The Buddha lists the three roots of the unwholesome - greed, aversion, and delusion, and explain their effect on the mind with a simile.
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:
“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, akusalamūlāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Lobho akusalamūlaṁ, doso akusalamūlaṁ, moho akusalamūlaṁ— imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi akusalamūlānī”ti.
“There are these three roots of the unwholesome, bhikkhus. What are the three? |Greed::a grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment [lobha]| is a root of the unwholesome, |aversion::hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]| is a root of the unwholesome, |delusion::illusion, misperception, erroneous belief, false idea, misapprehension; a fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt [moha]| is a root of the unwholesome. These, bhikkhus, are the three roots of the unwholesome.”
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:
“Lobho doso ca moho ca,
purisaṁ pāpacetasaṁ;
Hiṁsanti attasambhūtā,
tacasāraṁva samphalan”ti.
“Greed, aversion, and delusion,
afflict the person with a |corrupt mind::evil-minded, a mind with defilements [pāpacetasa]|;
They arise from within and harm him,
as its own fruit destroys the |reed::bamboo; lit. hardwood skin [tacasāra]|.”
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.
This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:
“There are these three roots of the unwholesome, bhikkhus. What are the three? |Greed::a grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment [lobha]| is a root of the unwholesome, |aversion::hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]| is a root of the unwholesome, |delusion::illusion, misperception, erroneous belief, false idea, misapprehension; a fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt [moha]| is a root of the unwholesome. These, bhikkhus, are the three roots of the unwholesome.”
The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:
“Greed, aversion, and delusion,
afflict the person with a |corrupt mind::evil-minded, a mind with defilements [pāpacetasa]|;
They arise from within and harm him,
as its own fruit destroys the |reed::bamboo; lit. hardwood skin [tacasāra]|.”
This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, akusalamūlāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Lobho akusalamūlaṁ, doso akusalamūlaṁ, moho akusalamūlaṁ— imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi akusalamūlānī”ti.
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
“Lobho doso ca moho ca,
purisaṁ pāpacetasaṁ;
Hiṁsanti attasambhūtā,
tacasāraṁva samphalan”ti.
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.