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Majjhima Nikāya 117

Mahācattārīsakasutta

The Great Forty · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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whatKatamā andca, monksbhikkhave, wrong speechmicchāvācā?
false speechMusāvādo, backbitingpisuṇā speechvācā, harshpharusā speechvācā, nonsensical speechsamphappalāpo—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wrong speechmicchāvācā.

And what is wrong speech? Speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. This is wrong speech.

whichKatamā andca, monksbhikkhave, right speechsammāvācā?
right speech, I say, isSammāvācampahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, twofolddvāyaṁ I sayvadāmi—
there isatthi, monksbhikkhave, right speechsammāvācā accompanied by defilementssāsavā partaking of meritpuññabhāgiyā ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakkā;
there isatthi, monksbhikkhave, right speechsammāvācā nobleariyā undefiledanāsavā transcendentlokuttarā a factor of the pathmaggaṅgā.

And what is right speech? Right speech is twofold, I say. There is right speech that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments. And there is right speech that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

whatKatamā andca, monksbhikkhave, right speechsammāvācā accompanied by defilementssāsavā partaking of meritpuññabhāgiyā ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakkā?
from false speechMusāvādā refrainingveramaṇī, divisivepisuṇāya speechvācāya refrainingveramaṇī, harshpharusāya speechvācāya refrainingveramaṇī, from frivolous chattersamphappalāpā refrainingveramaṇī—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, right speechsammāvācā accompanied by defilementssāsavā partaking of meritpuññabhāgiyā ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakkā.

And what is right speech that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments? Refraining from lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, and talking nonsense. This is right speech that is accompanied by defilements.

whatKatamā andca, monksbhikkhave, right speechsammāvācā nobleariyā undefiledanāsavā transcendentlokuttarā a factor of the pathmaggaṅgā?
whichYā indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, intent on the nobleariyacittassa intent on the undefiledanāsavacittassa who possesses the noble pathariyamaggasamaṅgino the noble pathariyamaggaṁ developingbhāvayato from the fourcatūhi bad verbal conductvacīduccaritehi desistingārati abstainingvirati abstinencepaṭivirati refrainingveramaṇī—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, right speechsammāvācā nobleariyā undefiledanāsavā transcendentlokuttarā a factor of the pathmaggaṅgā.

And what is right speech that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path? It’s the desisting, abstaining, abstinence, and refraining from the four kinds of bad verbal conduct in one intent on the noble, intent on the undefiled, who possesses the noble path and develops the noble path. This is right speech that is noble.

heSo of wrong speechmicchāvācāya for giving uppahānāya makes an effortvāyamati, for right speechsammāvācāya for embracingupasampadāya; of him thissvāssa ishoti right effortsammāvāyāmo.
heSo mindfulsato wrong speechmicchāvācaṁ gives uppajahati, mindfulsato right speechsammāvācaṁ having taken upupasampajja dwellsviharati; of him thissāssa ishoti right mindfulnesssammāsati.
so theseItiyime threetayo thingsdhammā around right speechsammāvācaṁ keep running afteranuparidhāvanti keep circling aroundanuparivattanti, that isseyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, right effortsammāvāyāmo, right mindfulnesssammāsati.

They make an effort to give up wrong speech and embrace right speech: that’s their right effort. Mindfully they give up wrong speech and take up right speech: that’s their right mindfulness. So these three things keep running and circling around right speech, namely: right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

there; in that contextTatra, O monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi forerunner; comes firstpubbaṅgamā ishoti.
and howKathañca, O monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi forerunner; comes firstpubbaṅgamā ishoti?
wrong actionMicchākammantaṁ 'wrong action'‘micchākammanto’ti understandspajānāti, right actionsammākammantaṁ 'right action'‘sammākammanto’ti understandspajānāti; of him, that is; he has thissāssa ishoti right viewsammādiṭṭhi.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? When you understand wrong action as wrong action and right action as right action, that’s your right view.

whatKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, wrong actionmicchākammanto?
killing living creaturesPāṇātipāto, stealingadinnādānaṁ, sexual misconductkāmesumicchācāro—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wrong actionmicchākammanto.

And what is wrong action? Killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct. This is wrong action.

whatKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, right actionsammākammanto?
right action, I say, twofoldSammākammantampahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, twofolddvāyaṁ I sayvadāmi—
there isatthi, monksbhikkhave, right actionsammākammanto accompanied by defilementssāsavo partaking of good deedspuññabhāgiyo ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakko;
there isatthi, monksbhikkhave, right actionsammākammanto nobleariyo undefiledanāsavo transcendentlokuttaro a factor of the pathmaggaṅgo.

And what is right action? Right action is twofold, I say. There is right action that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments. And there is right action that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

whichKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, right actionsammākammanto accompanied by defilementssāsavo partaking of meritpuññabhāgiyo ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakko?
from killing living creaturesPāṇātipātā refrainingveramaṇī, from stealingadinnādānā refrainingveramaṇī, from sexual misconductkāmesumicchācārā refrainingveramaṇī—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, right actionsammākammanto accompanied by defilementssāsavo partaking of meritpuññabhāgiyo ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakko.

And what is right action that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments? Refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct. This is right action that is accompanied by defilements.

whatKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, right actionsammākammanto nobleariyo undefiledanāsavo transcendentlokuttaro factor of the path?maggaṅgo?
theYā indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, of one intent on the nobleariyacittassa of one intent on the undefiledanāsavacittassa who possesses the noble pathariyamaggasamaṅgino the noble pathariyamaggaṁ developingbhāvayato from threetīhi kinds of bad bodily conductkāyaduccaritehi desistingārati abstainingvirati abstinencepaṭivirati refraining—veramaṇī—
this,ayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, right actionsammākammanto nobleariyo undefiledanāsavo transcendentlokuttaro factor of the path.maggaṅgo.

And what is right action that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path? It’s the desisting, abstaining, abstinence, and refraining from the three kinds of bad bodily conduct in one intent on the noble, intent on the undefiled, who possesses the noble path and develops the noble path. This is right action that is noble.

theySo of wrong actionmicchākammantassa for giving uppahānāya they make an effortvāyamati, of right actionsammākammantassa for embracingupasampadāya; that is theirsvāssa ishoti right effortsammāvāyāmo.
theySo mindfullysato wrong actionmicchākammantaṁ they give uppajahati, mindfullysato right actionsammākammantaṁ having embracedupasampajja they liveviharati; that is theirsāssa ishoti right mindfulnesssammāsati.
so theseItiyime threetayo thingsdhammā right actionsammākammantaṁ keep running afteranuparidhāvanti keep circling aroundanuparivattanti, namely: right viewseyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, right effortsammāvāyāmo, right mindfulnesssammāsati.

They make an effort to give up wrong action and embrace right action: that’s their right effort. Mindfully they give up wrong action and take up right action: that’s their right mindfulness. So these three things keep running and circling around right action, namely: right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

thereTatra, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi forerunnerpubbaṅgamā ishoti.
and howKathañca, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi forerunnerpubbaṅgamā ishoti?
wrong livelihoodMicchāājīvaṁ as wrong livelihood‘micchāājīvo’ti understandspajānāti, right livelihoodsammāājīvaṁ as right livelihood‘sammāājīvo’ti understandspajānāti; that for himsāssa ishoti right viewsammādiṭṭhi.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? When you understand wrong livelihood as wrong livelihood and right livelihood as right livelihood, that’s your right view.

whichKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, wrong livelihoodmicchāājīvo?
fawningKuhanā, flatterylapanā, hintingnemittikatā, belittlingnippesikatā, with material thingslābhena material thingslābhaṁ chasing afternijigīsanatā—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, wrong livelihoodmicchāājīvo.

And what is wrong livelihood? Fawning, flattery, hinting, and belittling, and using material things to chase after other material things. This is wrong livelihood.

whatKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, right livelihoodsammāājīvo?
right livelihood, I saySammāājīvampahaṁ, monksbhikkhave, twofolddvāyaṁ I sayvadāmi—
there isatthi, monksbhikkhave, right livelihoodsammāājīvo accompanied by defilementssāsavo partaking of meritpuññabhāgiyo ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakko;
there isatthi, monksbhikkhave, right livelihoodsammāājīvo nobleariyo undefiledanāsavo transcendentlokuttaro a factor of the pathmaggaṅgo.

And what is right livelihood? Right livelihood is twofold, I say. There is right livelihood that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments. And there is right livelihood that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

whatKatamo andca, bhikkhusbhikkhave, right livelihoodsammāājīvo accompanied by defilementssāsavo partaking of good deedspuññabhāgiyo ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakko?
hereIdha, bhikkhusbhikkhave, a noble discipleariyasāvako wrong livelihoodmicchāājīvaṁ having given uppahāya by right livelihoodsammāājīvena a livingjīvikaṁ earnskappeti—
thisayaṁ, bhikkhusbhikkhave, right livelihoodsammāājīvo accompanied by defilementssāsavo partaking of good deedspuññabhāgiyo ripening in attachmentsupadhivepakko.

And what is right livelihood that is accompanied by defilements, partakes of good deeds, and ripens in attachments? It’s when a noble disciple gives up wrong livelihood and earns a living by right livelihood. This is right livelihood that is accompanied by defilements.

whichKatamo andca, monksbhikkhave, right livelihoodsammāājīvo nobleariyo undefiledanāsavo transcendentlokuttaro factor of the pathmaggaṅgo?
whichYā indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, intent on the nobleariyacittassa intent on the undefiledanāsavacittassa who possesses the noble pathariyamaggasamaṅgino the noble pathariyamaggaṁ developingbhāvayato wrong livelihoodmicchāājīvā desistingārati abstainingvirati abstinencepaṭivirati refrainingveramaṇī—
thisayaṁ, monksbhikkhave, right livelihoodsammāājīvo nobleariyo undefiledanāsavo transcendentlokuttaro factor of the pathmaggaṅgo.

And what is right livelihood that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path? It’s the desisting, abstaining, abstinence, and refraining from wrong livelihood in one intent on the noble, intent on the undefiled, who possesses the noble path and develops the noble path. This is right livelihood that is noble.

heSo of wrong livelihoodmicchāājīvassa for giving uppahānāya makes an effortvāyamati, of right livelihoodsammāājīvassa for embracingupasampadāya; that for himsvāssa ishoti right effortsammāvāyāmo.
heSo mindfulsato wrong livelihoodmicchāājīvaṁ gives uppajahati, mindfulsato right livelihoodsammāājīvaṁ having embracedupasampajja dwellsviharati; that for himsāssa ishoti right mindfulnesssammāsati.
thus theseItiyime threetayo thingsdhammā right livelihoodsammāājīvaṁ keep running aroundanuparidhāvanti keep circling aroundanuparivattanti, that is: right viewseyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, right effortsammāvāyāmo, right mindfulnesssammāsati.

They make an effort to give up wrong livelihood and embrace right livelihood: that’s their right effort. Mindfully they give up wrong livelihood and take up right livelihood: that’s their right mindfulness. So these three things keep running and circling around right livelihood, namely: right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

thereTatra, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi comes firstpubbaṅgamā ishoti.
and howKathañca, monksbhikkhave, right viewsammādiṭṭhi comes firstpubbaṅgamā ishoti?
for one of right viewSammādiṭṭhissa, monksbhikkhave, right purposesammāsaṅkappo is producedpahoti, from right purposesammāsaṅkappassa right speechsammāvācā is producedpahoti, from right speechsammāvācassa right actionsammākammanto is producedpahoti, from right actionsammākammantassa right livelihoodsammāājīvo is producedpahoti, from right livelihoodsammāājīvassa right effortsammāvāyāmo is producedpahoti, from right effortsammāvāyāmassa right mindfulnesssammāsati is producedpahoti, from right mindfulnesssammāsatissa right immersionsammāsamādhi is producedpahoti, from right immersionsammāsamādhissa right knowledgesammāñāṇaṁ is producedpahoti, from right knowledgesammāñāṇassa right freedomsammāvimutti is producedpahoti.
thusIti indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, endowed with eight factorsaṭṭhaṅgasamannāgato traineesekkho, endowed with ten factorsdasaṅgasamannāgato perfected onearahā ishoti.
and here tooTatrapi due to right knowledgesammāñāṇena manyaneke badpāpakā unskillfulakusalā qualitiesdhammā eradicatedvigatā full developmentbhāvanāpāripūriṁ they gogacchanti.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? Right view produces right purpose. Right purpose produces right speech. Right speech produces right action. Right action produces right livelihood. Right livelihood produces right effort. Right effort produces right mindfulness. Right mindfulness produces right immersion. Right immersion produces right knowledge. Right knowledge produces right freedom. So the trainee has eight factors, while the perfected one has ten factors. And here too, the eradication of many bad, unskillful qualities is fully developed due to right knowledge.

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