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

AN 4.222 View

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ; bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati. Katamehi catūhi? Kāyaduccaritena, vacīduccaritena, manoduccaritena, micchādiṭṭhiyā imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavati. Katamehi catūhi? Kāyasucaritena, vacīsucaritena, manosucaritena, sammādiṭṭhiyā imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo viññūnaṁ; bahuñca puññaṁ pasavatī”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ; bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

“When a foolish, incompetent untrue person has four qualities they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much wickedness.

Katamehi catūhi?

What four?

Kāyaduccaritena, vacīduccaritena, manoduccaritena, micchādiṭṭhiyā

Bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and wrong view.

imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati.

When a foolish, incompetent untrue person possesses these four qualities they keep themselves broken and damaged. They deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they create much wickedness.

Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavati.

When an astute, competent true person has four qualities they keep themselves intact and unscathed. They don’t deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they brim with much merit.

Katamehi catūhi?

What four?

Kāyasucaritena, vacīsucaritena, manosucaritena, sammādiṭṭhiyā

Good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and right view.

imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo viññūnaṁ; bahuñca puññaṁ pasavatī”ti.

When an astute, competent true person possesses these four qualities they keep themselves healthy and whole. They don’t deserve to be blamed and criticized by sensible people, and they create much merit.”

Dutiyaṁ.

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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Merit

Merit

Wholesome result of good conduct, generosity, and right intention. Merit brightens the mind and supports happiness and favorable conditions for practice.

Also known as: good deeds, spiritual wealth
Pāli: puñña, kalyāṇa
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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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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