Vitthārasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.233

Numbered Discourses 4.233

24. Kammavagga

24. Deeds

Vitthārasutta

Deeds in Detail

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditāni.

“Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight.

Katamāni cattāri?

What four?

Atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ;

There are dark deeds with dark results;

atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ;

bright deeds with bright results;

atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ;

dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results; and

atthi, bhikkhave, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati.

neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ?

And what are dark deeds with dark results?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti.

It’s when someone makes hurtful choices by way of body, speech, and mind.

So sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā sabyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

Having made these choices, they’re reborn in a hurtful world,

Tamenaṁ sabyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ sabyābajjhā phassā phusanti.

where hurtful contacts strike them.

So sabyābajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno sabyābajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vediyati ekantadukkhaṁ, seyyathāpi sattā nerayikā.

Touched by hurtful contacts, they experience hurtful feelings that are absolutely painful—like the beings in hell.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ.

These are called dark deeds with dark results.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ?

And what are bright deeds with bright results?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, abyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, abyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti.

It’s when someone makes pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind.

So abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, abyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, abyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā abyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

Having made these choices, they’re reborn in a pleasing world,

Tamenaṁ abyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ abyābajjhā phassā phusanti.

where pleasing contacts strike them.

So abyābajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno abyābajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vediyati ekantasukhaṁ, seyyathāpi devā subhakiṇhā.

Touched by pleasing contacts, they experience pleasing feelings of absolute happiness—like the gods of universal beauty.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ.

These are called bright deeds with bright results.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ?

And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti.

It’s when someone makes both hurtful and pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind.

So sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi lokaṁ upapajjati.

Having made these choices, they are reborn in a world that is both hurtful and pleasing,

Tamenaṁ sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ sabyābajjhāpi abyābajjhāpi phassā phusanti.

where hurtful and pleasing contacts strike them.

So sabyābajjhehipi abyābajjhehipi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vedanaṁ vediyati vokiṇṇasukhadukkhaṁ, seyyathāpi manussā ekacce ca devā ekacce ca vinipātikā.

Touched by both hurtful and pleasing contacts, they experience both hurtful and pleasing feelings that are a mixture of pleasure and pain—like humans, some gods, and some beings in the underworld.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ.

These are called dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati?

And what are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds?

Tatra, bhikkhave, yamidaṁ kammaṁ kaṇhaṁ kaṇhavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya yā cetanā, yamidaṁ kammaṁ sukkaṁ sukkavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya yā cetanā, yamidaṁ kammaṁ kaṇhasukkaṁ kaṇhasukkavipākaṁ tassa pahānāya yā cetanā—

It’s the intention to give up dark deeds with dark results, bright deeds with bright results, and both dark and bright deeds with both dark and bright results.

idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kammaṁ akaṇhaasukkaṁ akaṇhaasukkavipākaṁ kammakkhayāya saṁvattati.

These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri kammāni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditānī”ti.

These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight.”

Dutiyaṁ.