DiscoverANAN 4AN 4.224

The Buddha teaches on killing living creatures, presenting a fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.224 Killing Living Creatures

…pe… Pāṇātipātī hoti, adinnādāyī hoti, kāmesumicchācārī hoti, musāvādī hoti …pe… pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti …pe….

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

…pe… Pāṇātipātī hoti, adinnādāyī hoti, kāmesumicchācārī hoti, musāvādī hoti …pe… pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti …pe….

“A foolish person … brims with much wickedness. … They kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, and lie. … An astute person … brims with much merit. … They don’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, or lie. …”

Catutthaṁ.

Qualities:

Merit

Merit

☀️ bright quality

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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Sexual misconduct

Sexual misconduct

☁️ dark quality

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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Slaughtering

Slaughtering

☁️ dark quality

The deliberate killing of a living being, carried out with the intention of ending its life while disregarding its natural drive to continue living.

Also known as: killing, murdering, taking life
Pāli: pāṇātipāta
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Last updated on July 27, 2026

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