The Buddha describes the five drawbacks of bad conduct—you blame yourself, after examination, sensible people criticize you, you get a bad reputation, and you feel lost when you die, and and when your body breaks up, after death, you’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

AN 5.241 Bad Conduct (1st)

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā duccarite. Katame pañca? Attāpi attānaṁ upavadati; anuvicca viññū garahanti; pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati; sammūḷho kālaṁ karoti; kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā duccarite.

Pañcime, bhikkhave, ānisaṁsā sucarite. Katame pañca? Attāpi attānaṁ na upavadati; anuvicca viññū pasaṁsanti; kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati; asammūḷho kālaṁ karoti; kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ānisaṁsā sucarite”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā duccarite.

“Mendicants, there are these five drawbacks of bad conduct.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Attāpi attānaṁ upavadati;

You blame yourself.

anuvicca viññū garahanti;

After examination, sensible people criticize you.

pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati;

You get a bad reputation.

sammūḷho kālaṁ karoti;

You feel lost when you die.

kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

And when your body breaks up, after death, you’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā duccarite.

These are the five drawbacks of bad conduct.

Pañcime, bhikkhave, ānisaṁsā sucarite.

There are these five benefits of good conduct.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Attāpi attānaṁ na upavadati;

You don’t blame yourself.

anuvicca viññū pasaṁsanti;

After examination, sensible people praise you.

kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati;

You get a good reputation.

asammūḷho kālaṁ karoti;

You don’t feel lost when you die.

kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

When your body breaks up, after death, you’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ānisaṁsā sucarite”ti.

These are the five benefits of good conduct.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

Topics & 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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Investigation

Investigation

Investigation involves the process of a careful inquiry of mental states, qualities, and phenomena, examining their arising, persisting, and ceasing in order to understand their true nature and support the cultivation of wisdom and awakening.

Also known as: inquiry, contemplation, examination, analysis, exploration
Pāli: vicaya, vīmaṃsā, parikkhati
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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 July 27, 2026