The Three Poisons—namely greed, hatred, and ignorance—are the root afflictions. While all afflictions are collectively called toxins, these three are the most harmful, as they severely pollute the pure mind of sentient beings and bind them to endless suffering across countless kalpas. Therefore, they are specifically called the Three Poisons. These three poisons are also the root causes of unwholesome actions of body, speech, and mind. They are also known as the Three Unwholesome Roots, the chief causes of fundamental afflictions.
As practitioners walk along the spiritual path, they may occasionally come across thorny trees by the roadside, their branches adorned with sharp needles capable of pricking the skin and causing bleeding. Yet, these thorns are minor compared to the scars inflicted by the three poisons—greed, hatred, and ignorance—residing within our hearts. These inner afflictions can lead beings to commit evil deeds and fall into the Three Realms of Samsara. Hence, we must resolutely vow to swiftly cut and eliminate these mental afflictions, so that we are no longer victims of their harmful grip.
Applying the Skillful Use of the Mind
The Pure Practices Chapter is the eleventh chapter of the eighty-volume AVATAMSAKA SUTRA. In this chapter, Zhishou Bodhisattva asks Manjushri Bodhisattva one hundred and ten questions on how to purify the body, speech, and mind, and how to benefit oneself and others, ultimately attaining Buddhahood.
Manjushri Bodhisattva responds with the teaching “Applying the skillful use of the mind,” affirming that if one can skillfully harness their mind in daily life, then their body, speech, and mind will all attain purity. He further offers one hundred and forty-one vows and practices, guiding ordinary beings to cultivate constantly with their thoughts centered on sentient beings, seizing the present moment and making heartfelt vows aligned with circumstances.
The mind is the source of all Dharmas. When used skillfully for goodness, it becomes wholesome; when employed for evil, it turns unwholesome. Let us all learn to practice the Bodhisattva’s vows of purity—mindful of external conditions, continuously making vows, and applying the skillful use of the mind—so that we may swiftly attain Buddhahood.
