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

AN 10.185 Mortifying

“Tapanīyañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ desessāmi atapanīyañca. Taṁ suṇātha …pe… katamo ca, bhikkhave, tapanīyo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto …pe… micchādiṭṭhi ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, tapanīyo dhammo.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, atapanīyo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī …pe… sammādiṭṭhi ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, atapanīyo dhammo”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tapanīyañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ desessāmi atapanīyañca.

“I will teach you the mortifying principle and the unmortifying. …

Taṁ suṇātha …pe…

katamo ca, bhikkhave, tapanīyo dhammo?

And what is the mortifying principle?

Pāṇātipāto …pe…

Killing living creatures …

micchādiṭṭhi

wrong view.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, tapanīyo dhammo.

This is called the mortifying principle.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, atapanīyo dhammo?

And what is the unmortifying principle?

Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī …pe…

Not killing living creatures …

sammādiṭṭhi

right view.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, atapanīyo dhammo”ti.

This is called the unmortifying principle.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

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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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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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