The Characteristic of Lobha - Kusala and akusala

Cittas are of different types. They can be classified as kusala cittas (wholesome cittas), akusala cittas (unwholesome cittas), vipākacittas (cittas which are result) and kiriyācittas (cittas which are neither cause nor result). All these kinds of cittas arise in a day, yet we know so little about them. Most of the time we do not know whether the citta is kusala, akusala, vipāka or kiriya. If we learn to classify our mind we will have more understanding of ourselves and of others. We will have more compassion and loving kindness towards others, even when they behave in a disagreeable way. We do not like the akusala cittas of others; we find it unpleasant when they are stingy or speak harsh words. However, do we realize at which moments we ourselves have akusala cittas? When we dislike other people's harsh words, we ourselves have akusala cittas with aversion at that moment. Instead of paying attention to the akusala cittas of others we should be aware of our own akusala cittas. If one has not studied the Abhidhamma which explains realities in detail, one may not know what is akusala. People may take what is unwholesome for wholesome and thus accumulate unwholesomeness without knowing it. If we know more about different types of citta we can see for ourselves which types arise more often, kusala cittas or akusala cittas, and thus we will understand ourselves better.

We should know the difference between kusala and akusala.

 

The 'Atthasālinī (Book I, Part I, Ch.1, 38) speaks about the meaning of the

word 'kusala'. The word 'kusala' has many meanings;  it can mean 'of good

health',  'faultless',  'skillful', 'productive of happy results'.

 

When we perform dāna (generosity), sīla (good moral conduct) and bhāvanā

(mental development), the citta is kusala. All different kinds of

wholesomeness such as the appreciation of other people’s good deeds,

helping others, politeness, paying respect, observing the precepts, studying

and teaching Dhamma, samatha (tranquil meditation) and vipassanā

(development of ‘insight’ right understanding of realities), are included in

dāna, sīla or bhāvanā. Kusala is ‘productive of happy results'; each good deed

will bring a pleasant result.

 

The 'Atthasālinī ' (Book I, Part I, Ch.I, 39) states about akusala:

'Akusala' means 'not kusala'. Just as the opposite to friendship is enmity, or

the opposite to greed, etc,. is disinterestedness, etc., so 'akusala' is opposed

to 'kusala'...

 

Unwholesome deeds will bring unhappy results. Nobody wishes to

experience an unhappy result, but many people are ignorant about the cause

which brings an unhappy result, about akusala. They do not realize when

the citta is unwholesome and they do not always know when they perform

unwholesome deeds.