The Buddha explains four kinds of kamma: afflictive, non-afflictive, mixed, and the intention to abandon these deeds.

PTS 2.230–2.231

AN 4.233 Vitthāra sutta - Kamma in Detail

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditāni. Katamāni cattāri?

“|Bhikkhus,::::| having realized for myself with |direct knowledge::experiential realization [abhiññā]|, I have declared these four kinds of |deeds::actions, kamma [kammā]|. What four?

Atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ;
atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ;
atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ;
atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati.

1.) There are|, bhikkhus,::::| dark deeds |with dark results::having negative consequences [kaṇhavipāka]|;
2.) There are|, bhikkhus,::::| bright deeds |with bright results::having positive consequences [sukkavipāka]|;
3.) There are|, bhikkhus,::::| dark and bright deeds |with dark and bright results::having both positive and negative consequences [kaṇhasukkavipāka]|;
4.) There are|, bhikkhus,::::| deeds that are neither dark nor bright, with neither dark nor bright result, which leads to the |wearing away of deeds::exhaustion of kamma [kammakkhaya]|.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti. So sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā sabyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Tamenaṁ sabyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ sabyābajjhā phassā phusanti. So sabyābajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno sabyābajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vediyati ekantadukkhaṁ, seyyathāpi sattā nerayikā. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ.

And what|, bhikkhus,::::| are dark deeds with dark results? Here, |bhikkhus,::::| someone produces an afflictive |bodily construct::intention which constructs bodily action [kāyasaṅkhāra]|, produces an afflictive |verbal construct::intention which constructs verbal action [vacīsaṅkhāra]|, and produces an afflictive |mental construct::intention which constructs mental action [cittasaṅkhāra]|. Having produced afflictive bodily, verbal, and mental constructs, they are reborn in an afflictive world. When they are reborn in an afflictive world, afflictive contacts touch them. Touched by afflictive contacts, they experience afflictive feelings that are exclusively painful, just like beings in hell. These are called|, bhikkhus,::::| dark deeds with dark results.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, abyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, abyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti. So abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, abyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, abyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā abyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Tamenaṁ abyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ abyābajjhā phassā phusanti. So abyābajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno abyābajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vediyati ekantasukhaṁ, seyyathāpi devā subhakiṇhā. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ.

And what|, bhikkhus,::::| are bright deeds with bright results? Here, |bhikkhus,::::| someone produces a |non-afflictive::not harmful, without suffering [abyābajjha]| bodily construct, produces a non-afflictive verbal construct, and produces a non-afflictive mental construct. Having produced non-afflictive bodily, verbal, and mental constructs, they are reborn in a world free from affliction. When they are reborn in a world free from affliction, non-afflictive contacts touch them. Touched by non-afflictive contacts, they experience non-afflictive feelings that are exclusively pleasant, just like the |gods of Refulgent Glory::MA: By mentioning these, all beings occupying the plane of the third jhāna — the gods of Limited Glory and the gods of Immeasurable Glory — should be included [subhakiṇha]|. These are called|, bhikkhus,::::| bright deeds with bright results.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti. So sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi lokaṁ upapajjati. Tamenaṁ sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ sabyābajjhāpi abyābajjhāpi phassā phusanti. So sabyābajjhehipi abyābajjhehipi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vedanaṁ vediyati vokiṇṇasukhadukkhaṁ, seyyathāpi manussā ekacce ca devā ekacce ca vinipātikā. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ.

And what|, bhikkhus,::::| are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results? Here, |bhikkhus,::::| someone produces a bodily construct that is both afflictive and non-afflictive, produces a verbal construct that is both afflictive and non-afflictive, and produces a mental construct that is both afflictive and non-afflictive. Having produced bodily, verbal, and mental constructs that are both afflictive and non-afflictive, they are reborn in a world that is both afflictive and non-afflictive. When they are reborn in a world that is both afflictive and non-afflictive, contacts that are both afflictive and non-afflictive touch them. Touched by contacts that are both afflictive and non-afflictive, they experience feelings that are both afflictive and non-afflictive, a mixture of pleasure and pain, just like human beings, some gods, and some beings in the lower realms. These are called|, bhikkhus,::::| dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati? Tatra, bhikkhave, yamidaṁ kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya cetanā, yamidaṁ kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya cetanā, yamidaṁ kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya cetanāidaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati.

And what|, bhikkhus,::::| are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the wearing away of deeds? Therein, |bhikkhus,::::| the |intention::volition, will; the active mental force that organizes and directs associated mental states toward an object. [cetanā]| to abandon dark deeds with dark results, the intention to abandon bright deeds with bright results, and the intention to abandon dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results—these are called|, bhikkhus,::::| neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the wearing away of deeds.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditānī”ti.

These|, bhikkhus,::::| are the four kinds of deeds that I have declared, having realized them for myself with direct knowledge.”

Topics & Qualities:

Intentional Constructs

Intentional Constructs

Intentional constructs are intentions, volitions, and choices expressed through body, speech, and mind. These are the kamma-producing processes that ‘fabricate’ experience. It is the fourth of the five aggregates.

Also known as: volitional formations, fabrications
Pāli: saṅkhāra
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Unwholesome

Unwholesome

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

Also known as: blameworthy, unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, karmically unprofitable
Pāli: akusala
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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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Last updated on September 12, 2026

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