The Meditation Body

Compassion can cultivate Wisdom

Cultivating Wisdom Through Compassion
Practicing compassion is a powerful path that leads to deeper insight and genuine wisdom. It is not merely a soft emotion, but an active, intelligent engagement with the world that fundamentally changes how we perceive reality, ourselves, and others.
(Note: I am omitting horizontal lines in this response, as you previously requested.)
How Compassion Sharpens Perception
Compassion, defined as the genuine desire to alleviate suffering in others, fuels wisdom by:
Breaking Down Self-Absorption: The biggest barrier to wisdom is often egocentrism—the tendency to view everything through the lens of me and mine. When we practice compassion, our focus shifts outward. By genuinely concerning ourselves with the well-being of others, we dilute the power of self-preoccupation, allowing for a broader, more objective view of situations.
Deepening Empathy and Understanding: Compassion requires us to step into another's experience and recognize their suffering. This process naturally cultivates empathy. Empathy is a key component of wisdom, as it teaches us about the diverse realities of human existence, motivation, and interaction. It helps us see the complex web of causes and conditions that lead to suffering and happiness.
Revealing Interconnectedness: The deeper we practice compassion, the more we realize that our own happiness is inextricably linked to the well-being of others. This understanding of interdependence is a core component of profound wisdom, moving us beyond a simplistic, isolated view of self.
The Connection Between Ethical Action and Insight
Wisdom is not just intellectual knowledge; it is knowledge integrated with ethical action. Compassion provides the necessary ethical grounding, guiding our behavior to foster wisdom:
Patience and Insight: Remaining steady and engaged with difficult people or situations (patience) leads to seeing the complexity of others, rather than reacting quickly with judgment.
Courage and Understanding: Facing painful realities (our own and others') without turning away (courage) leads to understanding the true nature of suffering and its causes, which points us toward solutions.
Non-Harm and Responsibility: Prioritizing actions that minimize harm to others (non-harm) leads to realizing the far-reaching consequences of our actions and the need for careful conduct.
Humility and Self-Assessment: Recognizing that everyone, including ourselves, struggles and is prone to error (humility) leads to a more realistic and balanced self-assessment, helping us overcome arrogance.
Compassion as a Tool for Problem Solving
In practical terms, a compassionate perspective yields better outcomes:
Reduced Conflict: When operating from compassion, we are less likely to escalate conflicts, preferring peaceful resolution and understanding over winning an argument. This pragmatic approach is inherently wiser.
Effective Leadership: Wise leadership is compassionate leadership. Leaders who genuinely care about the well-being of their teams or constituents make decisions that are more sustainable, ethical, and ultimately more effective in the long run.
Better Decision Making: Intense, negative emotions like anger or fear narrow our perspective. Compassion helps stabilize the mind, fostering a mental clarity that allows for a more holistic assessment of problems and potential solutions.
In essence, wisdom (or prajñā in Buddhist philosophy) is often defined as seeing reality as it truly is. Compassion is the ethical lens and active force that clears the obstructions of self-interest, allowing this clear vision to emerge.

Second Arrows

The Story of the Second Arrow: Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is Optional
The parable of the Second Arrow is a powerful and popular Buddhist teaching, often attributed to the Buddha himself in the Sallatha Sutta (The Discourse on the Arrow). It offers a profound insight into the nature of human suffering and how to deal with it more skillfully.
The Parable
The Buddha once asked a student:
"If a person is struck by an arrow, is it painful?"
The student replies, "Yes, of course, it is painful."
The Buddha then asks, "If they are struck immediately after by a second arrow, is that even more painful?"
The student answers, "Yes, two arrows are much more painful than one."
The Buddha then uses this image to explain the nature of suffering:
The Meaning and Explanation
The story distinguishes between two kinds of pain that we experience in life:
The First Arrow: Inevitable Pain (The Event)
What it represents: This is the natural, unavoidable physical or emotional pain that comes from simply living in the world. It is the initial, real-life misfortune, loss, illness, disappointment, or criticism.
Examples: The pain of a physical injury, the grief over losing a loved one, being rejected for a job, receiving a harsh word from a colleague, or a sudden financial loss.
Key takeaway: The First Arrow is unavoidable. It is a natural part of the human condition and is outside of our ultimate control.
 The Second Arrow: Optional Suffering (The Reaction)
What it represents: This is the subsequent mental and emotional suffering we inflict upon ourselves by reacting to the first arrow with judgment, blame, resistance, rumination, or self-criticism.
Examples:
The first arrow: Losing a job.
The second arrow: Thoughts like "I'm a failure," "This is unfair," "I'll never get another job," "I knew I wasn't good enough," or spending hours angrily replaying the event.
Key takeaway: The Second Arrow is optional. While we cannot stop the first arrow from hitting us, we have a choice about whether we shoot the second, self-inflicted arrow.
The wisdom of the teaching lies in the realization that a significant portion of our suffering is not caused by the initial painful event (the first arrow) but by our mental resistance and negative reaction to it (the second arrow).
How to Avoid the Second Arrow
The practice of avoiding the second arrow is central to Buddhist mindfulness and involves cultivating mindfulness and self-compassion:
Acknowledge the First Arrow: Practice being present with the initial pain or discomfort as just a feeling, without immediately layering on a narrative or judgment. Allow yourself to feel the natural grief, sadness, or physical pain.
Observe the Second Arrow: Become aware of your mind's tendency to react, judge, or catastrophize. Notice when you start to say, "This shouldn't be happening," or "I'm so stupid for letting this happen." That's the second arrow.
Choose Your Response: Once you recognize the second arrow, you can choose to put it down. Instead of feeding the mental story, you can respond with kindness and acceptance to the pain of the first arrow. This transforms resistance into a skillful response.
The ultimate aim is to feel the pain of the first arrow without adding the suffering of the second.

Māra - The Adversary

A fascinating subject! Māra is a central figure in Buddhism, often personified as the chief demon or the tempter, and plays a crucial role in the story of the Buddha's enlightenment.
Here is a detailed overview of Māra as the personification of depravity, delusion, and the obstacles to spiritual awakening.
 Māra: The Adversary of Enlightenment
Māra is not just a single entity, but a concept representing the entirety of the mundane world and the forces that bind beings to the cycle of suffering (saṃsāra). The term itself is often interpreted as "Death" or "Killer" (of the spiritual life).
The Four Māras (The Fourfold Tempter)
Māra is traditionally understood to manifest in four primary forms, known as the Catur-Māra:
Klesa-Māra (Māra as the Emotions/Defilements):
This is the Māra within us. It is the personification of destructive mental states like greed, hatred, and delusion (the Three Poisons). It represents the emotional turmoil and ethical depravity that prevents peace.
Mṛtyu-Māra (Māra as Death):
This Māra is the physical reality of death and impermanence. It is the constant threat that cuts short our lives and, by extension, our chance to attain enlightenment in this lifetime. It binds us by reminding us of the fragility and shortness of life.
Skandha-Māra (Māra as the Aggregates):
The skandhas are the five components that make up our perceived personality and existence (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness). This Māra represents the delusion that these temporary, interdependent components constitute a permanent, independent self (ātman). This fundamental delusion is the root of all suffering.
Devaputra-Māra (Māra as the Son of a Deity):
This is the traditional personified demon-king, the one who tried to stop Siddhartha Gautama (the future Buddha) from achieving enlightenment. He rules over the highest heaven in the Desire Realm, symbolizing the highest, most subtle form of attachment and worldly power that keeps one in $saṃsāra$.
 Māra in the Buddha's Story
Māra's most famous appearance is under the Bodhi tree, just before the Buddha attained awakening. This scene illustrates the ultimate struggle against all forms of worldly temptation and delusion:
The Army of Passion and Fear: Māra first attacked the Bodhisattva with his armies. These were not just physical soldiers but were personifications of the very passions, fears, and doubts that plague the mind: lust, restlessness, hunger, thirst, desire, and doubt.
The Temptation by the Daughters: When the attack failed, Māra sent his three beautiful daughters, sometimes named Taṇhā (Craving), Arati (Discontent), and Rāga (Lust), to seduce him. The Bodhisattva was unmoved, recognizing them as illusions.
The Challenge of Authority: Finally, Māra challenged the Bodhisattva's right to sit in meditation and attain enlightenment, claiming he had no witnesses. The Bodhisattva simply touched the earth with his hand (the Earth Witness Mudra), and the Earth itself roared in response, confirming his vast accumulation of merit over countless lifetimes.
Defeat: With this final act, Māra was defeated, and the Buddha attained full enlightenment, passing beyond Māra's reach.
 Symbolic Meaning of Māra
Māra is a powerful symbol in Buddhist practice, representing:
The Ego and Self-Clinging: The greatest enemy is not an external demon but the deeply ingrained human tendency to cling to a false sense of self (Skandha-Māra).
Obstacles to Practice: Any distraction, procrastination, doubt, or temptation that arises when a practitioner attempts to meditate or follow the path is seen as Māra's work.
The Reign of Impermanence: As the personification of Death, Māra highlights that everything worldly is subject to change and destruction, and seeking permanent happiness in the impermanent is the ultimate delusion.
In essence, Māra is the personification of the entire mechanism of suffering, depravity, and delusion. To defeat Māra is to conquer one's own internal vices and achieve the freedom of enlightenment.

Happiness and sadness. Right side, left side.

If we have happiness, we must also have sadness, and vice versa. If we have a right side, we must also have a left side.
 
Interbeing and Pairs of Opposites
​Thich Nhat Hanh uses the term Interbeing (or inter-are) to describe the fundamental interconnectedness of all phenomena. Nothing can exist alone; everything must "inter-be" with everything else. The idea of pairs of opposites—like happiness and suffering, birth and death, above and below, or left and right—is a primary way he illustrates this principle.
​The Analogy of the Left and Right: Your example of the right and left side of a piece of paper (or a hand) is one of his most common and clearest illustrations.
​The right side of a sheet of paper cannot be separated from the left side. If you remove the right side, the left side also ceases to be as you conceived it—the whole is destroyed.
​Similarly, your left hand cannot exist without a right hand (or the concept of right). They define each other and are parts of the same whole (your body). They are not enemies; they rely on each other to manifest.
​The Analogy of the Lotus and the Mud: This is perhaps his most famous illustration for the happiness/suffering pairing.
​A beautiful lotus flower cannot grow without the mud. The mud is not something to be avoided, but the very substance that nourishes the lotus.
​In the same way, happiness is not possible without suffering (or ill-being). Our experience of suffering allows us to recognize, cherish, and cultivate happiness. Without the contrast of sadness, the concept of happiness would lose its meaning and depth.
Suffering as the Ingredient for Happiness
​Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that we often try to pursue happiness by desperately trying to avoid suffering, which is a futile and counterproductive effort.
​The Art of Suffering: He emphasizes that the "art of happiness" must also be the art of knowing how to suffer well. If we acknowledge, embrace, and look deeply into our suffering (the "mud") with mindfulness, we gain the understanding and compassion necessary to transform it into happiness and joy (the "lotus").
​Non-Duality: This entire teaching leads to the Buddhist principle of non-duality. It means going beyond the conceptual trap of seeing things as separate, independent, and opposing extremes. When we realize that suffering and happiness are not two separate things but are deeply connected, the attachment to one and the aversion to the other lessen, leading to liberation and a more complete, peaceful experience of life.

Continuous Awareness and the trap of wanting

The Practice of Continuous Awareness
​Your perspective beautifully encapsulates the essence of meditation as a way of living, extending far beyond a formal, seated practice. It shifts the focus from achieving a state to simply being with what is, moment by moment.
​1. Meditation as a Continuous State
​We often view meditation as a 10-minute slot in the morning or evening. However, the deepest tradition suggests it is an all-day practice. This means bringing the qualities cultivated on the cushion—calmness, clarity, and non-judgmental attention—into every single action:
​Washing dishes: Feeling the water and the texture of the sponge.
​Walking: Noticing the sensation of the feet meeting the ground.
​Conversing: Truly listening without preparing a response. This sustained awareness dissolves the sharp division between "meditation time" and "real life."
​2. The Trap of Wanting
​You highlight a crucial point: "Do not waste your energy with wanting." This refers to the concept of attachment or the desire for a specific outcome. When we sit to meditate or try to live mindfully, we often harbor wants:
​I want to feel peaceful.
​I want my pain to go away.
​I want to achieve enlightenment.
​These desires create a tension and a future-oriented mind that pulls us away from the present moment. They require mental effort ("wasting energy"). The practice is not about gaining a state, but realizing the state we are already in—the present moment—is enough. By dropping the wanting, energy is conserved and redirected into simple awareness.
​3. Intelligent and Interested Awareness
​Your instruction to "Be aware intelligently with interest" describes the quality of attention required.
​Awareness: The simple act of noticing.
​Intelligently: This suggests discerning, insightful observation. We are not blindly passive; we are noticing the mechanisms of the mind—how thoughts arise, how emotions manifest in the body, and how we habitually react. This intelligence understands that these phenomena are temporary and not our true self.
​With Interest: A warm, curious, and gentle attention replaces cold scrutiny or harsh self-judgment. Interest is the opposite of boredom or aversion. It keeps the mind engaged in the present moment without needing stimulation or fixing.
​4. The Goal is Not to "Get"
​"We are not trying to get something. Just trying to be aware, moment by moment."
​This is the non-goal approach, which paradoxically leads to the deepest change. If we try to "get" happiness or peace, these qualities become conditional and fleeting. They are tied to the desired outcome.
​The sole purpose of the practice becomes the practice itself: sustained, moment-to-moment awareness.
​If anger arises, the practice is to be aware of the anger, not to get rid of it.
​If happiness arises, the practice is to be aware of the happiness, not to hold onto it.
​In this way, the awareness itself is the constant, stable ground, while all experiences (thoughts, feelings, sensations) are the ever-changing weather passing through. This awareness, practiced continuously, liberates us from the exhausting cycle of seeking and dissatisfaction.

Mahatma Gandhi: ‘Strength does not come from physical capacity…'

The full quote by Mahatma Gandhi is: "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will."
This powerful statement captures the essence of true fortitude and was the philosophical bedrock of Gandhi's entire movement for Indian independence. It emphasizes that inner resolve is a far greater source of power than mere physical or material might.
The Meaning of Indomitable Will
The quote distinguishes between two types of strength:
Physical Capacity: This refers to external, measurable attributes like muscle, size, health, weapons, or wealth. It is the strength of the body or external resources. Gandhi, who was physically frail, suggests this type of power is ultimately limited.
Indomitable Will: This is the strength of the spirit, mind, and character. "Indomitable" means unconquerable or incapable of being subdued. An indomitable will is an unwavering resolve or an unbreakable determination to pursue a goal despite facing overwhelming obstacles, suffering, or hardship.
Gandhi asserts that real, sustainable power stems from this inner, moral, and spiritual resilience.
Gandhi's Life as an Example
Gandhi's own life and leadership serve as the most compelling illustration of this principle.
Non-Violent Resistance (Satyagraha): His movement against the heavily armed and physically imposing British Empire relied not on armies or physical force, but on the moral and spiritual power of millions of people who were willing to endure suffering without retaliating.
Endurance of Hardship: Throughout his campaigns, Gandhi faced repeated imprisonment, fasts, and physical attacks. His ability to endure these hardships and maintain his commitment to non-violence and truth (Satyagraha) demonstrated an unparalleled indomitable will.
Moral Authority: By rejecting physical force, he shifted the battleground from a physical conflict (where the British had the advantage) to a moral one (where his unwavering commitment to justice gave him the advantage).
Relevance in Modern Life
The quote remains highly relevant today, urging individuals to look beyond superficial measures of success or power:
Personal Challenges: Whether overcoming an illness, achieving a difficult personal goal, or bouncing back from failure, the ability to persevere—the indomitable will—is the critical factor.
Leadership and Influence: True leaders often possess this internal strength, inspiring others not through domination, but through their unwavering vision and commitment.
Societal Change: As seen in civil rights movements around the world, fundamental change is often driven by the moral conviction and unyielding spirit of people, even when they lack traditional forms of "physical capacity" like military or economic power.
In summary, Gandhi’s maxim teaches that the greatest power a person can wield is their inner strength—the unbreakable spirit that refuses to be defeated by external circumstances.

Consistency over Intensity

Why Steady Wins the Race: Consistency Over Intensity
The core idea is simple: small things done every day beat big things done only once in a while. When you choose consistency, you are choosing a path that leads to success without the stress and burnout of an intense sprint.
1. Building Unstoppable Momentum
Think of pushing a large boulder up a hill.
Intensity is trying to shove the whole boulder up in one massive push. It’s exhausting, you’ll probably collapse, and the boulder will roll right back down.
Consistency is using a small lever to nudge the boulder just a little bit forward every day.
Each little nudge adds up. The first nudge is hard, but by the tenth day, you've built up momentum—the energy of movement. Soon, the boulder is rolling, and you just need to keep guiding it, not constantly pushing it from a dead stop. This is how small daily actions become powerful, self-sustaining habits.
2. The Power of "Never Miss Twice"
Intense approaches often fall apart the first time you get busy, tired, or sick. When you miss a big, intense session, you feel like a failure, and it's easy to give up entirely.
Consistency is more forgiving. If you commit to 10 minutes of a task and miss a day, it’s not a catastrophe. The key rule for consistency is "Never Miss Twice." If you skip Monday, make sure you show up on Tuesday. This prevents one small setback from turning into a total abandonment of your goal.
3. The Compounding Effect (The Snowball Analogy)
This is the hidden magic of consistency. It’s how tiny efforts turn into huge results.
Imagine starting with a small snowball.
Intensity is adding a huge, heavy chunk of ice to the snowball on the first day. It’s hard to lift and often just crumbles off.
Consistency is simply rolling the small snowball once around the yard every day.
The first roll only picks up a little snow. But the second day, you are rolling a slightly bigger snowball, so it picks up even more snow. By the end of the month, your small snowball has grown into a massive one with little effort on any single day. Every effort builds upon the last.
This applies to everything: saving money, learning a language, improving a skill, or building relationships. Small, regular actions create results that are exponentially greater than you might expect.
How to Apply Consistency to Your Life
To switch your focus, simply lower your expectations for the daily effort, but raise your expectation for showing up.
Find Your Smallest Success: Don't aim for the hour-long intense session. What is the absolute minimum you can commit to? (e.g., One push-up, writing one paragraph, learning one word of a new language).
Attach it to an Existing Routine: Link the new consistent action to something you already do every day (e.g., "After I brush my teeth, I will write my to-do list for the next day.").
Track Your "Chain": Visually track every day you succeed. Your only goal is to keep the chain of success going. This feeling of maintaining the streak is highly motivating.
Choosing consistency means choosing a path of sustainable, guaranteed progress over the exhausting rollercoaster of intensity.

The Prajñāpāramitā

Prajñāpāramitā (Sanskrit for "Perfection of Wisdom") is one of the most central and foundational concepts in Mahāyāna Buddhism. It refers to three interrelated things:
A Transcendent Virtue (The Perfection): The perfected way of seeing reality that leads to enlightenment.
A Body of Literature (The Sutras): The collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist scriptures that teach this wisdom.
A Deity (The Great Mother): The female personification of this perfected wisdom.
Here is a breakdown of the core meaning and significance of the Prajñāpāramitā.
1. The Core Meaning: Perfection of Wisdom
The term Prajñāpāramitā combines two Sanskrit words:
Prajñā: Wisdom, insight, or intuitive knowledge.
Pāramitā: Perfection, excellence, or "that which has gone beyond" (to the "other shore," which is Nirvāṇa).
Therefore, Prajñāpāramitā means the Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom—the ultimate insight into the true nature of all phenomena.
The Central Teaching: Śūnyatā (Emptiness)
The key concept of this wisdom is Śūnyatā (Emptiness or Voidness). This is not nihilism or a belief that nothing exists. Rather, it is the realization that:
No inherent existence: All things, including people, objects, and concepts, are empty of any permanent, independent, or self-sufficient essence (svabhāva).
Interdependence: They exist only dependently, temporarily, and in relation to other factors.
The Perfection of Wisdom is the direct, non-conceptual realization of this emptiness, which dissolves all dualistic thinking (like self vs. other, existence vs. non-existence, Samsāra vs. Nirvāṇa).
2. The Prajñāpāramitā Sutras
This is a vast collection of texts, often referred to as the "Second Turning of the Wheel of Dharma." They vary in length dramatically, but all focus on the realization of emptiness and the path of the Bodhisattva.
Key Sutra
Length / Scope
Central Concept
The Heart Sutra (Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya)
The shortest and most famous (less than 300 words).
Famously condenses the entire teaching into the core line: "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form."
The Diamond Sutra (Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā)
A slightly longer text (about 6,000 words).
Emphasizes the illusory and dream-like nature of reality and the importance of acting without attachment or conception of merit.
The Larger Sutras
Texts ranging from 8,000 to 100,000 lines.
These provide the full, elaborate expositions of the Bodhisattva path and the stages of understanding emptiness.
The study and recitation of these Sutras is a central practice in Mahāyāna Buddhism.
3. The Personification: The Great Mother
Prajñāpāramitā is often personified as a beautiful female deity, sometimes called the Mother of All Buddhas or Yum Chenmo (in Tibetan).
Symbolism: She is considered the mother because the ultimate wisdom (Prajñā) is the source from which all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are born—only through this perfected insight can enlightenment be achieved.
Iconography: She is typically depicted holding a sacred book (the Prajñāpāramitā Sutra, symbolizing wisdom) and sometimes a lotus.

Balava Vipassana

​The Arrival of Momentum: Entering Balava Vipassana
​In the beginning, meditation is an act of sheer will. You are always trying, always trying. You sit, you focus, you drift, and you bring the mind back. It is a cycle of effort—meditating, meditating, again and again. In these early stages, the insight is tender; it requires your constant protection and energy to stay ignited.
​But slowly, something shifts.
​Through the repetition, your wisdom begins to grow. You start to see the fundamental truth: the mind is not me. You realize that the thoughts, the sensations, and the consciousness are merely processes, rising and passing away. With this realization, the struggle fades, and the mind becomes happy. It finds relief in the truth.
​This is where you catch the momentum.
​Suddenly, you are no longer "doing" the meditation; the meditation is doing itself. The heavy lifting is over. Awareness arises spontaneously. When you sit, you do not need to force the mind to observe; it observes automatically. It locks onto the present moment with a natural strength.
​This is the transition from effort to flow. In the ancient language of Pali, this state is called Balava Vipassana—Powerful Insight.
​It is called "powerful" because the mind has gained the strength to stand on its own. The five faculties—faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom—are no longer weak or scattered. They have united into a force that propels you forward.
​At this time, practicing feels different. It is no longer a chore; it is a current you are riding. Real Vipassana is coming to you, fluid and unstoppable. The momentum carries you, and in this powerful silence, the deepest truths are revealed.

Kusala mind, Akusala mind

The terms Kusala and Akusala are central concepts in Buddhist ethics, particularly concerning the mind, actions, and their consequences (Karma).
They are often translated as:
Term
Common Translations
Basic Meaning
Kusala
Wholesome, Skillful, Good, Virtuous, Beneficial
Wholesome states of mind and actions that lead to happiness, spiritual progress, and favorable results.
Akusala
Unwholesome, Unskillful, Bad, Non-virtuous, Harmful
Unwholesome states of mind and actions that lead to suffering, mental defilement, and unfavorable results.
Kusala Mind (Wholesome)
A Kusala mind, or Kusala Citta, is a state of consciousness that is morally good, healthy, and conducive to well-being and liberation (Nibbana).
Characteristics: It is clean, pure, intelligent, and free from moral corruption. It is the basis for skillful actions (of body, speech, and mind).
Rooted in: The Three Wholesome Roots (or roots of the skillful mind):
Non-Greed (Alobha) - Manifests as generosity, detachment.
Non-Hatred (Adosa) - Manifests as loving-kindness (Metta), compassion (Karuna).
Non-Delusion (Amoha) - Manifests as wisdom, clarity, and understanding.
Result (Karma): Actions motivated by a Kusala mind lead to positive, pleasant, and beneficial outcomes, both in this life and future rebirths.
Akusala Mind (Unwholesome)
An Akusala mind, or Akusala Citta, is a state of consciousness that is morally unskillful, unhealthy, and conducive to suffering (Dukkha) and spiritual regression.
Characteristics: It is stained, impure, and prevents one from seeing things clearly. It is the basis for unskillful actions.
Rooted in: The Three Unwholesome Roots (or roots of the unskillful mind):
Greed (Lobha) - Attachment, craving, desire.
Hatred (Dosa) - Aversion, ill-will, anger.
Delusion/Ignorance (Moha/Avijja) - Not understanding the true nature of reality (e.g., the Four Noble Truths).
Result (Karma): Actions motivated by an Akusala mind lead to negative, painful, and harmful outcomes.
The ultimate goal in Buddhist practice is to abandon Akusala and cultivate Kusala states of mind, ultimately leading to the complete elimination of both the roots of the skillful and unskillful mind to attain the unconditioned state of Nibbana.