The Poisonous Effects of the Three Poisons of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion (1)

If in one's practice one has not effectively subdued the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, one's mind and disposition cannot become gentle and pliant. When afflictive obstruction (kleśāvaraṇa) is heavy, it obstructs the healthy development of one's body and mind. A person with heavy afflictions and afflictive obstruction, on the one hand, brings affliction and unpleasantness to others, and both parties inevitably form negative karmic bonds and grudges; in future lives, one will then have to undergo the retribution of these afflictions, and suffering is unavoidable. On the other hand, the one most harmed is oneself, and the one most distressed is also oneself. When afflictions become severe, one's own mind will feel suffering and agitation, and one's body and mind are thereby disturbed—one becomes the most unhappy person. The other party, if possessed of cultivation, may not be troubled by these afflictions; even if there is suffering, it passes quickly. But you yourself must continually suffer the assault of afflictions and afflictive obstruction, and your mind will constantly give rise to sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress (śoka-parideva-duḥkha-daurmanasyopāyāsa).

In learning Buddhism, subduing afflictions allows us to benefit life after life, with a joyful spirit. Having subdued afflictions and ceased to harm others, one no longer leaks away one's own merit, and will not form negative karmic bonds with others. If one can be considerate of others everywhere and bring benefit to them, one's merit will increase rapidly, and the one who benefits most is still oneself. Therefore one must subdue afflictions and afflictive obstruction.

When afflictive obstruction is heavy and the mind lacks tranquility (praśama), what kind of poisoning will one's body and mind suffer? The afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion are commonly called the three poisons. What is meant by "poison"? Since they are called poisons, they certainly have harmful and toxic properties. Harming others is secondary; the one most harmed is oneself. When the mind contains greed, hatred, and delusion, one's bodily, verbal, and mental actions will inevitably create evil karma of greed, hatred, and delusion; and having created evil karma, one must undergo evil retribution. This is the toxic effect of greed, hatred, and delusion.

Furthermore, when heavy afflictive obstruction gives rise to a mind of hatred, the physical body is necessarily affected. When the physical body is affected, the four great elements constituting the body undergo corresponding changes; the speed of blood flow changes accordingly, the composition of the blood also changes, and toxins are produced within the body—toxins that directly endanger physical health. The most obvious example is when we give rise to anger: in an instant, our facial expression changes, becoming swollen, red, purple, and dark. Why purple and dark? Toxic substances are often purple-black in color. When the composition of the blood changes, the complexion of the skin visibly turns purple-black, and this altered blood composition is severely toxic to one's own body. When the blood contains toxins, its flow becomes sluggish, the function of the heart is obstructed, and the toxins in the blood can severely invade the physical body, causing illness. People with heavy afflictions and hatred have a relatively higher probability of developing heart disease, and also suffer more frequently from blood-related illnesses.