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Numbered Discourses · AN 4.236

  • Numbered Discourses 4.236Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.236
  • 24. Deeds24. Kammavagga

Training Rules (2nd)Dutiyasikkhāpadasutta

“Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight.“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditāni. What four?Katamāni cattāri?

  1. There are dark deeds with dark results;Atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ;
  2. bright deeds with bright results;atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ;
  3. dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results; andatthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ;
  4. neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati.

And what are dark deeds with dark results?Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ? It’s when someone murders their mother or father or a perfected one. They maliciously shed the blood of a Realized One. Or they cause a schism in the Saṅgha.Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccena mātā jīvitā voropitā hoti, pitā jīvitā voropito hoti, arahaṁ jīvitā voropito hoti, tathāgatassa duṭṭhena cittena lohitaṁ uppāditaṁ hoti, saṅgho bhinno hoti. These are called dark deeds with dark results.Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ.

And what are bright deeds with bright results?Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ? It’s when someone doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re content, kind-hearted, with right view.Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti, anabhijjhālu hoti, abyāpannacitto hoti, sammādiṭṭhi hoti. These are called bright deeds with bright results.Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ.

And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results?Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ? It’s when someone makes both hurtful and pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti …pe… idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ.

And what are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds?Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati? It’s the intention to give up dark deeds with dark results, bright deeds with bright results, and both dark and bright deeds with both dark and bright results. These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.Tatra, bhikkhave, yamidaṁ kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ …pe… idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati.

These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight.”Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditānī”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. AN 4.235 Training Rules (1st) 0.91near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.235 24. Deeds Training Rules (1st) “Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four? There are dark deeds with dark results; bright deeds with br…
  2. AN 4.237 The Noble Path 0.80near 5.2Numbered Discourses 4.237 24. Deeds The Noble Path “Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four? There are dark deeds with dark results; bright deeds with bright r…
  3. AN 4.233 Deeds in Detail 0.79near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.233 24. Deeds Deeds in Detail “Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four? There are dark deeds with dark results; bright deeds with bright…
  4. AN 4.232 Deeds In Brief 0.74near 5.2Numbered Discourses 4.232 24. Deeds Deeds In Brief “Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four? There are dark deeds with dark results. There are bright deeds wit…
  5. AN 4.238 Awakening Factors 0.71near 0.1Numbered Discourses 4.238 24. Deeds Awakening Factors “Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. … And what are dark deeds with dark results? It’s when someone makes hurtf…