A Study of Moral Consciousness: Wholesome and Unwholesome States
Wai Pon La, Thanigaivelan Shanmugam
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science 2026 DOI: 10.47772/ijriss.2026.1017psy0061 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Key points | Argues that the Noble Eightfold Path, organized as the threefold training of moral discipline, mental concentration, and wisdom, offers a comprehensive strategy for controlling, weakening, and eventually defeating the unwholesome roots of greed, hatred, and delusion. The authors propose that cultivating the path's eight factors constitutes a progressive process of mental growth and moral purity. |
Abstract
Based on the Noble Eightfold Path (Ariya Aṭṭhaṅgika Magga), this study explores moral consciousness using the Buddhist paradigm of wholesome (kusala) and unwholesome (akusala) states. The Noble Eightfold Path provides a comprehensive method of ethical, mental, and intellectual expansion through eight factors: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Traditionally, these eight factors are arranged as the threefold training of moral discipline (sīla), mental concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā). Moral discipline, comprising right speech, right action, and right livelihood, restrains unwholesome physical and verbal actions and establishes the foundation for moral conduct. Mental concentration, consisting of right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration, cultivates mental discipline and strengthens the mind against the arising of unwholesome states. Wisdom, symbolised by right view and right intention, helps the practitioner discern between wholesome and unwholesome mental states and advances awareness of the nature of reality. The study also examines how the main sources of unwholesome consciousness are greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha), whereas the main sources of wholesome consciousness are non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion. It makes the case that the Noble Eightfold Path offers a comprehensive strategy for controlling, weakening, and eventually defeating impurities via moral behaviour, wisdom, and mental development. Therefore, the Noble Eightfold Path’s cultivation of moral discipline, mental concentration, and wisdom represents a progressive process of mental growth and moral purity.