Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.47

Numbered Discourses 10.47

5. Akkosavagga

5. Abuse

Mahālisutta

With Mahāli

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Atha kho mahāli licchavi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahāli licchavi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then Mahāli the Licchavi went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo pāpassa kammassa kiriyāya pāpassa kammassa pavattiyā”ti?

“What is the cause, sir, what is the reason for doing bad deeds, for performing bad deeds?”

“Lobho kho, mahāli, hetu, lobho paccayo pāpassa kammassa kiriyāya pāpassa kammassa pavattiyā. Doso kho, mahāli, hetu, doso paccayo pāpassa kammassa kiriyāya pāpassa kammassa pavattiyā. Moho kho, mahāli, hetu, moho paccayo pāpassa kammassa kiriyāya pāpassa kammassa pavattiyā. Ayoniso manasikāro kho, mahāli, hetu, ayoniso manasikāro paccayo pāpassa kammassa kiriyāya pāpassa kammassa pavattiyā. Micchāpaṇihitaṁ kho, mahāli, cittaṁ hetu, micchāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ paccayo pāpassa kammassa kiriyāya pāpassa kammassa pavattiyāti. Ayaṁ kho, mahāli, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo pāpassa kammassa kiriyāya pāpassa kammassa pavattiyā”ti.

“Greed is a cause, Mahāli, greed is a reason for doing bad deeds, for performing bad deeds. Hate is a cause of bad deeds … Delusion is a cause of bad deeds … Irrational application of mind is a cause of bad deeds … A wrongly directed mind is a cause of bad deeds … This is the cause, Mahāli, this is the reason for doing bad deeds, for performing bad deeds.”

“Ko pana, bhante, hetu ko paccayo kalyāṇassa kammassa kiriyāya kalyāṇassa kammassa pavattiyā”ti?

“What is the cause, sir, what is the reason for doing good deeds, for performing good deeds?”

“Alobho kho, mahāli, hetu, alobho paccayo kalyāṇassa kammassa kiriyāya kalyāṇassa kammassa pavattiyā. Adoso kho, mahāli, hetu, adoso paccayo kalyāṇassa kammassa kiriyāya kalyāṇassa kammassa pavattiyā. Amoho kho, mahāli, hetu, amoho paccayo kalyāṇassa kammassa kiriyāya kalyāṇassa kammassa pavattiyā. Yoniso manasikāro kho, mahāli, hetu, yoniso manasikāro paccayo kalyāṇassa kammassa kiriyāya kalyāṇassa kammassa pavattiyā. Sammāpaṇihitaṁ kho, mahāli, cittaṁ hetu, sammāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ paccayo kalyāṇassa kammassa kiriyāya kalyāṇassa kammassa pavattiyā. Ayaṁ kho, mahāli, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo kalyāṇassa kammassa kiriyāya kalyāṇassa kammassa pavattiyā. Ime ca, mahāli, dasa dhammā loke na saṁvijjeyyuṁ, nayidha paññāyetha adhammacariyāvisamacariyāti vā dhammacariyāsamacariyāti vā. Yasmā ca kho, mahāli, ime dasa dhammā loke saṁvijjanti, tasmā paññāyati adhammacariyāvisamacariyāti vā dhammacariyāsamacariyāti vā”ti.

“Contentment is a cause, Mahāli, contentment is a reason for doing good deeds, for performing good deeds. Love is a cause of good deeds … Understanding is a cause of good deeds … Rational application of mind is a cause of good deeds … A rightly directed mind is a cause of good deeds … This is the cause, Mahāli, this is the reason for doing good deeds, for performing good deeds. If these ten things were not found in the world, we wouldn’t see either unprincipled and immoral conduct, or principled and moral conduct. But since these ten things are found in the world, we see both unprincipled and immoral conduct, and principled and moral conduct.”

Sattamaṁ.