June 27,2018
This is the second post in a series. The first post: “Dasa Akusala/Dasa Kusala – Basis of Buddha Dhamma“.
1. Dasa kusala and dasa akusala are the foundations of Buddha Dhamma. Nature’s laws are based on them.
- A wide variety of synonyms are given for dasa kusala and dasa akusala in a number of short suttā in Anguttara Nikāya; see, “Anguttara Nikāya – Suttā on Key Concepts“.
- Dasa akusala corrupt a mind and they lead to saṃsāric suffering.
- Dasa kusala purify a mind and they lead to permanent happiness (Nibbāna).
2. We can easily see connections to a number of key Pāli words and concepts with this information.
- The most potent of the dasa akusala is micchā diṭṭhi, which basically corrupts the mind and lead to other nine types of akusala. As we have discussed, micchā diṭṭhi is of two types: 10 types of micchā diṭṭhi and being unaware of the deeper laws of Nature including Tilakkhana (sometimes asubha nature is also included, in addition to the anicca, dukkha, anatta nature).
- As one first starts getting rid of the 10 types of micchā diṭṭhi, one’s tendency to do other nine types of akusala will decrease. This is the same as saying that one will be cultivating samma diṭṭhi and the tendency to do other nine types of kusala will also increase.
- One is fully on the mundane path when one gets rid of the 10 types of micchā diṭṭhi. One switches to the Noble Path when one starts comprehending Tilakkhana.
3. This is why dasa akusala and dasa kusala are really the foundation of Buddha Dhamma. All deeper concepts like anatta are embedded in these; see, “Dasa Akusala and Anatta – The Critical Link“.
- I had used the first two suttā (note that plural of sutta is suttā) listed below to point out the connection to anatta in that post.
- The other suttā listed below involve several more of deeper concepts: Attho(Atto), Āsava, Sāvajja (Blamesworthy), Uppādetabba (should arise in a mind), Āsevitabba (to be associated with), Bhāvetabba (to be used), Bahulikatabba (to be used frequently), Anussaritabba (to be thought about or contemplated).
- In the previous post I discussed suttā involving the following basic concepts: Dhamma/Adhamma, Ariya dhamma/Anariya dhamma, Saddhamma (beneficial dhamma)/Assaddhamma, Sappurisa (moral) dhamma /Asappurisa dhamma, Sādhu (praiseworthy)/Asādhu, Tapaniya (lead to a stressful mind) /Atapaniya, Acayagāmi (lead to rebirth)/Apacayagāmi, Dukkudrayō (lead to suffering) dhamma /Sukkudrayō dhamma, Ariyo magga/Anariya magga; see, “Dasa Akusala/Dasa Kusala – Basis of Buddha Dhamma“.
- In future posts I will discuss other suttā, showing connections to other concepts.
| Pali | English |
|---|---|
| Attha Sutta (AN 10.181) | |
| “Atthañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi anatthañca. Taṃ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, anattho? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, anattho. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, attho? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, attho”ti. | Anattho (One without refuge/protection): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views (defined in terms of dasa akusala). Attho (One with refuge/protection): Opposites: see, "Dasa Akusala and Anatta – The Critical Link" |
| Attha Sutta (AN 10.137) | |
| “Atthañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi anatthañca. Taṃ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, anattho? Micchādiṭṭhi … pe … micchāvimutti—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, anattho. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, attho? Sammādiṭṭhi … pe … sammāvimutti—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, attho”ti. | Anattho (One w/o refuge or protection):: Wrong views, wrong thoughts, wrong speech, wrong actions, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindset, wrong samadhi, wrong understanding, wrong vimutti (defined in terms of micca path). Attho (One with refuge/protection): Opposites in the Noble Eightfold Path. |
| We see that attho/anattho can be defined in two ways (dasa akusala/dasa kusala or micca path/Noble Path), as shown by the above two suttas. The same is true for all other terms discussed below. However, in order to save space, I will just provide the name of the sutta on the right that gives the definition in terms of micca path/Noble Path. | |
| Āsava Sutta (AN 10.183) and Sāsava Sutta (AN 10.139) | |
| “Sāsavañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ desessāmi anāsavañca. Taṃ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, sāsavo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sāsavo dhammo. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, anāsavo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi— ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, anāsavo dhammo”ti. | Sāsava Dhamma (that help cultivate āsava): Wrong views, wrong thoughts, wrong speech, wrong actions, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindset, wrong samadhi, wrong understanding, wrong vimutti (defined in terms of micca path). Anāsava Dhamma (that remove āsava): Opposites in the Noble Eightfold Path. |
| Sāvajja Sutta (AN 10.184) AND Sāvajja Sutta (AN 10.140) | |
| “Sāvajjañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ desessāmi anavajjañca. Taṃ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, sāvajjo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sāvajjo dhammo. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, anavajjo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi— ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, anavajjo dhammo”ti. | Sāvajja Dhammo (blamesworthy): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views. Anavajjo dhammo (praiseworthy): Opposites: see, "Kusala and Akusala Kamma, Punna and Pāpa Kamma" |
| Uppādetabbadhamma Sutta (AN 10.193) AND Uppādetabba Sutta (AN 10.149) | |
| “Uppādetabbañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ desessāmi na uppādetabbañca. Taṃ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, na uppādetabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, na uppādetabbo dhammo. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, uppādetabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, uppādetabbo dhammo”ti. | na Uppādetabbo Dhammo (dhamma that should not arise): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views. Uppādetabba Dhammo (dhamma that should arise): Opposites: see, "Kusala and Akusala Kamma, Punna and Pāpa Kamma" |
| Āsevitabbadhamma Sutta (AN 10.194) and Āsevitabba Sutta (AN 10.150) | |
| “Āsevitabbañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ desessāmi nāsevitabbañca. Taṃ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, nāsevitabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi— ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, nāsevitabbo dhammo. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, āsevitabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, āsevitabbo dhammo”ti. | Nāsevitabba dhammo (dhamma that one should not be associated with): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views. Āsevitabbadha dhammo (dhamma that one should be associated with): Opposites: see, "Kusala and Akusala Kamma, Punna and Pāpa Kamma" |
| Bhāvetabbadhamma Sutta (AN 10.195) AND Bhāvetabba Sutta (AN 10.151) | |
| “Bhāvetabbañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ desessāmi na bhāvetabbañca. Taṃ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, na bhāvetabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, na bhāvetabbo dhammo. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, bhāvetabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhāvetabbo dhammo”ti. | Dhamma thould not be used (na bhāvetabbo dhammo): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views. Dhamma that should be used (bhāvetabbo dhammo): Opposites: see, "Kusala and Akusala Kamma, Punna and Pāpa Kamma" |
| Bahulīkātabba Sutta (AN 10.196) AND Bahulīkattabba Sutta (AN 10.152) | |
| “Bahulīkātabbañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ desessāmi na bahulīkātabbañca. Taṃ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, na bahulīkātabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, na bahulīkātabbo dhammo. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, bahulīkātabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, bahulīkātabbo dhammo”ti. | Dhamma that should not be frequently associated with (na bahulīkātabbo dhammo): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views. Dhamma that should be frequently associated with (bahulīkātabbo dhammo): Opposites: see, "Kusala and Akusala Kamma, Punna and Pāpa Kamma" |
| Sacchikātabba Sutta (AN 10.198) AND Sacchikātabba Sutta (AN 10.154) | |
| “Sacchikātabbañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ desessāmi na sacchikātabbañca. Taṃ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, na sacchikātabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, na sacchikātabbo dhammo. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sacchikātabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sacchikātabbo dhammo”ti. | Dhamma that should not be experienced (na sacchikātabbo dhammo Dhammo): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views. (Dhamma that should be experienced (sacchikātabbo dhammo): Opposites: see, "Kusala and Akusala Kamma, Punna and Pāpa Kamma" |
| Anussaritabbadhamma Sutta (AN 10.197) AND Anussaritabba Sutta (AN 10.153) | |
| “Anussaritabbañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ desessāmi nānussaritabbañca. Taṃ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, nānussaritabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, nānussaritabbo dhammo. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, anussaritabbo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, anussaritabbo dhammo”ti. | Dhamma that should not be thought about (na anussaritabbo dhammo): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views. Dhamma that should be thought about (anussaritabbo dhammo): Opposites: see, "Kusala and Akusala Kamma, Punna and Pāpa Kamma" |
