The Buddha teaches on the noble descent, presenting a tenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 10.168 The Noble Descent

“Ariyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, paccorohaṇiṁ desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ariyā paccorohaṇī? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘pāṇātipātassa kho pāpako vipāko diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya pāṇātipātaṁ pajahati; pāṇātipātā paccorohati.

‘Adinnādānassa kho pāpako vipāko diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya adinnādānaṁ pajahati; adinnādānā paccorohati.

‘Kāmesumicchācārassa kho pāpako vipāko …pe… kāmesumicchācārā paccorohati.

‘Musāvādassa kho pāpako vipāko …pe… musāvādā paccorohati.

‘Pisuṇāya vācāya kho pāpako vipāko …pe… pisuṇāya vācāya paccorohati.

‘Pharusāya vācāya kho pāpako vipāko …pe… pharusāya vācāya paccorohati.

‘Samphappalāpassa kho pāpako vipāko …pe… samphappalāpā paccorohati.

‘Abhijjhāya kho pāpako vipāko …pe… abhijjhāya paccorohati.

‘Byāpādassa kho pāpako vipāko …pe… byāpādā paccorohati.

‘Micchādiṭṭhiyā kho pāpako vipāko diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti. So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchādiṭṭhiṁ pajahati; micchādiṭṭhiyā paccorohati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyā paccorohaṇī”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Ariyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, paccorohaṇiṁ desessāmi.

“Mendicants, I will teach you the noble descent.

Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

“Yes, sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ariyā paccorohaṇī?

“And what, mendicants, is the noble descent?

Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:

It’s when a noble disciple reflects:

‘pāṇātipātassa kho pāpako vipāko

‘Killing living creatures has a bad result

diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti.

in the present life and in lives to come.’

So iti paṭisaṅkhāya pāṇātipātaṁ pajahati;

Reflecting like this, they give up killing living creatures,

pāṇātipātā paccorohati.

they descend from killing living creatures.

‘Adinnādānassa kho pāpako vipāko

… ‘Stealing has a bad result

diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti.

in the present life and in lives to come.’

So iti paṭisaṅkhāya adinnādānaṁ pajahati;

Reflecting like this, they give up stealing,

adinnādānā paccorohati.

they descend from stealing.

‘Kāmesumicchācārassa kho pāpako vipāko …pe…

… ‘Sexual misconduct has a bad result …’ …

kāmesumicchācārā paccorohati.

they descend from sexual misconduct.

‘Musāvādassa kho pāpako vipāko …pe…

… ‘Lying has a bad result …’ …

musāvādā paccorohati.

they descend from lying.

‘Pisuṇāya vācāya kho pāpako vipāko …pe…

… ‘Backbiting has a bad result …’ …

pisuṇāya vācāya paccorohati.

they descend from backbiting.

‘Pharusāya vācāya kho pāpako vipāko …pe…

… ‘Harsh speech has a bad result …’ …

pharusāya vācāya paccorohati.

they descend from harsh speech.

‘Samphappalāpassa kho pāpako vipāko …pe…

… ‘Talking nonsense has a bad result …’ …

samphappalāpā paccorohati.

they descend from talking nonsense.

‘Abhijjhāya kho pāpako vipāko …pe…

… ‘Covetousness has a bad result …’ …

abhijjhāya paccorohati.

they descend from covetousness.

‘Byāpādassa kho pāpako vipāko …pe…

… ‘Ill will has a bad result …’ …

byāpādā paccorohati.

they descend from ill will.

‘Micchādiṭṭhiyā kho pāpako vipāko diṭṭhe ceva dhamme abhisamparāyañcā’ti.

… ‘Wrong view has a bad result both in the present life and in lives to come.’

So iti paṭisaṅkhāya micchādiṭṭhiṁ pajahati;

Reflecting like this, they give up wrong view,

micchādiṭṭhiyā paccorohati.

they descend from wrong view.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyā paccorohaṇī”ti.

This is called the noble descent.”

Dutiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Ill will

Ill will

A mental quality of actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, manifesting as deliberate thoughts or intentions that oppose kindness and compassion; it fuels conflict and obstructs goodwill.

Also known as: actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, thought of malevolence towards another, hostile reflections towards another
Pāli: byāpāda
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Sexual misconduct

Sexual misconduct

Transgression of boundaries in intimate relations—acting on desire in ways that betray trust, cause harm, or violate the commitments of oneself or others.

Also known as: crossing boundaries, infidelity, inappropriate sexual behavior, unfaithfulness to one's partner
Pāli: kāmesumicchācāra
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Slaughtering

Slaughtering

The deliberate killing of a living being, carried out with the intention of ending its life while disregarding its natural drive to continue living.

Also known as: killing, murdering, taking life
Pāli: pāṇātipāta
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Stealing

Stealing

Also known as: theft, taking what is not given, taking what is not offerred, dishonesty regarding possessions
Pāli: adinnādānā
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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026