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

AN 4.240 Pleasing

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye. Katamehi catūhi? Sabyābajjhena kāyakammena, sabyābajjhena vacīkammena, sabyābajjhena manokammena, sabyābajjhāya diṭṭhiyā imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge. Katamehi catūhi? Abyābajjhena kāyakammena, abyābajjhena vacīkammena, abyābajjhena manokammena, abyābajjhāya diṭṭhiyā imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

“Mendicants, someone with four qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

Katamehi catūhi?

What four?

Sabyābajjhena kāyakammena, sabyābajjhena vacīkammena, sabyābajjhena manokammena, sabyābajjhāya diṭṭhiyā

Hurtful deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, and hurtful view.

imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

Someone with these four qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there.

Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge.

Someone with four qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.

Katamehi catūhi?

What four?

Abyābajjhena kāyakammena, abyābajjhena vacīkammena, abyābajjhena manokammena, abyābajjhāya diṭṭhiyā

Pleasing deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, and pleasing view.

imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ sagge”ti.

Someone with these four qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.”

Navamaṁ.

Qualities:

Dearness

Dearness

A mental quality of holding something or someone as 'dear' through attachment, which binds the mind with craving and possessiveness. It is the external fixation upon what the mind clings to, often giving rise to envy, quarrels, and sorrow.

Also known as: beloved, cherished, pleasing
Pāli: piya
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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