to endure others touching one’s possessions, or associating with one’s son, one’s daughter or those dear to them.
Having carefully contemplated these truths, if you seek release from saṃsāra, or aim to attain a higher rebirth, then you must refine and uplift your own mind. Each day, almost every moment, countless bodily, verbal, and mental kamma are constantly being formed. To prevent these kamma from being infused with unwholesome roots, and to ensure that they are always surrounded by wholesome qualities, you must imbue your mind with concentration and wisdom—that is, with faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom—by diligently practising samatha and vipassanā meditation whenever time allows.
Type 2 Person: One With Strong Greed and Hatred
(Strong Greed, Hatred, and Non-Delusion / Weak Non-Greed, Non-Hatred, and Delusion)
“For one who, at the moment of kamma formation, has strong greed and hatred, while non-greed and non-hatred are weak, but non-delusion is strong and delusion is weak, such a person, in the manner previously described, becomes both greedy and hateful, yet possesses wisdom with diamond-like knowledge, like the Elder Dattābhaya.” (Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.308)
At the time this person performed the kamma that led to their present rebirth, the following mental qualities were present in their mind:
Mental Factor | Strength at the Time of Kamma Formation |
Greed | Strong and dominant |
Non-greed | Weak and ineffective |
Hatred | Strong and dominant |
Non-hatred (loving-kindness) | Weak and ineffective |
Delusion | Weak and feeble |
Non-delusion (wisdom) | Strong and energetic |
In their past life, when performing this kamma, the person had a strong sense of attachment to existence, possessions, and status. Alongside this, they harboured a powerful sense of displeasure—“displeased with this person, displeased with that person”—which gave rise to strong hatred. Despite these unwholesome tendencies, their mind was also supported by a strong presence of wisdom (non-delusion).
It is also important to understand what is meant by wisdom (non-delusion), even when the other two unwholesome states are present. In this context, wisdom primarily refers to the wisdom that leads to development of concentration, wisdom that leads to vipassanā knowledge: the penetrative knowledge that discerns ultimate reality, the causes and conditions of nāma-rūpa, and the three characteristics of all conditioned phenomena: anicca (impermanence), dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), and anatta (non-self). It also includes right view regarding kamma (kammassakatā-sammādiṭṭhi): the understanding that beings are the true heirs of their actions.
As a result of the abundance of these opposing mental states, because:
Greed was strong, they are reborn as a person with great greed.
Hatred was strong, they become quick-tempered or resentful, showing strong hatred.
Non-delusion was strong, so they possess sharp, penetrating wisdom.
(Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.308)
Type 3 Person: One With Strong Greed and Delusion
(Strong Greed, Non-Hatred, and Delusion / Weak Non-Greed, Hatred, and Non-Delusion)
“For one who, at the moment of kamma formation, has strong greed, non-hatred, and delusion, while the others are weak, such a person, in the manner previously described, becomes both greedy and dull, yet good-natured and not quick to anger.”(Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.308)
At the time of performing the kamma that led to their present rebirth, the following mental qualities were active in the person’s mind:
Mental Factor | Strength at the Time of Kamma Formation |
Greed | Strong and dominant |
Non-greed | Weak and ineffective |
Hatred | Weak and feeble |
Non-hatred (loving-kindness) | Strong and energetic |
Delusion | Strong and dominant |
Non-delusion (wisdom) | Weak and ineffective |
During the moment of cultivating wholesome kamma that resulted in a human rebirth:
Greed was strong and non-greed was weak. Therefore, non-greed could not overcome the strong greed, and this person becomes highly greedy.
Delusion was strong and non-delusion (wisdom) was weak. As a result, this person becomes dull and lacking in discernment, like a fool.
Non-hatred (loving-kindness) was strong and hatred was weak. The strong non-hatred successfully overcame hatred, so the person is good-natured, calm, and not quick to anger.
As a result, this person:
Is greedy (due to strong greed and weak non-greed).
Is dull and lacking wisdom (due to strong delusion and weak non-delusion).
Is peaceful and kind-natured (due to strong non-hatred and weak hatred).(Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.308)
It is a point worthy of special attention that if one performs a wholesome deed without wisdom (as explained above), without any understanding, then, when that kamma bears fruit, it may lead to rebirth as a dull, foolish, or unwise individual. One must take particular care not to engage in kamma absent-mindedly. If an action is carried out without mindfulness and becomes established as kamma, it is not easily revoked or undone. Such kamma can only be eradicated through insight knowledge (vipassanā-ñāṇa), path knowledge (magga-ñāṇa), and fruition knowledge (phala-ñāṇa). Most notably, it is the knowledge of Arahantship (arahatta-magga-ñāṇa) that possesses the power to utterly destroy all residual kamma, especially that which is poised to produce results at the moment before final passing away (parinibbāna). For this reason, it is essential that wisdom accompanies every wholesome deed one performs.
Type 4 Person: One With Strong Greed, Hatred, and Delusion
(Strong Greed, Hatred, and Delusion / Weak Non-Greed, Non-Hatred, and Non-Delusion)
“Similarly, for one who, at the moment of kamma formation, all three—greed, hatred, and delusion—are strong, while non-greed and the others are weak, such a person, in the manner previously described, becomes greedy, hateful, and deluded.” (Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.308)
At the moment of cultivating the kamma that led to this person’s human rebirth, the following mental factors were dominant or feeble in their mental continuum:
Mental Factor | Strength at the Time of Kamma Formation |
Greed | Strong and dominant |
Non-greed | Weak and ineffective |
Hatred | Strong and dominant |
Non-hatred (loving-kindness) | Weak and ineffective |
Delusion | Strong and dominant |
Non-delusion (wisdom) | Weak and ineffective |
In this case, all unwholesome roots are strong and wholesome ones are weak. When this kamma matured and gave rise to a new existence through the rebirth-linking process:
The weak non-greed could not dispel the powerful greed, so the person becomes one of strong desire, lust, and attachment.
The weak non-hatred was unable to suppress the strong hatred, so the person becomes quick-tempered, harsh, or resentful.
The weak non-delusion could not overcome the powerful delusion, so the person is born dull, ignorant, and foolish.
Because of these reasons, this person:
Is overcome by greed, always desiring and clinging.
Is easily angered, holding on to hostility or aversion.
Is deluded and foolish, lacking clarity or discernment. (Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.308)
This pattern of kamma occurs in the following actions such as:
Approaching teachers who preaches wrong Dhamma with humility, and making offerings.
Performing rituals—such as offering flowers, incense, or water at a Buddha rūpa—not out of genuine devotion, but because an astrologer prescribed it for personal gain or intentions rooted in wrong view.
Making offerings to spirits (or devas) with the expectation of receiving help or favours in return.
Making great offerings monks and nuns with the intention for popularity or status.
In these acts, greed, hatred, and delusion are strong; the opposing wholesome mental factors—non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion—are feeble and ineffective.
Consider the case of people making offerings and performing rituals because of a shaman or astrologer. Because such people prioritise only their ritual offerings, the element of non-greed is very weak; the element of non-hatred (loving-kindness) that shows consideration for the Buddha is very weak; and because they turn their backs on the Buddha's teachings and believe only in the astrologer's predictions, the element of non-delusion (wisdom) is also weak. With these weak elements of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion providing only minimal support, and with extremely strong greed, hatred, and delusion surrounding their kamma (as they prioritise only their health, increase of wealth, and advancement in position), when such kamma bears fruit in a life, one becomes a person of great greed, great hatred, and little wisdom: a dull or unwise person. This is because the weak and powerless elements of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion cannot overcome and eliminate the energetic greed, hatred, and delusion.
Once kamma has been firmly established, lamenting and wishing to avoid its results will not be of any use. However, by diligently practising vipassanā meditation and progressing to the fruition of Arahantship, the path knowledge of Arahantship will completely eradicate all kamma that would otherwise yield results after the final passing away (parinibbāna).
Type 5 Person: One With Strong Non-Greed, Hatred, and Delusion
(Strong Non-Greed, Hatred, and Delusion / Weak Greed, Non-Hatred, and Non-Delusion)
“For one who, at the moment of kamma formation, has strong non-greed, hatred, and delusion, while the others are weak, such a person, in the manner previously described, has few defilements and remains unshaken even upon seeing divine objects, but is hateful and dull-witted.” (Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.309)
At the time this person cultivated the kamma that led to their present rebirth, the following mental factors were dominant or weak:
Mental Factor | Strength at the Time of Kamma Formation |
Non-greed | Strong and dominant |
Greed | Weak and ineffective |
Non-hatred (loving-kindness) | Weak and ineffective |
Hatred | Strong and dominant |
Non-delusion (wisdom) | Weak and ineffective |
Delusion | Strong and dominant |
Due to the strong non-greed, this person is unmoved by attachment or craving, and is also not possessive. However, they possess great hatred and their wisdom is dull.
Non-greed is strong, so they have little attachment or desire.
Hatred is strong, making them hateful and quick to anger.
Delusion is strong, leading to weak wisdom, making them dull-witted.
For this reason, such a person:
Is unattached and free from craving due to strong non-greed.
Is hateful and quick to anger due to strong hatred.
Is dull and lacking wisdom due to strong delusion. (Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.309)
Type 6 Person: One With Strong Non-Greed, Non-Hatred, and Delusion
(Strong Non-Greed, Non-Hatred, and Delusion / Weak Greed, Hatred, and Non-Delusion)
“For one who, at the moment of kamma formation, has strong non-greed, non-hatred, and delusion, while the others are weak, such a person, in the manner previously described, is both not greedy and good-natured, but is dull.” (Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.309)
At the moment this person performed the kamma that led to their present rebirth, the following mental factors were dominant or weak:
Mental Factor | Strength at the Time of Kamma Formation |
Non-greed | Strong and dominant |
Greed | Weak and ineffective |
Non-hatred (loving-kindness) | Strong and energetic |
Hatred | Weak and feeble |
Non-delusion (wisdom) | Weak and ineffective |
Delusion | Strong and dominant |
With strong non-greed, this person is free from attachment and possessiveness. With strong non-hatred (loving-kindness), they live peacefully and are not dominated by hatred. However, since delusion is strong and non-delusion (wisdom) is weak, they lack wisdom and are dull-witted.
Non-greed is strong, so they are not dominated by desire or lust.
Non-hatred is strong, so they are good-natured, peaceful, and not quick to anger.
Delusion is strong, so they have weak wisdom and are dull-witted.
Such a person:
Is free from greed and attachment due to strong non-greed.
Is peaceful, good-natured, and not quick to anger due to strong non-hatred.
Is dull and lacking wisdom due to strong delusion.(Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.309)
Type 7 Person: One With Strong Non-Greed, Hatred, and Non-Delusion
(Strong Non-Greed, Hatred, and Non-Delusion / Weak Greed, Non-Hatred, and Delusion)
“Similarly, for one who, at the moment of kamma formation, has strong non-greed, hatred, and non-delusion, while the others are weak, such a person, in the manner previously described, becomes both not greedy and wise, but is hateful and angry.” (Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.309)
At the time of this person's kamma formation, the following mental factors were dominant or weak:
Mental Factor | Strength at the Time of Kamma Formation |
Non-greed | Strong and dominant |
Greed | Weak and ineffective |
Non-hatred (loving-kindness) | Weak and ineffective |
Hatred | Strong and dominant |
Non-delusion (wisdom) | Strong and dominant |
Delusion | Weak and ineffective |
This person cultivated kamma with strong non-greed, hatred, and non-delusion. As a result:
Non-greed is strong, so they do not become overly attached to material possessions or sensory desires.
Non-delusion (wisdom) is strong, so they possess wisdom, being able to understand things clearly and perceive the world in a less deluded way.
Hatred is strong, so they become hateful, prone to anger and irritability, even though they have wisdom and a lack of attachment to sense objects.
Though they do not have great desire or attachment to things and are wise, their hatred prevents them from being peaceful and loving. Their anger and hatred cause them to wish harm or destruction to others, leading to a tendency to act out of irritation and bad temper.
Type 8 Person: One With Strong Non-Greed, Non-Hatred, and Non-Delusion
(Strong Non-Greed, Non-Hatred, and Non-Delusion / Weak Greed, Hatred, and Delusion)
“For one who, at the moment of kamma formation, all three—non-greed and the others—are strong, while greed and the others are weak, such a person, like the Elder Mahāsaṅgharakkhita, becomes not greedy, not hateful, and wise.”(Abhidhamma Commentary, 1.309)
At the time of this person's kamma formation, the following mental factors were dominant or weak:
Mental Factor | Strength at the Time of Kamma Formation |
Non-greed | Strong and dominant |
Greed | Weak and ineffective |
Non-hatred (loving-kindness) | Strong and dominant |
Hatred | Weak and ineffective |
Non-delusion (wisdom) | Strong and dominant |
Delusion | Weak and ineffective |
This person cultivated kamma with strong non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion. As a result:
Non-greed is strong, so they are not greedy and can easily relinquish desires, not being attached to material things.
Non-hatred is strong, so they are not hateful and develop great loving-kindness, with a soft and gentle mind.
Non-delusion is strong, so they are extremely wise, with wisdom sharp like a diamond or thunderbolt, able to perceive reality clearly and deeply.
These individuals are characterised by a profound sense of peace, loving-kindness, and wisdom, all due to the cultivation of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion. They are naturally inclined to seek Nibbāna and liberation from samsāra, often practising vipassanā meditation and jhāna based on loving-kindness.
Reflecting on these teachings, all of us have the responsibility to mindfully reflect at all times, which of these six roots: greed, hatred, delusion, non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion are present and habitually occur. Because if not, then unwholesome tendencies surround a wholesome kamma, then that wholesome kamma can ripen in inferior ways and sometimes even leading a person astray from the Path towards liberation.
Understanding these factors, you must mindfully and wisely transform and retrain your own mind by yourself through following ways:
Niyamita – Always set your intention to perform only wholesome deeds. Say to yourself, “I shall engage in only wholesome actions,” focusing on the practices of samatha, vipassanā, and other virtuous activities.
Parināmita – Consistently direct and incline your mind towards wholesome deeds, such as samatha and vipassanā meditation. At the same time, guard against the arising of unwholesome states like greed, hatred, delusion, conceit, envy, and stinginess.
Samudācāra – Develop the habit of engaging in wholesome states by persistently performing wholesome actions, such as giving (dāna), upholding morality (sīla), practising samatha meditation, and cultivating vipassanā insight.
Ābhujita – (a) Live in suitable, beneficial locations where noble people reside. (b) Associate with virtuous individuals. (c) Listen attentively to the teachings of wise and good people. (d) Fulfil the necessary practices and observances, starting with the five precepts, which serve as the foundation for the Noble Path. (e) Constantly reflect on the five aggregates of clinging—the mental and physical phenomena across the three periods of time (past, present, and future) and the two continuums (internal and external)—considering them as impermanent, suffering, non-self, and unattractive. By contemplating in this way, regardless of encountering desirable or undesirable objects, your mind will remain unshaken, and you will continually generate wholesome states.
In this manner, you can transform and refine your mind. If you transform it in this way, your mind will gradually become pure and clean. This increasingly purified mind will elevate your life, transcending one existence to another, moving from one level to the next, growing higher and nobler, more divine than the divine, and more sublime than the Brahmas. If your mind reaches the stage where it is entirely purified by the waters of the Arahant Path, becoming entirely clean and pure, then the great fire of suffering in the cycle of saṃsāra will be completely extinguished.
However, if you fail to elevate your mind and allow it to run wild as it always has—permitting unwholesome states like greed, hatred, delusion, conceit, envy, and stinginess to arise unchecked—your mind will remain impure and defiled, as it always was. If these defiled states are not suppressed in time, they will not remain at the level of obsessive defilements (pariyuṭṭhāna-kilesa), but, as attachments or dissatisfaction intensify and erupt, they may escalate into transgressive defilements (vītikkama-kilesa), leading to wrong speech and actions. Your precepts will be broken. The charitable deeds and other meritorious actions you perform, while standing on impure morality, will be of low quality.
Generosity (dāna) that is sown and cultivated while standing on the ground of morality (sīla) has the full power to grant the donor's wishes, whether they desire the prosperity of human kings, divine kings, Brahma kings, or Universal Monarchs. When that kamma of generosity ripens and finds the opportunity to bear fruit, the donor will certainly receive those results. If the donor aspires to the enlightenment of a Chief Disciple (agga-sāvaka-bodhi-ñāṇa), a Great Disciple (mahā-sāvaka-bodhi-ñāṇa), or an Ordinary Disciple (pakati-sāvaka-bodhi-ñāṇa), they can attain it. If they aspire to the enlightenment of a Silent Buddha (pacceka-bodhi-ñāṇa), that generosity will help them achieve it. And if, like the ascetic Sumedha or King Vessantara, they aspire to the Perfect Omniscient Knowledge (sabbaññuta-ñāṇa)–the supreme enlightenment of a Perfectly Self-Enlightened Buddha (sammā-sambodhi-ñāṇa)–that generosity can also help them attain it. Generosity is included as one component among the Ten Perfections (pāramī) and so, the power of generosity should also be highly honoured.
"And this I say of one who is virtuous, not of one who is unvirtuous. The wish of one who is virtuous succeeds because of the purity [of his virtue]." (Aṅguttara Nikāya, Dānūpapatti Sutta)
This ability of generosity to provide such high-level results and bring about such benefits. That's why the Buddha declared that only for a person with unspotted morality, not for one without morality that because their morality is pure and their mind is pure and clean, whatever they wish for will certainly be fulfilled. (Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.71)
Therefore, in the three trainings of a Buddhist—sīla (moral discipline), samādhi (concentration), and paññā (wisdom)—sīla is mentioned first. It is the primary and foundational training that everyone who calls themselves a Buddhist must undertake. With pure morality as the foundation and a wholesome, clear mind as support, the accumulation of wholesome kamma can facilitate the realisation of Nibbāna. Thus, in this life, whenever you perform a wholesome kamma, do so without greed, hatred, or delusion, and with the aspiration to realise Nibbāna. Be mindful of the kamma you accumulate from this point onward and exercise wisdom in all your actions, for as the Buddha says: “The world is led by mind, drawn by mind. All beings are subject to the power of this one thing, the mind.”
The consciousness associated with wholesome and unwholesome volitions is called abhisaṅkhāra-viññāṇa (formative consciousness) because it has the power to condition, establish and produce new existence. This mind, called abhisaṅkhāra-viññāṇa, has the capacity to draw beings, collectively called the world of beings, into various realms and existences, and it also has the power to keep them bound to those realms.
When this mind is tainted by unwholesome states like greed, hatred, and delusion, it becomes defiled. When combined with wholesome qualities like non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion, it becomes pure. When this mind is purified through wholesome actions, such as samatha and vipassanā meditation, it becomes even more profoundly pure.
A defiled mind can draw beings into the four lower realms and keep them bound there. A pure mind, cultivated through generosity, morality, concentration, and insight meditation, can draw beings to human, deva, and brahma realms, and keep them bound to those realms. A supreme and pure mind, developed with the intention of liberation from the suffering of saṃsāra—through concentration, insight meditation, and path-consciousness—can lead beings all the way to Nibbāna, and purify the defiled mental continuum. An exceptionally pure mind, like the Arahant path-consciousness, can completely eradicate all defilements. Just as a defiled mind brings suffering, a pure mind brings happiness in the human, celestial, and brahma realms, and ultimately the supreme happiness of Nibbāna.
Understanding these powers of the mind, and how the power of kamma influence our present inclinations and tendencies, may you succeed in transforming your mind into a pure one for the ultimate realisation of Nibbāna.
[Written with reference to Nibbānagāminipaṭipadā Vol. 2 (Burmese Version) by Ven. Pa-Auk Sayadaw, Abhidhamma, and Abhidhamma Commentary.]