The Buddha teaches on bad principles (3rd), presenting a tenfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 10.173 Bad Principles (3rd)

“Adhammo ca, bhikkhave, veditabbo dhammo ca; anattho ca veditabbo attho ca. Adhammañca viditvā dhammañca, anatthañca viditvā atthañca yathā dhammo yathā attho tathā paṭipajjitabbaṁ.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, adhammo, katamo ca dhammo; katamo ca anattho, katamo ca attho? Pāṇātipāto, bhikkhave, adhammo; pāṇātipātā veramaṇī dhammo; ye ca pāṇātipātapaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti, ayaṁ anattho; pāṇātipātā veramaṇipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti, ayaṁ attho.

Adinnādānaṁ, bhikkhave, adhammo; adinnādānā veramaṇī dhammokāmesumicchācāro, bhikkhave, adhammo; kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇī dhammomusāvādo, bhikkhave, adhammo; musāvādā veramaṇī dhammopisuṇā vācā, bhikkhave, adhammo; pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī dhammopharusā vācā, bhikkhave, adhammo; pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī dhammosamphappalāpo, bhikkhave, adhammo; samphappalāpā veramaṇī dhammoabhijjhā, bhikkhave, adhammo; anabhijjhā dhammobyāpādo, bhikkhave, adhammo; abyāpādo dhammo ….

Micchādiṭṭhi, bhikkhave, adhammo; sammādiṭṭhi dhammo; ye ca micchādiṭṭhipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti, ayaṁ anattho; sammādiṭṭhipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti, ayaṁ attho.

‘Adhammo ca, bhikkhave, veditabbo dhammo ca; anattho ca veditabbo attho ca. Adhammañca viditvā dhammañca, anatthañca viditvā atthañca yathā dhammo yathā attho tathā paṭipajjitabban’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Adhammo ca, bhikkhave, veditabbo dhammo ca;

“Mendicants, you should know bad principles and good principles.

anattho ca veditabbo attho ca.

And you should know bad results and good results.

Adhammañca viditvā dhammañca, anatthañca viditvā atthañca yathā dhammo yathā attho tathā paṭipajjitabbaṁ.

Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, adhammo, katamo ca dhammo;

So what are bad principles? What are good principles? What are bad results? And what are good results?

katamo ca anattho, katamo ca attho?

Pāṇātipāto, bhikkhave, adhammo;

Killing living creatures is a bad principle.

pāṇātipātā veramaṇī dhammo;

Not killing living creatures is a good principle.

ye ca pāṇātipātapaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti, ayaṁ anattho;

And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by killing living creatures are bad results.

pāṇātipātā veramaṇipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti, ayaṁ attho.

And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of not killing living creatures are good results.

Adinnādānaṁ, bhikkhave, adhammo;

Stealing is a bad principle.

adinnādānā veramaṇī dhammo

Not stealing is a good principle. …

kāmesumicchācāro, bhikkhave, adhammo;

Sexual misconduct is a bad principle.

kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇī dhammo

Avoiding sexual misconduct is a good principle. …

musāvādo, bhikkhave, adhammo;

Lying is a bad principle.

musāvādā veramaṇī dhammo

Not lying is a good principle. …

pisuṇā vācā, bhikkhave, adhammo;

Backbiting is a bad principle.

pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī dhammo

Avoiding backbiting is a good principle. …

pharusā vācā, bhikkhave, adhammo;

Harsh speech is a bad principle.

pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī dhammo

Avoiding harsh speech is a good principle. …

samphappalāpo, bhikkhave, adhammo;

Talking nonsense is a bad principle.

samphappalāpā veramaṇī dhammo

Avoiding talking nonsense is a good principle. …

abhijjhā, bhikkhave, adhammo;

Covetousness is a bad principle.

anabhijjhā dhammo

Contentment is a good principle. …

byāpādo, bhikkhave, adhammo;

Ill will is a bad principle.

abyāpādo dhammo ….

Good will is a good principle. …

Micchādiṭṭhi, bhikkhave, adhammo;

Wrong view is a bad principle.

sammādiṭṭhi dhammo;

Right view is a good principle.

ye ca micchādiṭṭhipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti, ayaṁ anattho;

And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong view are bad results.

sammādiṭṭhipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti, ayaṁ attho.

And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right view are good results.

‘Adhammo ca, bhikkhave, veditabbo dhammo ca;

‘You should know bad principles and good principles.

anattho ca veditabbo attho ca.

And you should know bad results and good results.

Adhammañca viditvā dhammañca, anatthañca viditvā atthañca yathā dhammo yathā attho tathā paṭipajjitabban’ti,

Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.’

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan”ti.

That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”

Sattamaṁ.

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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Right view

Right view

View that is in line with the Dhamma — teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth.

Also known as: right understanding, right belief, view that is inline with the Dhamma
Pāli: sammādiṭṭhi
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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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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026