Secular Buddhism 91 - The Three Poisons
Feb 4, 2019
Exploring the concept of the three poisons in Buddhism and how they contribute to discomfort and suffering in life. The pursuit of happiness and the avoidance of pain are rooted in ignorance. Changing our perspective on negative feelings through loving kindness. Delving into the concept of greed or desire and its impact. Understanding oneself and cultivating a healthier relationship with desires and aversions.
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Three Poisons As Roots Of Unskillfulness
- The term "three poisons" better maps to "roots of unskillfulness" that cause unnecessary suffering.
- Greed, hatred (aversion), and ignorance fuel harmful thoughts, words, and actions.
Hamster Wheel: Running Toward And Away
- The hamster-wheel metaphor shows ignorance as not seeing that running leads nowhere.
- Greed is running toward imagined fixes and aversion is running away from feared outcomes.
Ignorance As Blindness To Interdependence
- Ignorance here means not-knowing and blindness to how space and time limit perspective.
- This limited view fosters belief in a permanent separate self, which spawns greed and aversion.