3.5.9 Discerning Wrong Action and Developing Right Action *

“Therefore right view is a forerunner. And how is, O Bhikkhus, right view a forerunner? He perceives properly wrong action as wrong action and right action as right action, in this way he is one with right view.

And what, Bhikkhus, is wrong action? Killing living beings, taking what has not been given and sexual misconduct, this O’ Bhikkhus is wrong action!’

And what, Bhikkhus, is right action? Right action, Bhikkhus, I say is twofold: there is, O’ Bhikkhus, the right action that is influenced by dormant impurities and partaking of merit with attachment ripening and there is right action that is noble, free from impurities, supramundane and a factor of the path.

What, Bhikkhus, is the right action that is influenced by dormant impurities and partaking of merit with attachment ripening? Abstaining from killing, abstaining from taking what has not been given and abstaining from sexual misconduct this, Bhikkhus, is called right action. This, Bhikkhus, is called right action that is influenced by dormant impurities and partaking of merit with attachment ripening.

And what, Bhikkhus, is right action that is noble, free from impurities, supramundane and a factor of the path. There is someone, O’ Bhikkhus, of noble mind without any dormant mental impurities, endowed in the Noble Path and developing it, abstaining from, refraining, leaving completely behind and remaining aloof of the three kinds of unwholesome physical action. This is, Bhikkhus, right action that is noble, free from impurities, supramundane and a factor of the path.

In this way he strives hard to avoid wrong action, to get established in right action, in this way he is one with right effort. Thus fully aware he abandons wrong action and acquires right action and dwells therein. He is one with right awareness. These three states follow and circle around right action, these are: right view, right effort and right awareness……”

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* Mahācattārīsakasuttaṃ cont.
Last modified: Monday, 14 December 2015, 8:31 AM