The 12 unwholesome consciousnesses and 14 unwholesome factors

What does “akusala” mean?

“Kusala” means skilful, healthy, blameless. “Akusala” therefore means unskilful — a sickness of the mind, blameworthy and leading to suffering. The commentaries sum up two marks of the unwholesome: it is blameworthy when it arises (sāvajja) and it has painful results later (dukkha-vipāka).

Every unwholesome consciousness has at least one root: greed, hatred or delusion. Delusion is present in every unwholesome consciousness, so greed-rooted consciousness has two roots (greed + delusion), hatred-rooted consciousness also has two (hatred + delusion), and delusion-rooted consciousness has delusion alone.

All 12 unwholesome consciousnesses in one table

The 8 greed-rooted types come from three variables (joyful or neutral × with or without wrong view × unprompted or prompted), as in Lesson 3. Hatred-rooted consciousness always comes with displeasure (domanassa), and it is the only kind of consciousness that does. Delusion-rooted consciousness always comes with neutral feeling.

Getting to know the three roots

• Greed (lobha) — its characteristic is grasping the object and not letting go. The commentaries compare it to the sticky lime used to trap monkeys: the more you struggle, the more you stick. Example: scrolling “just a bit more” until midnight.
• Hatred (dosa) — its characteristic is fierceness, pushing the object away. The commentaries compare it to a poisonous snake that has been struck, and to a forest fire that first burns the place it starts from. Example: the anger that keeps us awake while the person we're angry with sleeps soundly.
• Delusion (moha) — its characteristic is darkness, not knowing things as they are, covering up the true nature of the object, like darkness or blindness. Example: being so absent-minded that you forget where you just put your keys.

The four that come with every unwholesome state

Whether the mind is greedy, angry or deluded, these four factors always arise with it, so they are called the unwholesome universals:

• Delusion (moha) — not seeing the danger as it really is.
• Shamelessness (ahirika) — no sense of shame at wrongdoing. The commentaries compare it to a village pig that is not disgusted by filth.
• Fearlessness of wrongdoing (anottappa) — no fear of the consequences of wrongdoing, like a moth flying into a flame.
• Restlessness (uddhacca) — agitation, unsettledness, like a heap of ashes struck by a stone and scattered.

Greed's team: wrong view and conceit

Wrong view and conceit arise only in greed-rooted consciousness, because both have the nature of “grasping”. But they never arise in the same consciousness: wrong view arises in the types associated with wrong view, while conceit can arise in the types without it.

• Wrong view (diṭṭhi) — seeing and holding wrongly, such as believing kamma has no results, or that there is a permanent self. The mind grasps the object through a belief that does not match reality.
• Conceit (māna) — self-importance. The commentaries compare it to a flag that wants to wave higher than the others. There are nine kinds: whether one is better, equal or worse than another, one can think oneself better, equal or worse (3 × 3). Even “I'm worse than everyone” is conceit, because it is still comparing oneself.

Hatred's team: envy, stinginess, remorse

These three arise only in hatred-rooted consciousness, one at a time, because each takes a different object. All share the quality of “not accepting”, which makes them allies of hatred.

• Envy (issā) — resentment at another's goodness or success. Example: seeing a friend post about a new job and feeling deflated.
• Stinginess (macchariya) — guarding what is one's own, not wanting others to share in it. There are five kinds: of dwelling, of family (close friends), of gains, of praise (vaṇṇa) and of knowledge (dhamma).
• Remorse (kukkucca) — fretting over wrong one has done or good one has failed to do. Example: lying awake replaying something you shouldn't have said yesterday.
• Fear, grief and sullen boredom are also hatred-rooted consciousness, because they come with displeasure (domanassa).

Sloth, torpor and doubt

• Sloth (thīna) — sluggishness of the mind — and torpor (middha) — drowsiness of the mental factors — always arise together, and only in prompted unwholesome consciousness, because a mind that needs a push lacks strength. Example: not wanting to get up and work, but doing it because you're being hurried.
• Doubt (vicikicchā) — wavering uncertainty that blocks practice. The Dhammasaṅgaṇī lists eight objects: doubt about the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Saṅgha, the training, the past, the future, both past and future, and dependent origination. It is like a traveller standing at a crossroads, unable to choose a road.
• Vicikicchā differs from the curious questioning that leads to study and investigation, which the Buddha encouraged, for example in the Kālāma Sutta.

Unwholesome consciousness and the ten unwholesome courses of action

When unwholesome consciousness becomes strong enough to produce a complete action, it is called an “unwholesome course of action” (akusala kammapatha). Their roots differ:

• Bodily, 3 — killing (hatred), stealing (greed or hatred), sexual misconduct (greed).
• Verbal, 4 — lying and divisive speech (greed or hatred), harsh speech (hatred), idle chatter (greed or hatred).
• Mental, 3 — covetousness (greed), ill will (hatred), wrong view (greed-rooted consciousness with wrong view).

How are unwholesome states abandoned?

Unwholesome consciousness does not disappear through prohibition or suppression. It is uprooted step by step by wisdom, at each level of the noble path. As Lesson 1 said, virtue stops defilements breaking out into action, concentration subdues defilements that well up in the mind, and only wisdom can cut off the latent tendencies (anusaya) for good.

Common misunderstandings

• “Unwholesome means only big sins.” — No. A little restlessness or a flash of irritation is unwholesome consciousness too; it just doesn't reach the level of a course of action.
• “Grief isn't anger.” — In the Abhidhamma, grief, fear and anger are in the same group — hatred-rooted consciousness — because all come with displeasure and push the object away.
• “Feeling very guilty means I'm a good person.” — No. Dwelling on past wrongs is remorse (kukkucca), which is unwholesome. The wholesome side is shame and fear of wrongdoing, which admit the fault and resolve not to repeat it.
• “When I see unwholesomeness in my mind I should criticise myself.” — No. Criticising yourself resentfully is just another moment of hatred. Simply know truthfully that it arose; at the moment of knowing, the mind is already wholesome.