The Buddha teaches on ethics, presenting a fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.12 Ethics

“Sampannasīlā, bhikkhave, viharatha sampannapātimokkhā, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvutā viharatha ācāragocarasampannā, aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvino samādāya sikkhatha sikkhāpadesu. Sampannasīlānaṁ vo, bhikkhave, viharataṁ sampannapātimokkhānaṁ pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvutānaṁ viharataṁ ācāragocarasampannānaṁ aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvīnaṁ samādāya sikkhataṁ sikkhāpadesu, kimassa uttari karaṇīyaṁ?

Carato cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhābyāpādo vigato hoti, thinamiddhaṁuddhaccakukkuccaṁvicikicchā pahīnā hoti, āraddhaṁ hoti vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ, carampi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccati.

Ṭhitassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhābyāpādo vigato hoti, thinamiddhaṁuddhaccakukkuccaṁvicikicchā pahīnā hoti, āraddhaṁ hoti vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ, ṭhitopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccati. Nisinnassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhābyāpādo vigato hoti, thinamiddhaṁuddhaccakukkuccaṁvicikicchā pahīnā hoti, āraddhaṁ hoti vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ, nisinnopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccati. Sayānassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jāgarassa abhijjhābyāpādo vigato hoti, thinamiddhaṁuddhaccakukkuccaṁvicikicchā pahīnā hoti, āraddhaṁ hoti vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ, sayānopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgaro evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccatīti.

Yataṁ care yataṁ tiṭṭhe,
Yataṁ acche yataṁ saye;
Yataṁ samiñjaye bhikkhu,
Yatamenaṁ pasāraye.

Uddhaṁ tiriyaṁ apācīnaṁ,
yāvatājagatogati;
Samavekkhitā ca dhammānaṁ,
khandhānaṁ udayabbayaṁ.

Cetosamathasāmīciṁ,
sikkhamānaṁ sadā sataṁ;
Satataṁ pahitattoti,
āhu bhikkhuṁ tathāvidhan”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Sampannasīlā, bhikkhave, viharatha sampannapātimokkhā, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvutā viharatha ācāragocarasampannā, aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvino samādāya sikkhatha sikkhāpadesu.

“Mendicants, live by the ethical precepts and the monastic code. Live restrained in the monastic code, conducting yourselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, keep the rules you’ve undertaken.

Sampannasīlānaṁ vo, bhikkhave, viharataṁ sampannapātimokkhānaṁ pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvutānaṁ viharataṁ ācāragocarasampannānaṁ aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvīnaṁ samādāya sikkhataṁ sikkhāpadesu, kimassa uttari karaṇīyaṁ?

When you’ve done this, what more is there to do?

Carato cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhābyāpādo vigato hoti, thinamiddhaṁuddhaccakukkuccaṁvicikicchā pahīnā hoti, āraddhaṁ hoti vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ, carampi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccati.

Suppose a mendicant has got rid of desire and ill will while walking, and has given up dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. Their energy is roused up and unflagging, their mindfulness is established and lucid, their body is tranquil and undisturbed, and their mind is immersed in samādhi. Such a mendicant is said to be ‘keen and prudent, always energetic and resolute’ when walking.

Ṭhitassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhābyāpādo vigato hoti, thinamiddhaṁuddhaccakukkuccaṁvicikicchā pahīnā hoti, āraddhaṁ hoti vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ, ṭhitopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccati.

Suppose a mendicant has got rid of desire and ill will while standing …

Nisinnassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhābyāpādo vigato hoti, thinamiddhaṁuddhaccakukkuccaṁvicikicchā pahīnā hoti, āraddhaṁ hoti vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ, nisinnopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccati.

sitting …

Sayānassa cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno jāgarassa abhijjhābyāpādo vigato hoti, thinamiddhaṁuddhaccakukkuccaṁvicikicchā pahīnā hoti, āraddhaṁ hoti vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ, sayānopi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgaro evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccatīti.

and when lying down while awake, and has given up dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. Their energy is roused up and unflagging, their mindfulness is established and lucid, their body is tranquil and undisturbed, and their mind is immersed in samādhi and unified. Such a mendicant is said to be ‘keen and prudent, always energetic and resolute’ when lying down while awake.

Yataṁ care yataṁ tiṭṭhe,

Carefully walking, carefully standing,

Yataṁ acche yataṁ saye;

carefully sitting, carefully lying;

Yataṁ samiñjaye bhikkhu,

a mendicant carefully bends their limbs,

Yatamenaṁ pasāraye.

and carefully extends them.

Uddhaṁ tiriyaṁ apācīnaṁ,

Above, below, all round,

yāvatājagatogati;

as far as the planet extends;

Samavekkhitā ca dhammānaṁ,

they scrutinize the rise and fall

khandhānaṁ udayabbayaṁ.

of phenomena such as the aggregates.

Cetosamathasāmīciṁ,

Training in what leads to serenity of heart,

sikkhamānaṁ sadā sataṁ;

always staying mindful;

Satataṁ pahitattoti,

they call such a mendicant

āhu bhikkhuṁ tathāvidhan”ti.

‘always determined’.”

Dutiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Doubt

Doubt

Paralyzing indecision about the path or practice. Doubt obstructs confidence and clarity.

Also known as: confusion, indecisiveness, uncertainty, wavering, perplexity
Pāli: vicikiccha, kaṅkhā, vimati
View all discourses →
Drowsiness

Drowsiness

A heaviness or stiffness of the mind that leads to sleepiness. It shrouds clarity like a fog, making the mind unwieldy and prone to drifting away from its object.

Also known as: sleepiness, torpor, feeling lethargic, lit. stiffness (of mind/body due to tiredness)
Pāli: middha
View all discourses →
Dullness

Dullness

Mental stagnation and lack of driving power. It is an inertia where the mind feels thick and incapable of active engagement or investigation.

Also known as: lack of mental clarity or alertness, inertia, mental sluggishness, inattentiveness or lack of sharpness
Pāli: thina
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
View all discourses →
Wrong speech

Wrong speech

Speech that deceives, divides, wounds, or wastes. It includes lying, slander, harshness, and idle chatter. Such speech distorts truth, breaks trust, and stirs the mind toward harm and discord.

Also known as: false speech, lying, divisive, slanderous or defamatory or malicious speech, abusive or rude or unkind way of speaking, meaningless talk or idle chatter or gossip
Pāli: musāvāda, pisuṇavācā, pharusāvācā, samphappalāpa
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026