The Buddha teaches on bad character (1st), presenting a fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.207 Bad Character (1st)

“Pāpañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi, pāpena pāpatarañca; kalyāṇañca, kalyāṇena kalyāṇatarañca. Taṁ suṇātha …pe….

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pāpo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti …pe… micchādiṭṭhiko hoti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pāpo.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pāpena pāpataro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātī hoti, parañca pāṇātipāte samādapeti …pe… attanā ca micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, parañca micchādiṭṭhiyā samādapeti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pāpena pāpataro.

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

“Katamo ca, bhikkhave, kalyāṇena kalyāṇataro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, parañca pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā samādapeti …pe… attanā ca sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, parañca sammādiṭṭhiyā samādapeti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kalyāṇena kalyāṇataro”ti.

Sattamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pāpañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi, pāpena pāpatarañca;

“Mendicants, I will teach you who’s bad and who’s worse,

kalyāṇañca, kalyāṇena kalyāṇatarañca. Taṁ suṇātha …pe….

who’s good and who’s better.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pāpo?

And who’s bad?

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

This is called bad.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, pāpena pāpataro?

And who’s worse?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātī hoti, parañca pāṇātipāte samādapeti …pe… attanā ca micchādiṭṭhiko hoti, parañca micchādiṭṭhiyā 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.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, pāpena pāpataro.

This is called worse.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, kalyāṇo?

And who’s good?

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

This is called good.

“Katamo ca, bhikkhave, kalyāṇena kalyāṇataro?

And who’s better?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco attanā ca pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, parañca pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā samādapeti …pe… attanā ca sammādiṭṭhiko hoti, parañca sammādiṭṭhiyā 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.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kalyāṇena kalyāṇataro”ti.

This is called better.”

Sattamaṁ.

Qualities:

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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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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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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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