The Buddha teaches on action, presenting a threefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 3.119 Action

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, vipattiyo. Katamā tisso? Kammantavipatti, ājīvavipatti, diṭṭhivipatti.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, kammantavipatti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti …pe… samphappalāpī hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammantavipatti.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ājīvavipatti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco micchāājīvo hoti, micchāājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ājīvavipatti.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, diṭṭhivipatti? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco micchādiṭṭhiko hoti viparītadassano: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, diṭṭhivipatti. Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso vipattiyoti.

Tisso imā, bhikkhave, sampadā. Katamā tisso? Kammantasampadā, ājīvasampadā, diṭṭhisampadā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, kammantasampadā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammantasampadā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ājīvasampadā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sammāājīvo hoti, sammāājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ājīvasampadā.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, diṭṭhisampadā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sammādiṭṭhiko hoti aviparītadassano: ‘atthi dinnaṁ, atthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, diṭṭhisampadā.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso sampadā”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, vipattiyo.

“Mendicants, there are three failures.

Katamā tisso?

What three?

Kammantavipatti, ājīvavipatti, diṭṭhivipatti.

Failure in action, livelihood, and view.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, kammantavipatti?

And what is failure in action?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti …pe… samphappalāpī hoti.

It’s when someone kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and uses speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammantavipatti.

This is called ‘failure in action’.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ājīvavipatti?

And what is failure in livelihood?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco micchāājīvo hoti, micchāājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti.

It’s when a noble disciple has wrong livelihood and earns a living by wrong livelihood.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ājīvavipatti.

This is called ‘failure in livelihood’.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, diṭṭhivipatti?

And what is failure in view?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco micchādiṭṭhiko hoti viparītadassano:

It’s when someone has wrong view, a distorted perspective, such as:

‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.

‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, diṭṭhivipatti.

This is called ‘failure in view’.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso vipattiyoti.

These are the three failures.

Tisso imā, bhikkhave, sampadā.

There are three accomplishments.

Katamā tisso?

What three?

Kammantasampadā, ājīvasampadā, diṭṭhisampadā.

Accomplishment in action, livelihood, and view.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, kammantasampadā?

And what is accomplishment in action?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti.

It’s when someone doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, or use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammantasampadā.

This is called ‘accomplishment in action’.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ājīvasampadā?

And what is accomplishment in livelihood?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sammāājīvo hoti, sammāājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti.

It’s when a noble disciple has right livelihood and earns a living by right livelihood.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ājīvasampadā.

This is called ‘accomplishment in livelihood’.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, diṭṭhisampadā?

And what is accomplishment in view?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sammādiṭṭhiko hoti aviparītadassano:

It’s when someone has right view, an undistorted perspective, such as:

‘atthi dinnaṁ, atthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.

‘There is meaning in giving, sacrifice, and offerings. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds. There is an afterlife. There are such things as mother and father, and beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there are ascetics and brahmins who are rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describe the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, diṭṭhisampadā.

This is called ‘accomplishment in view’.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso sampadā”ti.

These are the three accomplishments.”

Sattamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Giving

Giving

The act of generosity, sharing, or offering to others without expecting anything in return. Giving is considered a foundational virtue in Buddhist practice, fostering selflessness and compassion.

Also known as: generosity, charity, donation, almsgiving, donating, philanthropy, providing with, gift with
Pāli: dāna
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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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Insight

Insight

Insight is deep, intuitive realization that transforms understanding and guides practice.

Also known as: having insight, with understanding, right knowledge
Pāli: ñāṇa, sammāñāṇa
View all discourses →
Right livelihood

Right livelihood

Means of living that does not cause harm to others or oneself; earning a living ethically without deceit, exploitation, or violence.

Also known as: correct livelihood, right mode of earning a living
Pāli: sammāājīva
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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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Wrong livelihood

Wrong livelihood

Sustaining oneself through deceit, exploitation, or manipulation for gain. It includes cheating, flattery, hinting for favors, belittling others, and pursuing gain by means of gain.

Also known as: unwholesome livelihood, wrong way of earning a living
Pāli: micchāājīva
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Last updated on July 27, 2026