The Harmful Effects of the Three Poisons: Greed, Hatred, and Delusion (II)

Greed, hatred, and delusion are three kinds of poisons. These three poisons can disturb our physical body and even more can assail our mind, causing us suffering life after life, and causing us to fall into the three evil destinies to undergo suffering. Because heavy hatred makes the fire of rage cause the blood to flow abnormally, the burden on the body becomes heavier. Moreover, the toxins in the blood also make the blood flow to the heart become unsmooth; those who love to lose their temper are prone to heart disease and other illnesses. Therefore, the harm of the poison of hatred is the greatest, hurting both others and oneself. When the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion flare up, the physical body changes accordingly: the composition of the blood has already altered, the circulation of vital energy and blood becomes abnormal, and blockages appear in the body. Thus the root of illness slowly lingers and settles in.

As soon as the mind of hatred stirs, the body is affected. Therefore, for a person with heavy afflictions, his illnesses are also serious and his body is unhealthy; his health in this life is already affected, let alone in future lives. Because of heavy hatred, one's appearance in future lives becomes ugly and unadorned. Moreover, because the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion lead to the creation of unwholesome karmic actions, those unwholesome deeds will diminish one's own merit, causing one to transmigrate through the three evil destinies with endless suffering in the future. Furthermore, having created unwholesome karma, our future physical bodies will suffer all kinds of sickness and pain; because the physical body belongs to the primary retribution, unwholesome karma can directly affect the body, making it unhealthy, plagued by calamities and illness. Those with severe evil retribution mostly receive the retribution of a short lifespan.

If one always likes to provoke and annoy others, whether there is a reason or not, causing them distress and unhappiness, this also has a very bad effect on one's own future retribution; the suffering one will undergo far exceeds that of others. Not only will one be unhappy and distressed in mind, but one will also encounter the misfortune of a short life. A short lifespan is closely related to the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, and is also closely related to the unwholesome karma one has created. Having created unwholesome karma and harmed others, one simultaneously reduces one's own merit and will inevitably receive evil retribution.

The most obvious, personal example is this: when greed arises in us, our thoughts become impure due to greed. When the mind is impure, it affects the physical body, and the water element within the body changes accordingly. Because water flows downward, at the time of death, the water of greed causes one to sink down into the three evil destinies. Because greed arises, the blood flow in the body also quickens, the mind loses its calm,s to all things become confused and disordered, and one's judgment and handling of people and affairs easily go wrong.

When hatred arises, the proportions of the four great elements change, and the structure of the four great elements in the blood of the body changes accordingly; toxins are thus produced, and then the blood flow also changes. Especially when hatred is very severe, the face immediately turns greenish, which shows that toxins have already been produced in the blood; thus the blood flow is obstructed and the face turns green. Over time, one is prone to heart disease, and moreover all kinds of blood-related illnesses are generated. Problems will arise in the body's blood supply; insufficient blood supply to the brain will lead to brain-related diseases. In old age, one is prone to brain diseases such as cerebellar atrophy. Therefore, do not think that the greed, hatred, and delusion you create only cause others to suffer; in fact, you yourself are the greatest victim.