The Three Poisons
In the Buddhist tradition, the "Three Poisons" or "klesha" in Sanskrit, are mental states that lead to the perpetuation of suffering in sentient beings.
- Ignorance
- This is the sentient being's inability to discern the true nature of the world and reality . Not to be confused with a lack of education.
- Because of this fundamental delusion about reality, one remains trapped in the cycle of death, rebirth and suffering.
- Attachment / Desire
- This is the futile clinging-to or pursuit-of objects, relationships and states of mind that are fundamentally fleeting and decaying. This can be easily seen with how the commodification of human [needs](needs.md) has put each one of us on a rat's wheel of consumption and drudgery on a personal level.
- On a more spiritual level, this attachment keeps us anchored in the world of death, rebirth and suffering.
- Aversion / Hate
- This is the avoidance or the causing of harm towards people, actions or objects which one perceives as undesirable in one way or another. In an inter-personal level, this perpetuates harms already present in a community, and at a personal level, blocks one from being able to learn about the object of hatred and prevents one from growing as a person.
- At a fundamental level, this hatred keeps us anchored in the world of death, rebirth and suffering.