Have greed and anger?

You’re ignorant! 

Having written, edited, re-written, and finally filmed a lecture on Buddhism’s three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, I faced the toughest part of producing a Dharma talk: coming up with a title.

While I was lamenting my problem and struggling with possible options, another nun looked over and asked me what the talk was about.

“The three poisons,” I replied.

She whipped back, “Have greed and anger? You’re ignorant!”

Wow. I wished I had come up with that. Regrettably, I couldn’t use her idea. (It was a bit too forthright.)

But she was so right. If we indulge in greed and succumb to anger, it’s due to our ignorance, our failure to deeply comprehend cause and effect. All that we’ll end up with from giving in to the three poisons will be disappointment and regret. The three are a package deal: due to ignorance, we crave, and when this is unfulfilled, we get angry.

This is one deal we can live without.