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New
New
Year 10
AQA

The three poisons

I can explain the three poisons, why they cause suffering and how they influence Buddhists today.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 10
AQA

The three poisons

I can explain the three poisons, why they cause suffering and how they influence Buddhists today.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The three poisons are represented on the Wheel of Life as greed (cockerel), ignorance (pig) and hatred (snake).
  2. Buddhist teachings say the three poisons are the root of suffering (dukkha).
  3. There are diverse interpretations between Buddhists of the Wheel of Life and the three poisons.
  4. Belief in the three poisons influences Buddhists thoughts, beliefs and actions in different ways.

Keywords

  • The three poisons - causes of dukkha that affect all beings: ignorance, greed and hatred

  • Ignorance - the inability to see things as they really are

  • Greed - the attachment to material things and the ongoing selfish desire for more

  • Hatred - a feeling of intense dislike, anger; wishing others harm

Common misconception

That all Buddhists interpret and respond to the three poisons in the same way.

How Buddhists interpret and respond to the three poisons depends on the school of Buddhism they follow.


To help you plan your year 10 religious education lesson on: The three poisons, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

This lesson can be linked to the second Noble Truth (Samudaya) on the causes of suffering.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What was the purpose of the Buddha’s Sermon at Benares?
to describe the rules for monastic life
to explain how to achieve material success
Correct answer: to help people understand the causes of suffering
to teach that suffering is unavoidable and cannot be reduced
Q2.
Which of the following is NOT one of the three poisons in Buddhism?
craving
ignorance
greed
Correct answer: compassion
Q3.
Why do many Buddhists believe suffering is important?
Correct answer: It helps them understand ultimate reality and how to live.
It shows that life is meaningless.
It proves that happiness is impossible.
It makes people avoid spiritual practice.
Q4.
In Buddhism, the ongoing state of desire that causes suffering is called ...
Correct Answer: tanha, Tanha
Q5.
The Buddhist belief that all life includes suffering and unsatisfactoriness is known as ...
Correct Answer: dukkha, Dukkha
Q6.
One of the three marks of existence, meaning nothing is permanent, is called ...
Correct Answer: anicca, Anicca

6 Questions

Q1.
What are the three poisons in Buddhism?
wisdom, generosity and compassion
Correct answer: ignorance, greed and hatred
desire, suffering and enlightenment
karma, meditation and samsara
Q2.
How is greed symbolized on the Tibetan Wheel of Life?
by a snake
by a pig
Correct answer: by a cockerel
by a lion
Q3.
Why do Buddhists believe it is important to overcome the three poisons?
to achieve material wealth
Correct answer: to break free from the cycle of samsara and reach nirvana
to become more popular in their community
to avoid difficult emotions entirely
Q4.
The ongoing desire for material things and selfishness is known in Buddhism as ...
Correct Answer: greed, Greed
Q5.
The Buddhist belief that hatred causes suffering is symbolised by a ...
Correct Answer: snake, Snake
Q6.
The inability to see things as they really are is called ...
Correct Answer: ignorance, Ignorance