Five Poisons

Picture Story

Buddhism gathers human afflictions into five fundamental ones — the "five poisons":

Cupidity (贪) — endless craving · never satisfied.

Hatred (嗔) — uncontrollable anger · emotions out of hand.

Ignorance (痴) — delusion's veil · lack of wisdom.

Pride (慢) — self-exaltation · contempt for others.

Doubt (疑) — disbelief · half-believing, half-not.

Five Buddha figures, in five zones, each correspond to one of the five afflictions — left open for visitors to write upon.