• Numbered Discourses 4.237 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 4.237
  • 24. Deeds 24. Kammavagga

The Noble Path Ariyamaggasutta

ā€œMendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. ā€œCattārimāni, bhikkhave, kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiƱƱā 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; and atthi, 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? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ? It’s when someone makes hurtful choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called dark deeds with dark results. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaį¹…khāraṁ abhisaį¹…kharoti …pe… idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ.

And what are bright deeds with bright results? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ? It’s when someone makes pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called bright deeds with bright results. Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaį¹…khāraṁ abhisaį¹…kharoti …pe… idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ.

And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results? KatamaƱca, 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 kāyasaį¹…khāraṁ abhisaį¹…kharoti …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? KatamaƱca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati? Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. Sammādiį¹­į¹­hi …pe… sammāsamādhi. These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds. 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.ā€ Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiƱƱā sacchikatvā paveditānÄ«ā€ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.