The Buddha teaches on seven kinds of deeds, presenting a fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.203 Seven Kinds of Deeds

“Asappurisañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi, asappurisena asappurisatarañca; sappurisañca, sappurisena sappurisatarañca. Taṁ suṇātha …pe….

“Katamo ca, bhikkhave, asappuriso? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti, adinnādāyī hoti, kāmesumicchācārī hoti, musāvādī hoti, pisuṇavāco hoti, pharusavāco hoti, samphappalāpī hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asappuriso.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, asappurisena asappurisataro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātī hoti, parañca pāṇātipāte samādapeti; attanā ca adinnādāyī hoti, parañca adinnādāne samādapeti; attanā ca kāmesumicchācārī hoti, parañca kāmesumicchācāre samādapeti; attanā ca musāvādī hoti, parañca musāvāde samādapeti; attanā ca pisuṇavāco hoti, parañca pisuṇāya vācāya samādapeti; attanā ca pharusavāco hoti, parañca pharusāya vācāya samādapeti; attanā ca samphappalāpī hoti, parañca samphappalāpe samādapeti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asappurisena asappurisataro.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sappuriso? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato, hoti, samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sappuriso.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sappurisena sappurisataro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, parañca pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā samādapeti; attanā ca adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, parañca adinnādānā veramaṇiyā samādapeti; attanā ca kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, parañca kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiyā samādapeti; attanā ca musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, parañca musāvādā veramaṇiyā samādapeti; attanā ca pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, parañca pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇiyā samādapeti; attanā ca pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, parañca pharusāya vācāya veramaṇiyā samādapeti; attanā ca samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti, parañca samphappalāpā veramaṇiyā samādapeti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sappurisena sappurisataro”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Asappurisañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi, asappurisena asappurisatarañca;

“Mendicants, I will teach you an untrue person and an even more untrue person,

sappurisañca, sappurisena sappurisatarañca. Taṁ suṇātha …pe….

a true person and a truer person.

“Katamo ca, bhikkhave, asappuriso?

And what is an untrue person?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti, adinnādāyī hoti, kāmesumicchācārī hoti, musāvādī hoti, pisuṇavāco hoti, pharusavāco hoti, samphappalāpī hoti.

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

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asappuriso.

This is called an untrue person.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, asappurisena asappurisataro?

And what is an even more untrue person?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātī hoti, parañca pāṇātipāte samādapeti;

It’s someone who kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and uses speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they encourage others to do these things.

attanā ca adinnādāyī hoti, parañca adinnādāne samādapeti;

attanā ca kāmesumicchācārī hoti, parañca kāmesumicchācāre samādapeti;

attanā ca musāvādī hoti, parañca musāvāde samādapeti;

attanā ca pisuṇavāco hoti, parañca pisuṇāya vācāya samādapeti;

attanā ca pharusavāco hoti, parañca pharusāya vācāya samādapeti;

attanā ca samphappalāpī hoti, parañca samphappalāpe samādapeti.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asappurisena asappurisataro.

This is called an even more untrue person.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sappuriso?

And what is a true person?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato, hoti, samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti.

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

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sappuriso.

This is called a true person.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sappurisena sappurisataro?

And what is an even truer person?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, parañca pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā samādapeti;

It’s someone who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, or use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they encourage others to refrain from these things.

attanā ca adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, parañca adinnādānā veramaṇiyā samādapeti;

attanā ca kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, parañca kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiyā samādapeti;

attanā ca musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, parañca musāvādā veramaṇiyā samādapeti;

attanā ca pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, parañca pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇiyā samādapeti;

attanā ca pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, parañca pharusāya vācāya veramaṇiyā samādapeti;

attanā ca samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti, parañca samphappalāpā veramaṇiyā samādapeti.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sappurisena sappurisataro”ti.

This is called an even truer person.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Qualities:

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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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026