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 drift away from true teachings, and you settle on untrue teachings.
“Pañcime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā duccarite. Katame pañca? Attāpi attānaṁ upavadati; anuvicca viññū garahanti; pāpako kittisaddo abbhuggacchati; saddhammā vuṭṭhāti; asaddhamme patiṭṭhāti. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā duccarite.
Pañcime, bhikkhave, ānisaṁsā sucarite. Katame pañca? Attāpi attānaṁ na upavadati; anuvicca viññū pasaṁsanti; kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati; asaddhammā vuṭṭhāti; saddhamme patiṭṭhāti. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ānisaṁsā sucarite”ti.
Pañcamaṁ.
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.
saddhammā vuṭṭhāti;
You drift away from true teachings.
asaddhamme patiṭṭhāti.
You settle on untrue teachings.
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.
asaddhammā vuṭṭhāti;
You drift away from untrue teachings.
saddhamme patiṭṭhāti.
You settle on true teachings.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ānisaṁsā sucarite”ti.
These are the five benefits of good conduct.”
Pañcamaṁ.
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Last updated on July 27, 2026