Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.217

Numbered Discourses 10.217

21. Karajakāyavagga

21. The Body Born of Deeds

Paṭhamasañcetanikasutta

Intentional (1st)

“Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sañcetanikānaṁ kammānaṁ katānaṁ upacitānaṁ appaṭisaṁveditvā¹ byantībhāvaṁ vadāmi. Tañca kho diṭṭheva dhamme upapajje vā apare vā pariyāye. Na tvevāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sañcetanikānaṁ kammānaṁ katānaṁ upacitānaṁ appaṭisaṁveditvā dukkhassantakiriyaṁ vadāmi.

“Bhikkhus, I don’t say that intentional deeds that have been performed and accumulated are eliminated without being experienced. And that may be in the present life, or in the next life, or in some subsequent period. And I don’t say that suffering is ended without experiencing intentional deeds that have been performed and accumulated.

Tatra, bhikkhave, tividhā kāyakammantasandosabyāpatti akusalasañcetanikā dukkhudrayā dukkhavipākā² hoti; catubbidhā vacīkammantasandosabyāpatti akusalasañcetanikā dukkhudrayā dukkhavipākā hoti; tividhā manokammantasandosabyāpatti akusalasañcetanikā dukkhudrayā dukkhavipākā hoti.

Now, there are three kinds of corruption and failure of bodily action that have unskillful intention, with suffering as their outcome and result. There are four kinds of corruption and failure of verbal action that have unskillful intention, with suffering as their outcome and result. There are three kinds of corruption and failure of mental action that have unskillful intention, with suffering as their outcome and result.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, tividhā kāyakammantasandosabyāpatti akusalasañcetanikā dukkhudrayā dukkhavipākā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti, luddo lohitapāṇi hatapahate niviṭṭho adayāpanno sabbapāṇabhūtesu.

And what are the three kinds of corruption and failure of bodily action? It’s when a certain person kills living creatures. They’re violent, bloody-handed, a hardened killer, merciless to living beings.

Adinnādāyī hoti, yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ gāmagataṁ vā araññagataṁ vā, taṁ adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādātā hoti.

They steal. With the intention to commit theft, they take the wealth or belongings of others from village or wilderness.

Kāmesumicchācārī hoti, yā tā māturakkhitā …pe… antamaso mālāguḷaparikkhittāpi, tathārūpāsu cārittaṁ āpajjitā hoti.

They commit sexual misconduct. They have sex with women who have their mother, father, both mother and father, brother, sister, relatives, or clan as guardian. They have sex with a woman who is protected on principle, or who has a husband, or whose violation is punishable by law, or even one who has been garlanded as a token of betrothal.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tividhā kāyakammantasandosabyāpatti akusalasañcetanikā dukkhudrayā dukkhavipākā hoti.

These are the three kinds of corruption and failure of bodily action.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, catubbidhā vacīkammantasandosabyāpatti akusalasañcetanikā dukkhudrayā dukkhavipākā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco musāvādī hoti. Sabhaggato vā parisaggato vā ñātimajjhagato vā pūgamajjhagato vā rājakulamajjhagato vā abhinīto sakkhipuṭṭho ‘ehambho purisa, yaṁ jānāsi taṁ vadehī’ti, so ajānaṁ vā āha: ‘jānāmī’ti, jānaṁ vā āha: ‘na jānāmī’ti, apassaṁ vā āha: ‘passāmī’ti, passaṁ vā āha: ‘na passāmī’ti, iti attahetu vā parahetu vā āmisakiñcikkhahetu vā sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti.

And what are the four kinds of corruption and failure of verbal action? It’s when a certain person lies. They’re summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, mister, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ So they deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason.

Pisuṇavāco hoti, ito sutvā amutra akkhātā imesaṁ bhedāya, amutra vā sutvā imesaṁ akkhātā amūsaṁ bhedāya. Iti samaggānaṁ vā bhettā bhinnānaṁ vā anuppadātā vaggārāmo vaggarato vagganandī, vaggakaraṇiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

They speak divisively. They repeat in one place what they heard in another so as to divide people against each other. And so they divide those who are harmonious, supporting division, delighting in division, loving division, speaking words that promote division.

Pharusavāco hoti, yā sā vācā aṇḍakā kakkasā parakaṭukā parābhisajjanī kodhasāmantā. Asamādhisaṁvattanikā, tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

They speak harshly. They use the kinds of words that are cruel, nasty, hurtful, offensive, bordering on anger, not leading to immersion.

Samphappalāpī hoti, akālavādī abhūtavādī anatthavādī adhammavādī avinayavādī, anidhānavatiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti akālena anapadesaṁ apariyantavatiṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ.

They indulge in talking nonsense. Their speech is untimely, and is neither factual nor beneficial. It has nothing to do with the teaching or the training. Their words have no value, and are untimely, unreasonable, rambling, and pointless.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catubbidhā vacīkammantasandosabyāpatti akusalasañcetanikā dukkhudrayā dukkhavipākā hoti.

These are the four kinds of corruption and failure of verbal action.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, tividhā manokammantasandosabyāpatti akusalasañcetanikā dukkhudrayā dukkhavipākā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco abhijjhālu hoti. Yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ, taṁ abhijjhātā hoti: ‘aho vata, yaṁ parassa taṁ mama assā’ti.

And what are the three kinds of corruption and failure of mental action? It’s when someone is covetous. They covet the wealth and belongings of others: ‘Oh, if only their belongings were mine!’

Byāpannacitto hoti, paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo: ‘ime sattā haññantu vā bajjhantu vā ucchijjantu vā vinassantu vā mā vā ahesun’ti.

They have ill will and malicious intentions: ‘May these sentient beings be killed, slaughtered, slain, destroyed, or annihilated!’

Micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, viparītadassano: ‘natthi dinnaṁ …pe… ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.

They have wrong view. Their perspective is distorted: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is well attained and practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tividhā manokammantasandosabyāpatti akusalasañcetanikā dukkhudrayā dukkhavipākā hoti.

These are the three kinds of corruption and failure of mental action.

Tividhakāyakammantasandosabyāpattiakusalasañcetanikāhetu³ vā, bhikkhave, sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti; catubbidhavacīkammantasandosabyāpattiakusalasañcetanikāhetu vā, bhikkhave, sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti; tividhamanokammantasandosabyāpatti akusalasañcetanikāhetu vā, bhikkhave, sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti.

When their body breaks up, after death, sentient beings are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell because of these three kinds of corruption and failure of bodily action, these four kinds of corruption and failure of verbal action, or these three kinds of corruption and failure of mental action that have unskillful intention, with suffering as their outcome and result.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, apaṇṇako maṇi uddhaṅkhitto yena yeneva patiṭṭhāti suppatiṭṭhitaṁyeva patiṭṭhāti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tividhakāyakammantasandosabyāpattiakusalasañcetanikāhetu vā sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti; catubbidhavacīkammantasandosabyāpattiakusalasañcetanikāhetu vā sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti; tividhamanokammantasandosabyāpattiakusalasañcetanikāhetu vā sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjantīti.

It’s like throwing loaded dice: they always fall the right side up. In the same way, when their body breaks up, after death, sentient beings are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell because of these three kinds of corruption and failure of bodily action, these four kinds of corruption and failure of verbal action, or these three kinds of corruption and failure of mental action that have unskillful intention, with suffering as their outcome and result.

Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sañcetanikānaṁ kammānaṁ katānaṁ upacitānaṁ appaṭisaṁveditvā byantībhāvaṁ vadāmi, tañca kho diṭṭheva dhamme upapajje vā apare vā pariyāye. Na tvevāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sañcetanikānaṁ kammānaṁ katānaṁ upacitānaṁ appaṭisaṁveditvā dukkhassantakiriyaṁ vadāmi.

I don’t say that intentional deeds that have been performed and accumulated are eliminated without being experienced. And that may be in the present life, or in the next life, or in some subsequent period. And I don’t say that suffering is ended without experiencing intentional deeds that have been performed and accumulated.

Tatra, bhikkhave, tividhā kāyakammantasampatti kusalasañcetanikā sukhudrayā sukhavipākā hoti; catubbidhā vacīkammantasampatti kusalasañcetanikā sukhudrayā sukhavipākā hoti; tividhā manokammantasampatti kusalasañcetanikā sukhudrayā sukhavipākā hoti.

Now, there are three kinds of successful bodily action that have skillful intention, with happiness as their outcome and result. There are four kinds of successful verbal action that have skillful intention, with happiness as their outcome and result. There are three kinds of successful mental action that have skillful intention, with happiness as their outcome and result.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, tividhā kāyakammantasampatti kusalasañcetanikā sukhudrayā sukhavipākā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti nihitadaṇḍo nihitasattho lajjī dayāpanno, sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī viharati …pe….

And what are the three kinds of successful bodily action? It’s when a certain person gives up killing living creatures. They renounce the rod and the sword. They’re scrupulous and kind, living full of compassion for all living beings.

Adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ gāmagataṁ vā araññagataṁ vā, na taṁ adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādātā hoti.

They don’t steal. They don’t, with the intention to commit theft, take the wealth or belongings of others from village or wilderness.

Kāmesumicchācāraṁ pahāya, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti. Yā tā māturakkhitā …pe… antamaso mālāguḷaparikkhittāpi, tathārūpāsu na cārittaṁ āpajjitā hoti.

They give up sexual misconduct. They don’t have sex with women who have their mother, father, both mother and father, brother, sister, relatives, or clan as guardian. They don’t have sex with a woman who is protected on principle, or who has a husband, or whose violation is punishable by law, or even one who has been garlanded as a token of betrothal.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tividhā kāyakammantasampatti kusalasañcetanikā sukhudrayā sukhavipākā hoti.

These are the three kinds of successful bodily action.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, catubbidhā vacīkammantasampatti kusalasañcetanikā sukhudrayā sukhavipākā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti. Sabhaggato vā parisaggato vā ñātimajjhagato vā pūgamajjhagato vā rājakulamajjhagato vā abhinīto sakkhipuṭṭho ‘ehambho purisa, yaṁ jānāsi taṁ vadehī’ti, so ajānaṁ vā āha: ‘na jānāmī’ti, jānaṁ vā āha: ‘jānāmī’ti, apassaṁ vā āha: ‘na passāmī’ti, passaṁ vā āha: ‘passāmī’ti, iti attahetu vā parahetu vā āmisakiñcikkhahetu vā na sampajānamusā bhāsitā hoti.

And what are the four kinds of successful verbal action? It’s when a certain person gives up lying. They’re summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, mister, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I see.’ They don’t deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason.

Pisuṇaṁ vācaṁ pahāya, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti—na ito sutvā amutra akkhātā imesaṁ bhedāya, amutra vā sutvā na imesaṁ akkhātā amūsaṁ bhedāya. Iti bhinnānaṁ vā sandhātā sahitānaṁ vā anuppadātā samaggārāmo samaggarato samagganandiṁ, samaggakaraṇiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

They give up divisive speech. They don’t repeat in one place what they heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, they reconcile those who are divided, supporting unity, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony.

Pharusaṁ vācaṁ pahāya, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti. Yā sā vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā, tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti.

They give up harsh speech. They speak in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, lovely, going to the heart, polite, likable and agreeable to the people.

Samphappalāpaṁ pahāya, samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti kālavādī bhūtavādī atthavādī dhammavādī vinayavādī, nidhānavatiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā hoti kālena sāpadesaṁ pariyantavatiṁ atthasaṁhitaṁ.

They give up talking nonsense. Their words are timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. They say things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catubbidhā vacīkammantasampatti kusalasañcetanikā sukhudrayā sukhavipākā hoti.

These are the four kinds of successful verbal action.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, tividhā manokammantasampatti kusalasañcetanikā sukhudrayā sukhavipākā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco anabhijjhālu hoti. Yaṁ taṁ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṁ taṁ anabhijjhātā hoti: ‘aho vata, yaṁ parassa taṁ mamassā’ti.

And what are the three kinds of successful mental action? It’s when someone is content. They don’t covet the wealth and belongings of others: ‘Oh, if only their belongings were mine!’

Abyāpannacitto hoti appaduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo: ‘ime sattā averā hontu abyāpajjā anīghā, sukhī attānaṁ pariharantū’ti.

They have a kind heart and loving intentions: ‘May these sentient beings live free of enmity and ill will, untroubled and happy!’

Sammādiṭṭhiko hoti aviparītadassano: ‘atthi dinnaṁ, atthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.

They have right view, an undistorted perspective: ‘There is meaning in giving, sacrifice, and offerings. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds. There is an afterlife. There are such things as mother and father, and beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there are ascetics and brahmins who are well attained and practiced, and who describe the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tividhā manokammantasampatti kusalasañcetanikā sukhudrayā sukhavipākā hoti.

These are the three kinds of successful mental action.

Tividhakāyakammantasampattikusalasañcetanikāhetu vā, bhikkhave, sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjanti; catubbidhavacīkammantasampattikusalasañcetanikāhetu vā, bhikkhave, sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjanti; tividhamanokammantasampattikusalasañcetanikāhetu vā, bhikkhave, sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjanti.

When their body breaks up, after death, sentient beings are reborn in a good place, in heaven because of these three kinds of successful bodily action, these four kinds of successful verbal action, or these three kinds of successful mental action that have skillful intention, with happiness as their outcome and result.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, apaṇṇako maṇi uddhaṅkhitto yena yeneva patiṭṭhāti suppatiṭṭhitaṁyeva patiṭṭhāti; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tividhakāyakammantasampattikusalasañcetanikāhetu vā sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjanti; catubbidhavacīkammantasampattikusalasañcetanikāhetu vā sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjanti; tividhamanokammantasampattikusalasañcetanikāhetu vā sattā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjanti. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sañcetanikānaṁ kammānaṁ katānaṁ upacitānaṁ appaṭisaṁveditvā byantībhāvaṁ vadāmi. Tañca kho diṭṭheva dhamme upapajje vā apare vā pariyāye. Na tvevāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sañcetanikānaṁ kammānaṁ katānaṁ upacitānaṁ appaṭisaṁveditvā dukkhassantakiriyaṁ vadāmī”ti. Sattamaṁ.

It’s like throwing loaded dice: they always fall the right side up. In the same way, when their body breaks up, after death, sentient beings are reborn in a good place, in heaven because of these three kinds of successful bodily action, these four kinds of successful verbal action, or these three kinds of successful mental action that have skillful intention, with happiness as their outcome and result. I don’t say that intentional deeds that have been performed and accumulated are eliminated without being experienced. And that may be in the present life, or in the next life, or in some subsequent period. And I don’t say that suffering is ended without experiencing intentional deeds that have been performed and accumulated.”