The three immoral roots of Attachment/Greed, Hatred/Ill-will and Ignorance/Delusion appear to be unequally distributed among the immoral consciousnesses, with Greed/Attachment being the accompanying root to 8 of the immoral consciousnesses, whereas Hatred/Ill-will accompanies only two (2) of them, and two (2) of them are accompanied by Ignorance/Delusion, although Delusion is considered to be an “originating” root in all unwholesome mental states, as Ignorance is an underlying condition for Rebirth.
What is interesting to consider, however, is why Hatred and Delusion seem to be fairly straight-forward, while Greed is quantifiably more complex. Does this point at the nature of attachment as being “exactly” four-times more difficult to root out? Does this implicate that Hatred and Delusion can be overcome more easily? Does this indicate that Greed is profoundly more rudimentary to our condition?
The references for this examination rely on a particular translation of the Manual of Abhidhamma and the chapters that reference the Summaries of Roots and Unwholesome Consciousness. This particular translation can be found online, although other existing translations of the manual are well-known in the Theravada scholarly community. Some references to the other translations are provided here with additional notation.
A Manual of Abhidhamma: Edited in the original Pali Text with English Translation and Explanatory Notes by Narada Maha Thera
The interest in this analysis is not as concerned with the particular instances of variations in the translations, but more with the complex nature of the Root of Attachment.
In brief, this complexity emerges in stark contrast to the seeming simplicity or straight-forwardness of the other two unwholesome roots: Hatred and Delusion.
Let’s first examine them, via the available analogies that the Abhidhamma offers as possible illustrations:
Two (2) Consciousnesses rooted in Ill-Will or Hatred or Aversion (depending on version of translation):
"(9.) With hatred one murders another without any premeditation.
(10.) With hatred one murders another after premeditation."
The distinction appears pretty obvious, and possibly having implications for the severity of kammic repercussions, based on intention (premeditation) or lack thereof.
We can possibly conclude that Ill-Will or Hatred is primarily a “Yes or No question”, thus overcoming Ill-Will or Hatred resides in restraint and the understanding of the destructive nature of Aversion.
The text provides us with this distinction, as it relates to the specific immoral consciousness, in the following manner:
"9. Domanassasahagatam, patighasampayuttam, asañkhārikam ekam
One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by displeasure, connected with ill-will
- Domanassasahagatam, patighasampayuttam, sasañkhārikam ekan’ ti
One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by displeasure, connected with ill-will
Imani dve’pi Patighasampayuttacittāni nāma.
These two types of consciousness are connected with Ill-will."
The apparent distinction resides in the “prompted” or “unprompted” manner of the consciousness – what can be otherwise considered as “intentional” and “unintentional,” and equally has a connotation in the legal system, which makes a distinction between premeditated crime and manslaughter.
Intentional vs. Unintentional is a very interesting category, which I often find deeply connected with Delusion or Ignorance in everyday type of situations and behaviors. For, example: The person argues that their actions were not intentional because they were not aware of their harmful nature, and did not realize that they may cause disagreement out of a selfish insistence or conviction that their actions or words are not ill-intended. The dilemma here is that the lack of awareness, or otherwise the presence of ignorance, is so overwhelming that the individual remains fully under the impression of a lack of maliciousness on their part. But, unfortunately, the lack of awareness does not equate to a lack of intent. Being unaware of one’s intent does not remedy its consequences for both or multiple parties involved.
Thus, this leads us to examine The Two (2) Immoral Consciousnesses rooted in Ignorance or Delusion from a similar standpoint:
11. Upekkhā-sahagatam, vicikicchā-sampayuttam ekam,
One consciousness, accompanied by indifference, and connected with doubts,
- Upekkhā-sahagatam, uddhacca-sampayuttam ekan 'ti
One consciousness, accompanied by indifference, and connected with restlessness.
Imani dve’ pi Momūhacittāni nāma
Icce’vam sabbathā pi dvādasakusala-cittāni samattāni.
These two types of consciousness are rooted in sheer Ignorance.
Thus end, in all, the twelve types of Immoral Consciousness."
With Delusion, things get slightly more complex as we introduce the notions of Indifference, Doubt and Restlessness – here’s how Abhidhamma illustrates these types of immoral consciousnesses in action:
"(11.) A person doubts the existence of the Buddha, or the efficacy of the Dhamma, owing to his stupidity.
(12.) A person is distracted in mind, unable to concentrate on an object.
As these two types of consciousness are feeble, due to stupidity or dullness of mind, the accompanied feeling is neither pleasurable nor displeasurable, but neutral."
For the first example, it is somewhat complicated to apply to non-Buddhists, who still come under the category of affliction by Ignorance. One can argue that a non-Buddhist is not educated or informed about the existence of the Buddha, or the efficacy of the Dhamma, and therefore would naturally doubt the existence of such a figure or their teachings. But, the category here refers less to a historical figure and his teachings, and more to the category of absolutes: a Realized Being and The Noble Truth.
Restlessness in this case refers to a distracted state of mind that is unable to gather its components to formulate or interpret data in a comprehensive manner.
Thus, dullness and distraction are the main distinguishing factors of an ignorant mind, or a consciousness afflicted by Delusion. What’s curious is that one is completely indifferent to their dullness or lack of concentration, having no feeling of either pleasure or displeasure, making it almost undetectable to themselves that they remain under the strong grip of Ignorance – but, very unfortunately, VERY VERY noticeable to everyone else around. Perhaps, this is what gave the expression “Ignorance is Bliss” its unique characteristic.
This growing complexity from Hatred to Delusion now leads us into the stickier waters that make up the ultimate swamp of Greed. Reigning supreme, Attachment comes in 8 different facets that are far more difficult to differentiate:
(Consciousness Rooted in Attachment)
"1. Somanassa-sahagatam, ditthigatasampayuttam, asankhārikam ekam
One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by pleasure, connected with wrong view
- Somanassa-sahagatam, ditthigatasampayuttam, sasankhārikam ekam,
One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by pleasure, connected with wrong view
- Somanassa-sahagatam ditthigatavippayuttam, asankhārikam ekam
One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by pleasure, disconnected with wrong view
- Somanassa-sahagatam ditthigatavippayuttam, sasankhārikam ekam
One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by pleasure, disconnected with wrong view
- Upekkhā-sahagatam, ditthigatasampayuttam, asankhārikam ekam
One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference, connected with wrong view
- Upekkhā-sahagatam, ditthigatasampayuttam, sasankhārikam ekam
One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by indifference, connected with wrong view
- Upekkhā-sahagatam, ditthigatavippayuttam, asankhārikam ekam
One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference, disconnected with wrong view
- Upekkhā-sahagatam, ditthigatavippayuttam, sasankhārikam ekan’ ti
One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by indifference, disconnected with wrong view
Imāni attha’pi Lobhasahagatacittāni nāma
These eight types of consciousness are rooted in Attachment."
Wrong View, Indifference, Intentionality, Pleasure – all make an appearance here to create a myriad of combinations of unwholesome behaviors rooted in the seductive temptation of Attachment. At first glance, it may seem impossible to truly identify the particular garden variety of Greed or Attachment that one may be facing in their reality. For this, we have some helpful guidance with these practical examples:
- Attachment
"(1.) With joy a boy instantly steals an apple, viewing no evil thereby.
(2.) Prompted by a friend, a boy joyfully steals an apple, viewing no evil thereby.
(3.) (4.) The same illustration serves for the third and fourth types of consciousness with the difference that the stealing is done
without any false view.
(5.) (6.) (7.) (8.) The remaining four types of consciousness are similar to the above with the difference that the stealing is done with neutral feeling."
Pleasure and Wrong View seem to be playing key roles in these 8 variations. Having the Wrong View, i.e. considering that stealing is OK or deserved somehow (are we talking Robin Hood here?), or not having the Wrong View, i.e. knowing that stealing is immoral but doing it out of inability to resist the Pleasure, or being completely indifferent one-way or another to the fact that stealing is immoral, when perhaps stealing is a way of life? These can be transposed to a different degree of severity, if we consider that the person is not a little boy or girl, but an adult, fully aware that their actions lead to serious consequences. Or, when we examine the very basic nature of attachment to the basic material objects such as food or clothing or shelter.
On one hand, Greed or Attachment, due to their Immoral nature can be vilified to such a degree that it makes it impossible to penetrate their nature in order to eradicate them.
We can consider their wholesome or moral equivalents first:
Attachment (Greed) – Non-attachment (Generosity)
Ill-will (Hatred) – Good-will (non-Hatred)
Ignorance (Delusion) – Wisdom (Wise Reflection)
This helps us to understand that we can approach our unwholesome roots through the proactive balance of our wholesome roots. Actions, words and thoughts that are rooted in Generosity, Good-will and Wisdom will ultimately lead to establishing an equilibrium in our minds, and will direct our consciousness to reconsider those actions that may stem from these immoral roots – a self-correctional course of moral consciousness rooting out immoral consciousness – like when we plant seeds of clover to root out the weeds.
But, there are tools that are even more precise, or more exacting, in understanding the very nature of Attachment and its designated function.
The Four Great Elements that are responsible for the physical and non-physical nature of our conditioned reality, namely: Air, Fire, Earth and Water. In Ayurveda, the Fifth Element is Space or Akash, associated with the immaterial realm of consciousness in Buddhism. These, elements and their forces/actions/natures can be equated trough the Doshic (constitutional) deviations to a particular Immoral or Moral Root:
Attachment (Greed) – Non-attachment (Generosity) – Kapha (Cohesion)
Ill-will (Hatred) – Good-will (non-Hatred) – Pitta (Transformation)
Ignorance (Delusion) – Wisdom (Wise Reflection) – Vata (Motion)
Dosha in the Ayurvedic sense of the terms is a defacto “fault” or deviation from the true nature. Whereas, prakriti, defines a state of being which results from the deviation from one’s true nature – a conditioned reality materialized via the primary forces of cohesion, mobility and transformation.
"In Ayurveda, dosha is a Sanskrit word that refers to a person’s body constitution and is a central term in the practice. It can be translated as “that which can cause problems” or “fault”. "
“Prakriti literally meaning constitution or nature , and consists of the tridoshas (vata, pitta, and kapha). [11] The three striking constitutions of prakriti (vata, pitta, and kapha) present a set of metabolic tendencies which help in determining the reaction of body and mind when confronted by a stimulus.”
In this sense, the very nature of Cohesion, or Transformation, or Motion, is neutral in its function, and acquires faculties of wholesomeness or unwholesomeness based on the present state of any one particular person, or individuated consciousness. Also, cohesion is an absolute requirement in the promotion of growth of any living being, just as much as mobility and transformation are central to the thriving of life. One cannot blame the processes that one set in motion, but strive to understand them via regulation and discernment.
When we understand that the forces that bind us, purify us and set us in motion are entirely a function of the elements by which we are conditioned into being, we can begin to address our Attachment, our Hatred and our Ignorance in their most rudimentary sense, both on the material levels and immaterial levels.
In this sense, The Path of Purification designates the prevalence of the Fire element over the elements of Air and Earth-Water in order to transform the impurities by way of simultaneous fuel burnout – a sort of spontaneous combustion done by deliberation.
“Spontaneous combustion or spontaneous ignition is a type of combustion which occurs by self-heating (increase in temperature due to exothermic internal reactions), followed by thermal runaway (self heating which rapidly accelerates to high temperatures) and finally, autoignition.”
Both, the Ayurvedic and the Buddhist conceptualizations of the world agree that the primary nature of the conditioned reality is a deviation from the true nature of “non-reality”, which can be corrected only via the complete transformation of our material and immaterial metabolic functions.