akusala citta
Unwholesome consciousness
[ AH-koo-sa-la CHIT-ta ]
Seeing it in life
Twelve unwholesome cittas: 8 rooted in lobha, 2 rooted in dosa, 2 rooted in moha. They produce unwholesome kamma and lead to suffering results.
In short
12 cittas rooted in greed, hatred, or delusion.
The analysis
Twelve unwholesome cittas are enumerated: eight rooted in lobha (varying by feeling-tone, view-association, and whether prompted or unprompted), two rooted in dosa, two rooted in moha alone. Every akusala citta contains moha as a background condition even when lobha or dosa is the more prominent root — which is why moha is called the deepest of the three. These twelve produce unwholesome kamma and, when they ripen, unpleasant results.
Where it sits
Akusala-citta sits opposite kusala-citta in the fundamental ethical division Abhidhamma applies to all sense-sphere consciousness. The unwholesome roots determine which of the twelve arises in a given moment, and the classification matters practically: each type carries a specific kammic signature, not a generic 'bad thought' label.
The eight lobha-rooted cittas aren't identical — an eager reach for a treat and a calculated grasp at credit for someone else's work are both lobha-rooted, but differ in whether wrong view is present and whether the reaction is spontaneous or deliberate.
Commonly mistaken for
A single category of 'bad thoughts.' The twelve types differ meaningfully by root, feeling-tone, and whether view or prompting is involved.
A permanent verdict on the person. These cittas arise and pass; the same mind produces both akusala and kusala cittas across an ordinary day.
Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha I.
Related terms