In the Buddhist Abhidharma literature, six root afflictive emotions are identified as the causes for episodes or entire lifetimes of suffering. Of these, anger holds a singular place. Like all other non-virtues, it establishes seeds or roots of non-virtue; but it is also one of a very few mental states that nullify the seeds or roots of virtue that are planted by exemplary actions such as giving and patience.

From Changing Minds: Contributions to the Study of Buddhism and Tibet in Honor of Jeffrey Hopkins, edited by Guy Newland, ©2001 by Guy Newland. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications Inc., Boston, MA. This published version is made available on Dickinson Scholar with the permission of the publisher. For more information on the published version, visit Shambhala Publication's Website.

Daniel Cozort is a professor of Religion at Dickinson College.

Cozort, Daniel. Cutting the Roots of Virtue: Tsong kha pa on the Results of Anger. In Changing Minds: Contributions to the Study of Buddhism and Tibet in Honor of Jeffrey Hopkins, edited by Guy Newland, 83-105. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion, 2001.