The First Treatise on the Perfections – 2545 

 

in the absence of such craving, aversion and delusion is an act of 
generosity accomplished. 

2.   The ten wrongdoings are opposed to the perfection of morality because 

observance of precepts is accomplished only when one is free from the 
evils of wrong thought, word and deed. 

3.   Renunciation is the noble act of abstinence from sense pleasures, ill 

treatment of others and self-mortification; therefore indulgence in 
sense pleasures (

lobha

), ill-treatment of others (

dosa

) and self-

mortification (

moha

) are opposed to the 

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 perfection of renunciation. 

4.   Craving, aversion and delusion make beings blind, whereas wisdom 

restores the sight of beings blinded by them. Therefore, these three 
unwholesome factors, which cause blindness in beings, are opposed to 
the perfection of wisdom. 

5.   Through craving, one flinches from doing meritorious deeds; through 

aversion, one cannot be established in good deeds; and through delusion, 
one cannot strive in a right way. It is only by means of energy, one 
performs meritorious deeds without flinching, becomes established in 
them and proceeds in a right manner. Therefore, these three 
unwholesome factors are opposed to the perfection of energy. 

6.   Only with forbearance can one resist the inclination towards craving 

for desirable objects, or towards ill-will for undesirable objects, and can 
perceive the non-personality and voidness of natural phenomena. Thus, 
craving, aversion, and delusion, which cannot perceive the empty 
nature of phenomena, are opposed to the perfection of forbearance. 

7.   Without truthfulness, one is likely to be biased by craving because of 

services rendered by others, or by aversion, because of harm done by 
them. Hence truth cannot prevail under such circumstances. Only with 
truthfulness can one, in the face of favouritism or antagonism, be free 
from bias caused by craving, or by aversion, ill-will or delusion that 
deter the prevalence of truth. Thus, these three unwholesome factors 
are opposed to the perfection of truthfulness. 

8. 

With resolution, one can overcome the pleasant and unpleasant 
vicissitudes of life and remain unshakeable in fulfilling the perfections.