English
For one who attends properly, unarisen delusion does not arise, and arisen delusion is abandoned. This, friends, is the cause, this is the reason, by which unarisen delusion does not arise, and arisen delusion is abandoned. Eighth. 9. The Discourse on the Roots of Unwholesome Actions 70. "These three, monks, are roots of unwholesome actions. Which three? Greed is a root of unwholesome action, anger is a root of unwholesome action, delusion is a root of unwholesome action. "Whatever, monks, greed Friends, that too is a root of unwholesome action; And when a greedy person fabricates with body, speech, or mind, that too is unwholesome action; And when a greedy person, overcome by greed, with mind consumed, causes suffering to another by killing, or by binding, or by loss, or by blame, or by banishment, thinking 'I am strong, I seek strength,' that too is unwholesome action. Thus, from greed arising, from greed originating, from greed coming forth, from greed conditioned, many evil, unwholesome states come into being. And when, monks, there is hatred, that too is a root of unwholesome action; And when a hateful person fabricates with body, speech, or mind, that too is unwholesome action; And when a hateful person, overcome by hatred, with mind consumed, causes suffering to another by killing, or by binding, or by loss, or by blame, or by banishment, thinking 'I am strong, I seek strength,' that too is unwholesome action. Thus, from hatred arising, from hatred originating, from hatred coming forth, from hatred conditioned, many evil, unwholesome states come into being. And when, monks, there is delusion, that too is a root of unwholesome action; And when a deluded person fabricates with body, speech, or mind, that too is unwholesome action; And when a deluded person, overcome by delusion, with mind consumed, causes suffering to another by killing, or by binding, or by loss, or by blame, or by banishment, thinking 'I am strong, I seek strength,' that too is unwholesome action. Thus, from delusion arising, from delusion originating, from delusion coming forth, from delusion conditioned, many evil, unwholesome states come into being. Such a person, monks, is called one who speaks out of season, one who speaks what is not true, one who speaks what is not beneficial, one who speaks against the Dhamma, one who speaks against the Vinaya. And why, monks, is such a person called one who speaks out of season, one who speaks what is not true, one who speaks what is not beneficial, one who speaks against the Dhamma, one who speaks against the Vinaya? Because, monks, such a person causes suffering to another... By excessive killing or by binding, or by loss or by blame or by banishment, 'I am strong, I am powerful,' thus he thinks. When spoken to with truth, he despises it, he does not acknowledge it; when spoken to with untruth, he does not feel remorse, nor does he say, for its unraveling, 'this is not true, this is false.' Therefore, such a person is called one who speaks at the wrong time, one who speaks untruths, one who speaks unbeneficially, one who speaks against the Dhamma, one who speaks against the Vinaya. Monks, such a person, overcome by evil, unwholesome states born of greed, with mind overwhelmed, lives miserably in this very life, with affliction, with distress, with fever. And with the breaking up of the body, after death, a bad destination is to be expected. Overcome by evil, unwholesome states born of hatred, with mind overwhelmed, lives miserably in this very life, with affliction, with distress, with fever. And with the breaking up of the body, after death, a bad destination is to be expected. Overcome by evil, unwholesome states born of delusion, with mind overwhelmed, lives miserably in this very life, with affliction, with distress, with fever. And with the breaking up of the body, after death, a bad destination is to be expected. Just as, monks, a sal tree or a dhav tree or a phandana tree, entangled and enveloped by three creepers, comes to ruin, comes to misfortune, comes to ruin and misfortune; even so, monks, such a person, overcome by evil, unwholesome states born of greed, with mind overwhelmed, lives miserably in this very life, with affliction, with distress, with fever. And with the breaking up of the body, after death, a bad destination is to be expected. Overcome by evil, unwholesome states born of hatred, with mind overwhelmed, lives miserably in this very life, with affliction, with distress, with fever. And with the breaking up of the body, after death, a bad destination is to be expected. Overcome by evil, unwholesome states born of delusion, with mind overwhelmed, lives miserably in this very life, with affliction, with distress, with fever. And with the breaking up of the body, after death, a bad destination is to be expected. These, monks, are the three roots of unwholesome states. Monks, these are the three roots of wholesome states. Which three? Non-greed is a root of wholesome states, non-hatred is a root of wholesome states, non-delusion is a root of wholesome states. Monks, whatever is non-greed, that is also a root of wholesome states; whatever is not greedy... Indeed, when one performs with body, speech, and mind, that too is wholesome. And when one is not greedy, not overcome by greed, with a mind not seized, does not inflict suffering upon another, who is not an enemy, by striking, or by binding, or by loss, or by censure, or by banishment, or thinking 'I am strong, I seek strength,' that too is wholesome. Thus, from non-greed, originating from non-greed, arising from non-greed, conditioned by non-greed, many wholesome states arise. And when, monks, there is non-hatred, that too is a root of wholesome. And when one, not hateful, performs with body, speech, and mind, that too is wholesome. And when one, not hateful, not overcome by hatred, with a mind not seized, does not inflict suffering upon another, who is not an enemy, by striking, or by binding, or by loss, or by censure, or by banishment, or thinking 'I am strong, I seek strength,' that too is wholesome. Thus, from non-hatred, originating from non-hatred, arising from non-hatred, conditioned by non-hatred, many wholesome states arise. And when, monks, there is non-delusion, that too is a root of wholesome. And when one, not deluded, performs with body, speech, and mind, that too is wholesome. And when one, not deluded, not overcome by delusion, with a mind not seized, does not inflict suffering upon another, who is not an enemy, by striking, or by binding, or by loss, or by censure, or by banishment, or thinking 'I am strong, I seek strength,' that too is wholesome. Thus, from non-delusion, originating from non-delusion, arising from non-delusion, conditioned by non-delusion, many wholesome states arise. And such a person, monks, is called one who speaks at the right time, one who speaks what is true, one who speaks what is beneficial, one who speaks of the Dhamma, one who speaks of the Vinaya. And why, monks, is such a person called one who speaks at the right time, one who speaks what is true, one who speaks what is beneficial, one who speaks of the Dhamma, one who speaks of the Vinaya? Because, monks, such a person does not inflict suffering upon another, who is not an enemy, by striking, or by binding, or by loss, or by censure, or by banishment, or thinking 'I am strong, I seek strength'. And when spoken to truthfully, he acknowledges, he does not deny; When spoken to with what is untrue, he makes an effort to unravel it – ‘This is indeed not true, this is indeed not real.’ Therefore, such a person is called: one who speaks at the right time, one who speaks what is beneficial, one who speaks of the Dhamma, one who speaks of the Vinaya. For such a person, bhikkhus, evil unwholesome states born of greed are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future. In this very life he dwells happily, without vexation, without distress, without fever. In this very life he attains final Nibbāna. Born of hatred... ...he attains final Nibbāna. Born of delusion... ...he attains final Nibbāna. Just as, bhikkhus, a sal tree, or a dhavā tree, or a phandanā tree, might be overgrown and entwined by three creeper vines. Then a man might come, carrying a spade and a basket. He would cut that creeper vine at the root. Having cut it at the root, he would dig it up. Having dug it up, he would pull out the roots, even down to the size of a usīra fiber. He would cut that creeper vine into pieces. Having cut it into pieces, he would split it. Having split it, he would make it into splinters. Having made it into splinters, he would dry it in the wind and sun. Having dried it in the wind and sun, he would burn it with fire. Having burned it with fire, he would make it into ash. Having made it into ash, he would scatter it in a strong wind, or float it away in a swiftly flowing river. Thus, bhikkhus, those creeper vines would be cut off at the root, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future. Even so, bhikkhus, for such a person, evil unwholesome states born of greed are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future. In this very life he dwells happily, without vexation, without distress, without fever. In this very life he attains final Nibbāna. Born of hatred... ...born of delusion, evil unwholesome states are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future. qualities. In this very life he dwells happily, without affliction, without distress, without fever. In this very life he attains final Nibbāna. These, bhikkhus, are the three roots of skillfulness.” The Ninth. 10. The Uposatha Sutta 71. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī,