What are the worst negative thoughts, or dusts, to have in one’s mind?
In the Ofudesaki, God lists five dusts. In order, they are oshii (regret/disappointment), hoshii (covetousness), kawaii (self-love), yoku (greed), and kouman (arrogance).
I used to think that arrogance was the worst negative thought that God wanted us to remove from our minds. However, afterward, I began to wonder why God placed these thoughts in this particular order. Why did God place regret or disappointment first among the thoughts that we should remove?
First, what is the meaning of regret or disappointment? It is disappointment toward something someone has done to us. This thought repeatedly comes back into our minds whenever we see that person or think about that person. As a result, feelings of anger arise, eventually leading to actions such as hatred or holding a grudge.
I believe this is the most difficult negative thought to remove from our minds. This is because it is easier to blame other people than to reflect on the negative thoughts within our own minds. It is difficult to deeply examine our own minds regarding the negative thoughts that arise from inconvenient situations or toward certain people.
When I look back on my life, I feel that I have not truly thought deeply about these five negative thoughts and how they have affected my life. However, by understanding the meaning of each one, we can begin to understand how they affect our own lives.
By understanding the meaning of the negative thought of oshii (regret/disappointment), I have come to realize that I must first remove this thought from my mind and then work on the other four dusts.