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

AN 4.263 Deeds

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bālo abyatto asappuriso khataṁ upahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, sāvajjo ca hoti sānuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavati. Katamehi catūhi? Sāvajjena kāyakammena, sāvajjena vacīkammena, sāvajjena manokammena, sāvajjāya diṭṭhiyā 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? Anavajjena kāyakammena, anavajjena vacīkammena, anavajjena manokammena, anavajjāya diṭṭhiyā imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito viyatto sappuriso akkhataṁ anupahataṁ attānaṁ pariharati, anavajjo ca hoti ananuvajjo viññūnaṁ, bahuñca puññaṁ pasavatī”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Abhiññāvaggo chaṭṭho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Abhiññā pariyesanā,
saṅgahaṁ mālukyaputto;
Kulaṁ dve ca ājānīyā,
balaṁ araññakammunāti.

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?

Sāvajjena kāyakammena, sāvajjena vacīkammena, sāvajjena manokammena, sāvajjāya diṭṭhiyā

Blameworthy deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, and blameworthy 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?

Anavajjena kāyakammena, anavajjena vacīkammena, anavajjena manokammena, anavajjāya diṭṭhiyā

Blameless deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, and blameless 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.”

Dasamaṁ.

Abhiññāvaggo chaṭṭho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Abhiññā pariyesanā,

saṅgahaṁ mālukyaputto;

Kulaṁ dve ca ājānīyā,

balaṁ araññakammunāti.

Qualities:

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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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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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