Muni's PlaySammaditthi Sutta (MN 9) — Wholesome and Unwholesome
An excerpt from the Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya 9, “Discourse on Right View”). In this section, Venerable Sāriputta defines what constitutes the unwholesome (akusala / akuśala), the wholesome (kusala / kuśala), and their respective roots.
Below, the original Pali verses are presented alongside their corresponding Sanskrit translation.
1. The Unwholesome (Akusala / Akuśala) & Its Roots
Pali (Devanagari)
Pali Devanagari
पाणातिपातो खो, आवुसो, अकुसलं, अदिन्नादानं अकुसलं, कामेसुमिच्छाचारो अकुसलं, मुसावादो अकुसलं, पिसुणा वाचा अकुसलं, फरुसा वाचा अकुसलं, सम्फप्पलापो अकुसलं, अभिज्झा अकुसलं, ब्यापादो अकुसलं, मिच्छादिट्ठि अकुसलं।
इदं वुच्चतावुसो अकुसलं।कतमञ्चावुसो, अकुसलमूलं?
लोभो अकुसलमूलं, दोसो अकुसलमूलं, मोहो अकुसलमूलं—
इदं वुच्चतावुसो, अकुसलमूलं।
Pali (Transliteration)
Pali Transliteration
pāṇātipāto kho, āvuso, akusalaṃ; adinnādānaṃ akusalaṃ; kāmesumicchācāro akusalaṃ; musāvādo akusalaṃ; pisuṇā vācā akusalaṃ; pharusā vācā akusalaṃ; samphappalāpo akusalaṃ; abhijjhā akusalaṃ; byāpādo akusalaṃ; micchādiṭṭhi akusalaṃ.
idaṃ vuccatāvuso akusalaṃ.katamañcāvuso, akusalamūlaṃ?
lobho akusalamūlaṃ, doso akusalamūlaṃ, moho akusalamūlaṃ —
idaṃ vuccatāvuso, akusalamūlaṃ.
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
Sanskrit Devanagari
प्राणातिपातः खलु, आयुष्मन्तः, अकुशलम्, अदत्तादानम् अकुशलम्, काममिथ्याचारोऽकुशलम्, मृषावादोऽकुशलम्, पैशुन्यम् अकुशलम्, पारुष्यम् अकुशलम्, सम्भिन्नप्रलापोऽकुशलम्, अभिध्याऽकुशलम्, व्यापादोऽकुशलम्, मिथ्यादृष्टिरकुशलम्।
इदमुच्यते, आयुष्मन्तः, अकुशलम्।कतमच्च, आयुष्मन्तः, अकुशलमूलम्?
लोभोऽकुशलमूलम्, द्वेषोऽकुशलमूलम्, मोहोऽकुशलमूलम्—
इदमुच्यते, आयुष्मन्तः, अकुशलमूलम्।
Sanskrit (Transliteration)
Sanskrit Transliteration
prāṇātipātaḥ khalu, āyuṣmantaḥ, akuśalam; adattādānam akuśalam; kāmamithyācāro’kuśalam; mṛṣāvādo’kuśalam; paiśunyam akuśalam; pāruṣyam akuśalam; sambhinnapralāpo’kuśalam; abhidhyā’kuśalam; vyāpādo’kuśalam; mithyādṛṣṭirakuśalam.
idam ucyate, āyuṣmantaḥ, akuśalam.katamacc, āyuṣmantaḥ, akuśalamūlam?
lobho’kuśalamūlam, dveṣo’kuśalamūlam, moho’kuśalamūlam —
idam ucyate, āyuṣmantaḥ, akuśalamūlam.
English Translation
English Translation
“Friends, the killing of living beings is unwholesome; taking what is not given is unwholesome; sexual misconduct is unwholesome; lying is unwholesome; malicious speech is unwholesome; harsh speech is unwholesome; idle chatter is unwholesome; covetousness is unwholesome; ill will is unwholesome; wrong view is unwholesome. This, friends, is called the unwholesome.
And what, friends, is the root of the unwholesome? Greed is the root of the unwholesome; hatred is the root of the unwholesome; delusion is the root of the unwholesome. This, friends, is called the root of the unwholesome.”
2. The Wholesome (Kusala / Kuśala) & Its Roots
Pali (Devanagari)
Pali Devanagari
कतमञ्चावुसो, कुसलं?
पाणातिपाता वेरमणी कुसलं, अदिन्नादाना वेरमणी कुसलं, कामेसुमिच्छाचारा वेरमणी कुसलं, मुसावादा वेरमणी कुसलं, पिसुणाय वाचाय वेरमणी कुसलं, फरुसाय वाचाय वेरमणी कुसलं, सम्फप्पलापा वेरमणी कुसलं, अनभिज्झा कुसलं, अब्यापादो कुसलं, सम्मादिट्ठि कुसलं—
इदं वुच्चतावुसो, कुसलं।कतमञ्चावुसो, कुसलमूलं?
अलोभो कुसलमूलं, अदोसो कुसलमूलं, अमोहो कुसलमूलं—
इदं वुच्चतावुसो, कुसलमूलं।
Pali (Transliteration)
Pali Transliteration
katamañcāvuso, kusalaṃ?
pāṇātipātā veramaṇī kusalaṃ; adinnādānā veramaṇī kusalaṃ; kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇī kusalaṃ; musāvādā veramaṇī kusalaṃ; pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī kusalaṃ; pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī kusalaṃ; samphappalāpā veramaṇī kusalaṃ; anabhijjhā kusalaṃ; abyāpādo kusalaṃ; sammādiṭṭhi kusalaṃ —
idaṃ vuccatāvuso, kusalaṃ.katamañcāvuso, kusalamūlaṃ?
alobho kusalamūlaṃ, adoso kusalamūlaṃ, amoho kusalamūlaṃ —
idaṃ vuccatāvuso, kusalamūlaṃ.
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
Sanskrit Devanagari
कतमच्च, आयुष्मन्तः, कुशलम्?
प्राणातिपाताद्विरतिः कुशलम्, अदत्तादानाद्विरतिः कुशलम्, काममिथ्याचाराद्विरतिः कुशलम्, मृषावादाद्विरतिः कुशलम्, पैशुन्याद्विरतिः कुशलम्, पारुष्याद्विरतिः कुशलम्, सम्प्रलापाद्विरतिः कुशलम्, अनभिध्या कुशलम्, अव्यापादः कुशलम्, सम्यग्दृष्टिः कुशलम्।
इदमुच्यते, आयुष्मन्तः, कुशलम्।कतमच्च, आयुष्मन्तः, कुशलमूलम्?
अलोभो कुशलमूलम्, अद्वेषो कुशलमूलम्, अमोहो कुशलमूलम्—
इदमुच्यते, आयुष्मन्तः, कुशलमूलम्।
Sanskrit (Transliteration)
Sanskrit Transliteration
katamacc, āyuṣmantaḥ, kuśalam?
prāṇātipātād viratiḥ kuśalam; adattādānād viratiḥ kuśalam; kāmamithyācārād viratiḥ kuśalam; mṛṣāvādād viratiḥ kuśalam; paiśunyād viratiḥ kuśalam; pāruṣyād viratiḥ kuśalam; sampralāpād viratiḥ kuśalam; anabhidhyā kuśalam; avyāpādaḥ kuśalam; samyagdṛṣṭiḥ kuśalam.
idam ucyate, āyuṣmantaḥ, kuśalam.katamacc, āyuṣmantaḥ, kuśalamūlam?
alobho kuśalamūlam, adveṣo kuśalamūlam, amoho kuśalamūlam —
idam ucyate, āyuṣmantaḥ, kuśalamūlam.
English Translation
English Translation
“And what, friends, is the wholesome? Abstention from killing living beings is wholesome; abstention from taking what is not given is wholesome; abstention from sexual misconduct is wholesome; abstention from lying is wholesome; abstention from malicious speech is wholesome; abstention from harsh speech is wholesome; abstention from idle chatter is wholesome; non-covetousness is wholesome; non-ill will is wholesome; right view is wholesome. This, friends, is called the wholesome.
And what, friends, is the root of the wholesome? Non-greed is the root of the wholesome; non-hatred is the root of the wholesome; non-delusion is the root of the wholesome. This, friends, is called the root of the wholesome.”
Detailed Comparative Breakdown of the Ten Actions (Kammapatha)
| Category | Unwholesome Action (Akusala / Akuśala) | Wholesome Practice (Kusala / Kuśala) |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily (Kāya) | 1. Killing: Pāṇātipāto / Prāṇātipātaḥ 2. Stealing: Adinnādānaṃ / Adattādānam 3. Sexual Misconduct: Kāmesumicchācāro / Kāmamithyācāraḥ | 1. Abstention: Veramaṇī / Viratiḥ 2. Abstention: Veramaṇī / Viratiḥ 3. Abstention: Veramaṇī / Viratiḥ |
| Verbal (Vācā) | 4. Lying: Musāvādo / Mṛṣāvādaḥ 5. Divisive Speech: Pisuṇā vācā / Paiśunyam 6. Harsh Speech: Pharusā vācā / Pāruṣyam 7. Idle Chatter: Samphappalāpo / Sampralāpaḥ | 4. Abstention: Veramaṇī / Viratiḥ 5. Abstention: Veramaṇī / Viratiḥ 6. Abstention: Veramaṇī / Viratiḥ 7. Abstention: Veramaṇī / Viratiḥ |
| Mental (Mana) | 8. Covetousness: Abhijjhā / Abhidhyā 9. Ill Will: Byāpādo / Vyāpādaḥ 10. Wrong View: Micchādiṭṭhi / Methyādṛṣṭiḥ | 8. Generosity: Anabhijjhā / Anabhidhyā 9. Goodwill: Abyāpādo / Avyāpādaḥ 10. Right View: Sammādiṭṭhi / Samyagdṛṣṭiḥ |
Reference
- Complete Discourse: MN 9 - Sammaditthi Sutta
- Majjhima Nikaya Index: Majjhima Nikaya