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

AN 4.204 Ten 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, abhijjhālu hoti, byāpannacitto hoti, micchādiṭṭhiko hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asappuriso.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, asappurisena asappurisataro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātī hoti, parañca pāṇātipāte samādapeti …pe… attanā ca abhijjhālu hoti, parañca abhijjhāya samādapeti; attanā ca byāpannacitto hoti, parañca byāpāde samādapeti, attanā ca micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, parañca micchādiṭṭhiyā samādapeti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asappurisena asappurisataro.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sappuriso? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… anabhijjhālu hoti, abyāpannacitto hoti, sammādiṭṭhiko hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sappuriso.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sappurisena sappurisataro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, parañca pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā samādapeti …pe… attanā ca anabhijjhālu hoti, parañca anabhijjhāya samādapeti; attanā ca abyāpannacitto hoti, parañca abyāpāde samādapeti; attanā ca sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, parañca sammādiṭṭhiyā samādapeti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sappurisena sappurisataro”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

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 an even 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, abhijjhālu hoti, byāpannacitto hoti, micchādiṭṭhiko hoti.

It’s someone who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re covetous, malicious, with wrong view.

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 …pe… attanā ca abhijjhālu hoti, parañca abhijjhāya samādapeti;

It’s someone who kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. They’re covetous, malicious, with wrong view. And they encourage others to do these things.

attanā ca byāpannacitto hoti, parañca byāpāde samādapeti, attanā ca micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, parañca micchādiṭṭhiyā 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 …pe… anabhijjhālu hoti, abyāpannacitto hoti, sammādiṭṭhiko hoti.

It’s someone who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re contented, kind-hearted, with right view.

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 …pe… attanā ca anabhijjhālu hoti, parañca anabhijjhāya samādapeti;

It’s someone who doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. They’re contented, kind-hearted, with right view. And they encourage others to do these things.

attanā ca abyāpannacitto hoti, parañca abyāpāde samādapeti;

attanā ca sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, parañca sammādiṭṭhiyā samādapeti.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sappurisena sappurisataro”ti.

This is called an even truer person.”

Catutthaṁ.

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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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 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