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# SN 3:23 · (Qualities of) the World (Loka Sutta)
- URL: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-3-23/
- Published: 2026-06-01T00:56:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T16:58:53.000Z
- Description: Saṁyutta Nikāya · SN 3:23. Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.
- Author: Ninth Heaven Literature & Arts Association (NHLAA)
- Tags: Buddhism, Sutta Piṭaka, Text, Indian, The Buddha, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Saṁyutta Nikāya, Verse, Pali, Early Buddhist, Library, #Import 2026-07-06 03:31

Near Sāvatthī. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “How many qualities of the world that, when arising, arise for harm, stress, & discomfort?”

“Three qualities of the world, great king, when arising, arise for harm, stress, & discomfort. Which three? Greed, great king, is a quality of the world that, when arising, arises for harm, stress, & discomfort. Aversion… Delusion is a quality of the world that, when arising, arises for harm, stress, & discomfort. These are the three qualities of the world, great king, that when arising, arise for harm, stress, & discomfort.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

“Greed, aversion, & delusion

—born from oneself—

destroy

the person of evil awareness,

as its own fruit, the reed.”

See also: [MN 95](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/mn-95/); [AN 3:66](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-3-66/); [AN 8:6–8](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-8-6/); [Dhp 164–165](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/dhp-12/); [Dhp 240](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/dhp-18/) 

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*Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) licence, for free distribution only. Source: [dhammatalks.org](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN3%5F23.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) (Metta Forest Monastery).*