[509] 70. Bhikkhus, there are these three unwholesome roots (akusalamūla). What three? Greed (lobha) is an unwholesome root; hatred (dosa) is an unwholesome root; delusion (moha) is an unwholesome root.
Whatever greed there is, bhikkhus, that too is unwholesome. Whatever a greedy person performs (abhisaṅkharoti) by body, speech, or mind, that too is unwholesome. When a greedy person, overcome by greed, his mind (citta) overpowered, falsely inflicts suffering (dukkha) upon another—by killing, by binding, by confiscation, by censure, or by banishment—[thinking,] "I am powerful, I am established in power," that too is unwholesome. Thus these many evil, unwholesome states born of greed, having greed as their source, having greed as their origin, having greed as their condition, come into being in him.
Whatever hatred there is, bhikkhus, that too is unwholesome. Whatever a hating person performs by body, speech, or mind, that too is unwholesome. When a hating person, overcome by hatred, his mind overpowered, falsely inflicts suffering upon another—by killing, by binding, by confiscation, by censure, or by banishment—[thinking,] "I am powerful, I am established in power," that too is unwholesome. Thus these many evil, unwholesome states born of hatred, having hatred as their source, having hatred as their origin, having hatred as their condition, come into being in him.
Whatever delusion there is, bhikkhus, that too is unwholesome. Whatever a deluded person performs by body, speech, or mind, that too is unwholesome. When a deluded person, overcome by delusion, his mind overpowered, falsely inflicts suffering upon another—by killing, by binding, by confiscation, by censure, or by banishment—[thinking,] "I am powerful, I am established in power," that too is unwholesome. Thus these many evil, unwholesome states born of delusion, having delusion as their source, having delusion as their origin, having delusion as their condition, come into being in him.
And such a person, bhikkhus, is called one who speaks at the wrong time, one who speaks what is untrue, one who speaks what is unbeneficial, one who speaks contrary to the Dhamma, one who speaks contrary to the Vinaya. And why, bhikkhus, is such a person called one who speaks at the wrong time, one who speaks what is untrue, one who speaks what is unbeneficial, one who speaks contrary to the Dhamma, one who speaks contrary to the Vinaya? Because, bhikkhus, this person falsely inflicts suffering upon another—by killing, by binding, by confiscation, by censure, or by banishment—[thinking,] "I am powerful, I am established in power." When reproved with what is true, he denies it and does not acknowledge it; when reproved with what is untrue, he makes no effort to unravel it, [saying,] "For this reason too it is incorrect; for this reason too it is untrue." Therefore such a person is called one who speaks at the wrong time, one who speaks what is untrue, one who speaks what is unbeneficial, one who speaks contrary to the Dhamma, one who speaks contrary to the Vinaya.
Such a person, bhikkhus, overcome by evil, unwholesome states born of greed, his mind overpowered, dwells in suffering in this very life, with vexation, with despair, with fever; and with the breakup of the body, after death, a bad destination is to be expected. [Overcome by evil, unwholesome states] born of hatred … born of delusion, his mind overpowered, he dwells in suffering in this very life, with vexation, with despair, with fever; and with the breakup of the body, after death, a bad destination is to be expected.
Just as, bhikkhus, a sāla tree, a dhava tree, or a phandana tree, smothered and enveloped by three māluvā creepers, comes to calamity, comes to disaster, comes to calamity and disaster, even so, bhikkhus, such a person, overcome by evil, unwholesome states born of greed, his mind overpowered, dwells in suffering in this very life, with vexation, with despair, with fever; and with the breakup of the body, after death, a bad destination is to be expected. Born of hatred … born of delusion: overcome by evil, unwholesome states, his mind overpowered, he dwells in suffering in this very life, with vexation, with despair, with fever; and with the breakup of the body, after death, a bad destination is to be expected. These, bhikkhus, are the three unwholesome roots.
Bhikkhus, there are these three wholesome roots (kusalamūla). What three? Non-greed (alobha) is a wholesome root; non-hatred (adosa) is a wholesome root; non-delusion (amoha) is a wholesome root.
Whatever non-greed there is, bhikkhus, that too is wholesome. Whatever a person without greed performs by body, speech, or mind, that too is wholesome. When a person without greed, not overcome by greed, his mind not overpowered, does not falsely inflict suffering upon another—by killing, by binding, by confiscation, by censure, or by banishment—[thinking,] "I am powerful, I am established in power," that too is wholesome. Thus these many wholesome states born of non-greed, having non-greed as their source, having non-greed as their origin, having non-greed as their condition, come into being in him.
Whatever non-hatred there is, bhikkhus, that too is wholesome. Whatever a person without hatred performs by body, speech, or mind, that too is wholesome. When a person without hatred, not overcome by hatred, his mind not overpowered, does not falsely inflict suffering upon another—by killing, by binding, by confiscation, by censure, or by banishment—[thinking,] "I am powerful, I am established in power," that too is wholesome. Thus these many wholesome states born of non-hatred, having non-hatred as their source, having non-hatred as their origin, having non-hatred as their condition, come into being in him.
Whatever non-delusion there is, bhikkhus, that too is wholesome. Whatever a person without delusion performs by body, speech, or mind, that too is wholesome. When a person without delusion, not overcome by delusion, his mind not overpowered, does not falsely inflict suffering upon another—by killing, by binding, by confiscation, by censure, or by banishment—[thinking,] "I am powerful, I am established in power," that too is wholesome. Thus these many wholesome states born of non-delusion, having non-delusion as their source, having non-delusion as their origin, having non-delusion as their condition, come into being in him.
And such a person, bhikkhus, is called one who speaks at the right time, one who speaks what is true, one who speaks what is beneficial, one who speaks in accordance with the Dhamma, one who speaks in accordance with the Vinaya. And why, bhikkhus, is such a person called one who speaks at the right time, one who speaks what is true, one who speaks what is beneficial, one who speaks in accordance with the Dhamma, one who speaks in accordance with the Vinaya? Because, bhikkhus, this person does not falsely inflict suffering upon another—by killing, by binding, by confiscation, by censure, or by banishment—[thinking,] "I am powerful, I am established in power." When reproved with what is true, he acknowledges it and does not deny it; when reproved with what is untrue, he makes an effort to unravel it, [saying,] "For this reason too it is incorrect; for this reason too it is untrue." Therefore such a person is called one who speaks at the right time, one who speaks what is true, one who speaks what is beneficial, one who speaks in accordance with the Dhamma, one who speaks in accordance with the Vinaya.
In such a person, bhikkhus, the evil, unwholesome states born of greed are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, no longer subject to future arising; he dwells happily in this very life, without vexation, without despair, without fever, and in this very life he attains final Nibbāna. Those born of hatred … those born of delusion—the evil, unwholesome states—are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, no longer subject to future arising; he dwells happily in this very life, without vexation, without despair, without fever, and in this very life he attains final Nibbāna.
Just as, bhikkhus, if a sāla tree, a dhava tree, or a phandana tree were smothered and enveloped by three māluvā creepers, and then a man should come along bringing a hoe and a basket: he would cut that māluvā creeper at the root; having cut it at the root, he would dig it out; having dug it out, he would pull up the roots, even those as small as usīra fibers. He would cut that māluvā creeper into pieces; having cut it into pieces, he would split them; having split them, he would reduce them to slivers; having reduced them to slivers, he would dry them in the wind and sun; having dried them in the wind and sun, he would burn them with fire; having burned them with fire, he would reduce them to ashes; having reduced them to ashes, he would winnow them in a strong wind or let them be carried away by a river with a swift current. Thus, bhikkhus, that māluvā creeper would be cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, no longer subject to future arising. Even so, bhikkhus, in such a person the evil, unwholesome states born of greed are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, no longer subject to future arising; he dwells happily in this very life, without vexation, without despair, without fever, and in this very life he attains final Nibbāna. Those born of hatred … those born of delusion—the evil, unwholesome states—are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, no longer subject to future arising; he dwells happily in this very life, without vexation, without despair, without fever, and in this very life he attains final Nibbāna. These, bhikkhus, are the three wholesome roots.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.