Unwholesomeness, (akuśala) is mentally toxic, morally harmful, and produces distressing actions; is created by the erroneous view of the Self. Unwholesome consciousness (akusalacitta) is consciousness accompanied by one or more of three unwholesome roots—greed, hatred, and delusion. Greed has the characteristic of always desiring more and the dissatisfaction of never having enough; Hatred has the characteristic of revulsion, contempt, anger, and disgust; and Delusion has the characteristic of an unyielding abnormal belief. The resulting five principal kleshas, or poisons to these are attachment, aversion, ignorance, pride, and jealousy. These unwholesome processes not only describe what we perceive but also determine our responses.
People continuously generate an interior narrative about their identity, their ‘self’, to which they are deeply attached. The construction and defense of this self-image is an ongoing activity of the basic drive the Buddha named “thirst” (tṛṣṇā). With the accompanying distortions, egoistic yearning and defilements are created. The delusion manifested is of the self-image as a stable, objectively valid reality, rather than as a temporary, conditioned mental construction. Once this belief is established and maintained, there is no need for any further justification to establish the intrinsically toxic nature of the unwholesomeness or (akuśala). They are mental qualities that are an illusion (false belief) to have.
They are called defilements since they are, by their nature, to-be-abandoned to end the toxicity they create. They are aggressive and defensive projections of the imagined needs of the constructed self: They are egotistical cravings (“want, desire”), self-protecting fears (“aversion, repulsion”), and avoidance of unpleasant realities that appear to threaten the integrity of the self-image (“delusion”).
In fact, once the delusion of the Self is realized, the orientation of the person is the opposite. What was once formulated negatively, the three wholesome roots now signify positive traits: Non-greed — unselfishness, liberality, generosity; thoughts and actions of caring and sharing; renunciation, dispassion. Non-hatred — loving-kindness, compassion, sympathy, friendliness, forgiveness, forbearance, impartiality, equanimity. Non-delusion — wisdom, insight, knowledge, understanding, intelligence, sagacity, discrimination.
Change me Divine into one who searches for and sees delight everyday rather than dwelling upon my perceived and often made up troubles, terribleness or thanklessness. All around me are things that can “kill” me with delight and help me to lose myself in wonder. I think of this Spring – am I noticing the buds coming, the growing landscape of increasing green, the new and fresh green of young lives on a tree – a green that shimmers and looks so fresh and new and that only comes each spring? And to just see and feel the grass – the green grass I have been longing to see all winter and here it is sprouting up everywhere becoming lush and thick and I fail to notice? May my prayers be made out of grass – may I see the extraordinary in the ordinary and know it’s all extraordinary – all the wonders, I take for granted that surround me constantly and through which I can see your love pouring forth into the world and into my life. May I instruct myself in joy rather than sorrow. May I simply look, listen and lose myself in wonder, rather than my made up thoughts of misery. May the beauty of the world around me remind me what is true. O Divine, make me mindful as well in order to be well. Mary Oliver
We are all Interconnected even with the Universe 