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

AN 10.190 The Dark Path

“Kaṇhamaggañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi sukkamaggañca. Taṁ suṇātha …pe… katamo ca, bhikkhave, kaṇho maggo? Pāṇātipāto …pe… micchādiṭṭhi ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kaṇho maggo.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sukko maggo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī …pe… sammādiṭṭhi ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukko maggo”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Kaṇhamaggañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi sukkamaggañca.

“I will teach you the dark path and the bright path. …

Taṁ suṇātha …pe…

katamo ca, bhikkhave, kaṇho maggo?

And what is the dark path?

Pāṇātipāto …pe…

Killing living creatures …

micchādiṭṭhi

wrong view.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kaṇho maggo.

This is called the dark path.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sukko maggo?

And what is the bright path?

Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī …pe…

Not killing living creatures …

sammādiṭṭhi

right view.

ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukko maggo”ti.

This is called the bright path.”

Dutiyaṁ.

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