Lesson video

Hello, I'm Ms. Ramalli.

Thank you for joining me for today's lesson.

My priority is to ensure that by the end of today's lesson, you have successfully met the learning outcome.

Welcome to today's lesson on Buddhism: Beliefs.

The three poisons.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to explain the three poisons, why they cause suffering and how they influence Buddhist today.

To guide us through our learning today, there are four keywords.

They are the three poisons, ignorance, greed, and hatred.

The three poisons refer to the causes of dukkha that affect all beings.

And they are ignorance, greed, and hatred.

Ignorance refers to the inability to see things as they really are.

Greed is the attachment to material things and the ongoing selfish desire for more.

And hatred refers to a feeling of intense dislike, anger, or wishing others harm.

So our lesson today on the three poisons takes two parts.

First of all, we are going to explore the three poisons, followed by how the three poisons influence Buddhists.

So let's begin by exploring the concept of the three poisons.

In Buddhism, the fundamental causes of suffering are referred to as the three poisons, ignorance, hatred, and greed.

These are commonly symbolised by a pig, which represents ignorance, a snake representing hatred, and a cockerel representing greed.

The three poisons are illustrated on the Tibetan Wheel of Life.

Here, you can see that they are at the centre of the Tibetan Wheel of Life.

Illustrating this idea that they are the centre of what causes suffering according to the Buddha.

They're positioned at the centre because they are seen as the forces that drive the wheel's motion and keep samsara turning.

Let's complete a check for understanding.

Which of the following poisons is represented by the pig? A, hatred.

B, greed.

C, ignorance.

You've got five seconds to select your answer.

Well done to everybody that selected C as the answer.

The pig represents ignorance.

Izzy asks, "As a terrified Buddhist monk, Niti, how do you interpret the meaning of the three poisons?" Niti responds, "I interpret the three poisons as being the root of all suffering, dukkha.

They are seen as the forces that bind beings to samsara, which is the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, perpetuating ignorance and attachment.

Overcoming these poisons is essential to break free from samsara and attain nirvana, the cessation of suffering." Izzy continues.

"What about you, Ting? As a Mahayana Buddhist monk, do you interpret the three poisons the same way as Niti?" Ting responds, "I also interpret the three poisons as being the root causes of suffering.

I believe they hide the Buddha's nature in all of us.

I see my goal as overcoming the poisons by developing the opposite virtues.

To overcome greed and must develop generosity, to avoid hatred, I cultivate compassion.

And to overcome ignorance, I must develop wisdom." True or false.

All Buddhist interpret the three poisons in the same way.

Pause a video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, well done.

If you selected false.

So why is that statement false? Most Buddhist believe the three poisons are the root of all suffering but interpretation varies across the different schools of Buddhism.

The Buddha taught that ignorance is the root of suffering.

This refers to a lack of understanding about the world, people, and the true nature of reality.

Most Buddhists believe that enlightenment can only be attained by overcoming ignorance and cultivating wisdom.

Ignorance causes suffering in many ways.

These include, ignorance of anicca, which means impermanence.

So for example, if a person is obsessed with having lots of wealth and possessions and not understanding the impermanent nature of these things.

Ignorance of anatta, so the idea of no self.

If a person identifies strongly, for example, with their appearance, not understanding that there is no such thing as a self according to the Buddha, that can cause suffering.

And then ignorance of dukkha, suffering.

So for example, if a person is in denial about the reality that all people suffer and experience pain in life, then by being ignorant to the concept and the idea of dukkha, that causes suffering.

Let's pause and complete a check for understanding.

Which one of the following describes the meaning of ignorance? A, a feeling of intense, dislike, anger, and wishing others harm.

B, their inability to see things as they really are.

C, the attachment to material things and the ongoing selfish desire for more.

Or D, causes of dukkha that affect all beings.

That's ignorance, greed and hatred.

Pause the video here and press play when you are ready to check your answer.

Welcome back, everybody.

And well done to everybody that's selected B as the correct answer.

Ignorance is the inability to see things as they really are.

Hatred causes suffering for the individual and those around them.

It can cause mental distress such as loneliness.

It can create negative kamma, for example, if somebody is using harmful speech.

And it can also cause feelings where relationships break down and that leads to separation.

So these are three examples of how hatred can cause suffering for individuals and those people around them.

The Dhammapada is a source of wisdom and authority for most Buddhists.

In Dhammapada verse five it said, "Hatred is never appeased or pacified by hatred in this world.

By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased.

This is a law eternal." So what I'd like you to do is to pause for a moment and consider answers to these two questions.

What does this verse teach Buddhists about hatred? And how does this verse link to the three poisons? Pause the video here, have some time to reflect by yourself or speak to your partner or in a small group to answer those two questions.

Pause the video and press play when you are ready to reflect on your answers.

Okay, fantastic.

Welcome back, everybody.

So I ask you to consider, what does this first teach Buddhists about hatred? And how does this first link to the three poisons? Well, you might have come up with an answer similar to this.

"This verse teaches Buddhists that peace and revolution come not from escalating conflict, but from responding to negativity with compassion and non-violence.

This links to the three poisons because hatred is one of the poisons, showing that responding to hatred with more anger and hatred only creates more suffering." Let's complete a check for understanding.

Which one of the following describes the meaning of hatred? A, a feeling of intense, dislike, anger, wishing others harm.

B, the attachment to material things and the ongoing selfish desire for more.

Or C, causes of dukkha that affect all beings, ignorance, greed, and hatred.

Pause a video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Welcome back, everybody, and well done to everybody that's selected A.

The meaning of hatred is a feeling of intense, dislike, anger, and wishing others harm.

So now we're gonna consider how greed, the third poison, causes suffering.

Well, it causes suffering in many ways, and these are some examples.

It causes conflict with others.

Greed can cause cravings.

It can create a fear of loss.

Greed is often driven by selfishness.

It shows a lack of contentment, and it also can create negative kamma.

So all of these are different ways to show how greed can cause suffering.

The Buddha taught, "There is no fear for one whose thought is untroubled by faults, whose thought is agitated, who is freed from good and evil, who is awake." Now this can be found in Dhammapada of verse 39.

So I would like you to consider what does this verse teach Buddhists? And how could you link this to the three poisons? Pause the video here and either reflect on your own, with your partner have a discussion, or perhaps in a small group to consider answers to those two questions.

Pause a video and press play when you are ready to check your answers.

Okay, welcome back, everybody.

Great discussions.

This verse highlights the qualities of a person who is free from the attachments of the three poisons.

The three poisons create fear and emotional turbulence.

So by overcoming the three poisons, a Buddhist can live a life with inner peace.

Let's complete a check for understanding.

I would like you to name one of the three poisons.

Pause a video here and press play when you are ready to check your answer.

Okay, welcome back, everybody.

So you may have said in your answer one of the following points.

One example of the three poisons is ignorance, or one example of the three poisons is greed, or one example of the three poisons is hatred.

So now we're at a point in the lesson when we are going to complete our first practise task.

So this practise task is to show your understanding of the three poisons.

I would like you to this diagram, the diagram of the three poisons as a prompt to explain two of the three poisons and how they cause suffering.

You could use an example or evidence to develop both of your points.

And you might like to use the table as a way to set out your answers.

Pause the video here and press play when you are ready to reflect on the answers for your practise task.

Good luck, everybody.

Okay, welcome back, everybody.

So time to check your answers for the first practise task.

So your answers, they may look something like this.

So for the first poison, you may have said, "One of the poisons is ignorance.

This means that inability to see things as they really are." How it causes suffering? Well, ignorance causes suffering when a person doesn't understand the nature of anatta, that there is no fixed self.

This can cause suffering when a person becomes attached to the idea of looking young and they suffer as their appearance ages.

Secondly, another poison is greed.

This means the attachment to material things and the ongoing selfish desire for more.

How it causes suffering? Greed can cause suffering when a person is not content and continually strives for more and more, for example, wealth.

This can lead to suffering for the individual and others if the person acts selfishly.

Or perhaps you wrote in your answer about hatred and maybe you said something like the final poison is hatred.

This means a feeling of intense dislike, anger, or wishing others harm.

How does it cause suffering? Well, hatred causes suffering when people are unkind or speak negatively towards others.

This can lead to suffering for the individual, but also to the person being unkind.

They may suffer through obtaining bad kamma caused by their actions.

Well done, everybody, on all your hard work on the practise task.

And that moves us onto the second part of our lesson on the three poisons to consider how the three poisons influence Buddhists.

Sofia asks, "How does a belief in the three poisons influence you as a Buddhist, Linn?" Linn says, "The Buddha taught that when people don't understand the three poisons, they become more attached to their cravings, the tanha.

He said this is why people get stuck in the cycle of samsara and cannot reach nibbana.

I'm influenced to not show ignorance.

So I study the Buddha's Dharma, his teachings, with members of the Sangha, which is the Buddhist community." Sofia asked Tashi.

"How does a belief in the three poisons influence you as a Buddhist, Tashi?" Tashi says, "My belief in the three poisons influences me to overcome feelings of greed and hatred.

This belief influences me to meditate most mornings before I go to school.

Meditation helps me to feel calmer." True or false? Many Buddhists will meditate daily to help eliminate the three poisons.

You've got five seconds to choose true or false for that statement.

And well done to everybody that said that statement is true.

Why? Meditation is a method used to keep the mind calm and eliminate the three poisons such as hatred.

Well done.

Roshan tells us how his belief in the three poisons influences him.

He says, "I have a copy of the Tibetan Wheel at home.

It serves as a reminder of the three poisons and how I must avoid ignorance.

I am influenced to avoid hatred and greed and to show compassion to others." Belief in the three poisons can influence many parts of a Buddhist life.

To eliminate the three poisons they may, perform meditation, visit the vihara and connect with the Sangha, learn and follow the Buddhist Dhamma, and live a simple life.

Let's complete check for understanding.

Which one of the following is not a way to eliminate the three poisons.

A, perform meditation.

B, learn the Buddhist Dhamma.

C, lead a busy life.

D, connect with the Sangha.

Pause the video and press play when you are ready to check your answer.

Okay, well done to everybody that's selected C, leading a busy life is not a way to eliminate the three poisons.

It's about leading a simple life.

So now we're in a position to complete our second practise task by considering how the three poisons influence Buddhists.

I would like you to explain two ways that beliefs about the three poisons influences Buddhists today.

So here is some guidance of how you might like to respond and develop your answers.

So you could give one influence the three poisons would have on a Buddhist and good practise is to develop that point.

So you could explain how this influence then impacts the life of a Buddhist.

And this question asks for two ways.

So you would need to give a second point.

So give another influence the three poisons would have on a Buddhist and then develop that second point by explaining how this influence impacts the life of a Buddhist.

So good luck completing the practise task.

Press play when you are ready to check your answers.

Okay, welcome back, everybody.

So I asked you to explain two ways that beliefs about the sweet poisons influence Buddhist today.

So your response might be similar to this.

"Beliefs about the three poisons can influence Buddhists by encouraging them to eliminate feelings of hatred.

They may meditate on a daily basis in order to feel calmer and less likely to act with negative emotions such as anger.

Beliefs about the three poisons can also influence Buddhists because they want to avoid showing ignorance which causes suffering to themselves and others.

They will be influenced to study the Buddhist Dhamma, his teachings with members of the Sangha, which are the Buddhist community." Fantastic, well done on all your hard work completing the practise task.

So that brings us onto the summary of today's lesson on the three poisons and let's consider what we have learned.

The three poisons are represented on the Tibetan Wheel of Life as greed, a cockrell, ignorance, a pig, and hatred the snake.

Buddhist teachings say the three poisons are the root of suffering or dukkha.

There are different Buddhist interpretations on how to respond to the three poisons.

The Buddha taught that hatred can only be overcome by showing compassion.

And the three poisons influence Buddhists in many ways.

For example, to meditate daily and show compassion.

Well done on all your hard work on today's lesson on The three poisons and thank you for joining me.