In our minds, there are always three unwhole-some sees which linger around and constantly poi-son us, they are called the three poisons of defile-ment. The poisons of greed{1}, anger{2} and ig-norance{3} are the main cause of disturbance to our life, making it uneasy and chaotic.

1)The poison of greed

Greed is caused by craving{4}, a defiled{5} state that sees the self as the center and attaches to every motion of the self. For example, the mind is filled with the conception of “my family,” “my wealth,” “my reputation,” and anything that is “mine.” Greed causes us to linger in the past, indulge in the present, and crave for a future. Greed to satisfy the taste buds cause the killing of lives; greed for indulgence cause desire{6} for ex-citements given by sounds and sight; greed for wealth and gain cause evil and wrongful acts; and greed for ease and comfort cause sluggishness{7} and lethargy{8}. Therefore, the poison of greed can cause tremendous harm.

Because of greed, clinging (trsna){9}, defilement (klista), desire (chanda) and yearning come into existence. Furthermore, attachment, stinginess, sycophancy and arrogance will also arise as a result of greed.

A contented mind makes a person noble. On the other hand, this nobleness can be destroyed by the poison of greed.

【Key Words】

1. greed 貪
2. anger 瞋
3. ignorance 癡
4. craving 愛，渴望
5. defiled 染著
6. desire 欲望
7. sluggishness 懈怠
8. lethargy 消沉
9. trsna 執著，抓取