Three Causes for the Origination of Unwholesome Kamma

Monks, there are these three causes for the origination of (unwholesome) Kamma.

What three?

1. Craving (Desire/Greed/Attachment) is a cause for the origination of (unwholesome) Kamma;

2. Anger (Hatred/Ill Will) is a cause for the origination of (unwholesome) Kamma;

3. Ignorance (Delusion/Unknowing of True Reality) is a cause for the origination of (unwholesome) Kamma.

Suppose, Monks, seeds that are intact, unspoiled, not damaged by wind and the sun’s heat, fertile, well preserved, were deposited in well-prepared ground in a good field and receive proper rainfall: in this way, those seeds would grow, increase, and mature.

So too, any (unwholesome) Kamma, Monks, created through craving, born of craving, caused by craving, originated by craving, ripens wherever the individual is reborn. Wherever that (unwholesome) Kamma ripens, it is there that one experiences its result, either in this very life, or in the [next] rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion.

So too, any (unwholesome) Kamma created through anger, born of anger, caused by anger, originated by anger, ripens wherever the individual is reborn. Wherever that (unwholesome) Kamma ripens, it is there that one experiences its result, either in this very life, or in the [next] rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion.

So too, any (unwholesome) Kamma created through ignorance born of ignorance, caused by ignorance, originated by ignorance, ripens wherever the individual is reborn. Wherever that (unwholesome) Kamma ripens, it is there that one experiences its result, either in this very life, or in the [next] rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion.

These are the three causes for the origination of (unwholesome) Kamma.

(Reference: AN 3.34)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares the three causes for the origination of unwholesome Kamma. It is craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) that causes all unwholesome Kamma.

Craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) are known as The Three Poisons, The Three Unwholesome Roots, or The Three Fires. 

A Practitioner will need to understand The Three Unwholesome Roots to attain Enlightenment as these are the three (3) high-level descriptions of the problems within the unEnlightened mind. It is through eliminating The Three Unwholesome Roots that the mind can experience Enlightenment. In order to eliminate The Three Unwholesome Roots, you will need to understand what they are and their remedies.

Detailed explanation of The Three Unwholesome Roots and their remedies is available in this same book series found in Chapter 8 in the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).