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Lesson 3.5.5 Potaliyasuttaṃ - Pāṇātipātaṃ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato – How to Abandon the Destruction of Life
Those who conquer inner enemies like greed, craving, and hatred often feel deep satisfaction and a strong desire to maintain this success. When we compare the agitation and unrest from harmful actions to the joy and calm that come from positive ones, it strengthens our resolve to continue doing good. The Buddha, as a Sammāsambuddha, didn't just confirm that unwholesome actions can be avoided; he showed how they can be completely abandoned by developing the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Potaliyasutta, he offers further tools for this, again emphasizing the twofold training of evaṃ cārittavārittavasena duvidhaṃ (wholesomeness grows from the seed of non-harm): 'Depending upon the non-killing of living beings, the killing of living beings gets abandoned.'