The Harmful Effects of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion: The Three Poisons (Part 2)

Greed, hatred, and delusion are three poisons. These three poisons can afflict our physical body and, moreover, invade our mind, causing us endless suffering across lifetimes and causing us to fall into the three evil paths to endure torment. Because hatred is strong, the fiery energy of rage can cause abnormal blood flow, increasing the burden on the body. Furthermore, toxins in the blood also impede the smooth circulation of blood from the heart. People prone to anger are susceptible to heart disease and other illnesses. Therefore, the harm of the poison of hatred is the greatest, harming both others and oneself. When the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion arise, the physical body also undergoes changes. The composition of the blood has already altered, the flow of energy and blood becomes abnormal, blockages occur in the body, and the root causes of illness gradually take hold and linger.

As soon as hatred arises, the body is affected. Therefore, people with heavy afflictions have severe illnesses and poor health; their present-life physical health is impacted, let alone in future lives? Because hatred is strong, the appearance in future lives becomes ugly and lacking dignity. Furthermore, because the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion create evil karma, this evil karma diminishes one's own blessings, causing one to transmigrate in the three evil paths, leading to endless suffering in the future. Moreover, having created evil karma, our future physical body will manifest various kinds of suffering and illness; because the physical body belongs to the primary retribution, evil karma can directly affect the physical body, causing it to be unhealthy, prone to disasters and illnesses. Those with severe evil retribution mostly receive the karmic fruit of a short lifespan.

Always liking to annoy others for no reason, causing them distress and unhappiness, also has a very negative impact on one's own future karmic retribution. The suffering endured will far exceed that of others. Not only is one oneself unhappy and distressed, but one will also encounter the misfortune of a short lifespan. A short lifespan is closely related to the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, and also closely related to the evil karma created. Creating evil karma harms others and simultaneously reduces one's own blessings, inevitably leading to the suffering of evil retribution.

The most obvious personal example is: when greed arises in us, the mind becomes impure because of greed. An impure mind affects the physical body, and the water element within the body consequently changes. Because water flows downward, at the time of death, the water of greed causes one to fall into the three evil paths. Because greed arises, it also causes the blood flow in the physical body to accelerate, the mind becomes agitated, thinking becomes unclear, reactions to all things become chaotic and confused, and judgment and handling of people and affairs become difficult to get right.

When hatred arises, the proportional composition of the four elements changes, the structure of the four elements in the blood of the physical body consequently alters, toxins are produced in this way, and subsequently, the blood flow also changes. Especially when hatred is very severe, the face immediately turns pale, indicating that toxins have already been produced in the blood, thus impeding blood flow and causing the face to turn pale. Over time, one is prone to heart disease, and furthermore, illnesses related to the blood are generated. Problems arise with blood supply throughout the body; insufficient blood supply to the brain leads to brain-related diseases. In old age, one becomes prone to brain diseases such as cerebellar atrophy. Therefore, do not think that the greed, hatred, and delusion one creates only cause suffering for others; in reality, oneself is the greatest victim.