Dasa Akusala/Dasa Kusala – Basis of Buddha Dhamma

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  Sutta Interpretations > Anguttara Nikāya – Suttā on Key Concepts >

Dasa Akusala/Dasa Kusala – Basis of Buddha Dhamma

June 20, 2018; revised February 17, 2021

Moral Basis of Buddha Dhamma

1. Dasa kusala and dasa akusala are the moral 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 Aṅguttara Nikāya; see, “Aṅguttara Nikāya – Suttā on Key Concepts.”

▪Any one of Dasa akusala corrupts a mind, and and they lead to saṁsāric suffering.

▪Any one of Dasa kusala purifies a mind, and and they lead to permanent happiness (Nibbāna).

Two Types of Micchā Diṭṭhi – Removed Sequentially

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 leads 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 Tilakkhaṇa.

▪As one first starts getting rid of the 10 types of micchā diṭṭhi, one’s tendency to do the other nine types of akusala will decrease. This is the same as saying that one will be cultivating sammā 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 Tilakkhaṇa.

Deeper Level of Micchā Diṭṭhi Is Not Comprehending Four Noble Truths/Paṭicca Samuppāda/Tilakkhaṇa

3. This is why dasa kusala and dasa akusala are really the moral foundation of Buddha Dhamma. All deeper concepts like anatta are embedded in these as the deeper level of micchā diṭṭhi; see, “Sakkāya Diṭṭhi and Paṭicca Samuppāda.”

▪I had used two other suttā (note that plural of sutta is suttā) not listed below to point out the connection to anatta in that post.

▪The other concepts listed below: 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, Dukkudrayo (lead to suffering) dhamma /Sukkudrayo dhamma, Ariyo magga/Anariya magga.

▪Several other concepts become clear from other suttā, showing connections to other concepts. I may add more suttā, as I find them.

Pali

English

Kusala Sutta (AN 10.180)

“Kusalañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi akusalañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamañca, bhikkhave, akusalaṁ? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, akusalaṁ.
 
Katamañca, bhikkhave, kusalaṁ? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kusalan”ti.

Akusala: taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views (defined in terms of dasa akusala).
Kusala: Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Akusala Sutta (AN 10.136)

“Akusalañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi kusalañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamañca, bhikkhave, akusalaṁ? Micchādiṭṭhi … pe … micchāvimutti—idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, akusalaṁ. Katamañca, bhikkhave, kusalaṁ? Sammādiṭṭhi … pe … sammāvimutti—idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kusalan”ti.

Akusala: Wrong views, wrong thoughts, wrong speech, wrong actions, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindset, wrong samadhi, wrong understanding, wrong vimutti (defined in terms of micchā path).
Kusala: Opposites in the Noble Eightfold Path.

 

 

We see that Kusala/Akusala can be defined in two ways (dasa akusala/dasa kusala or micchā path/Noble Path), as shown by the above two suttā. 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 micchā path/Noble Path.

 

 

Dhamma Sutta (AN 10.182) and Dhamma Sutta (An 10.138)

“Dhammañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi adhammañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, adhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, adhammo.
 
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammo”ti.

Adhammo: taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.
Dhammo: Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Ariyadhamma Sutta (AN 10.179) and Ariyadhamma Sutta (AN 10.135)

“Ariyadhammañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi anariya­dhammañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, anariyo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anariyo dhammo.
 
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ariyo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi— ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyo dhammo”ti.

Anariyadhammo: taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.

 
Ariyadhammo: Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Saddhamma Sutta (AN 10.191) and Saddhamma Sutta (AN 10.147)

“Saddhammañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi asaddhammañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, asaddhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asaddhammo.
 
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, saddhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saddhammo”ti.

Asaddhammo (Asath/Bad dhamma): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.

 
Saddhammo (Sath/Buddha dhamma): Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Sap­purisa­dhamma Sutta (AN 10.192) and Sappurisadhamma Sutta (AN 10.148)

“Sap­purisa­dhammañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi asap­purisa­dhammañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, asap­purisa­dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi— ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asap­purisa­dhammo.
 
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sap­purisa­dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi— ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sap­purisa­dhammo”ti.

Asap­purisa ­dhammo (Asath purisa or wicked person's dhamma): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.
Sap­purisa ­dhammo (Sath purisa or Moral person's dhamma): Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Sadhu Sutta (AN 10.178) and Sadhu Sutta (AN 10.134)

“Katamañca, bhikkhave, asādhu? Pāṇātipāto, adinnādānaṁ, kāmesu­micchā­cāro, musāvādo, pisuṇā vācā, pharusā vācā, samphappalāpo, abhijjhā, byāpādo, micchādiṭṭhi—idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, asādhu.
 
Katamañca, bhikkhave, sādhu? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī, adinnādānā veramaṇī, kāmesu­micchā­cārā veramaṇī, musāvādā veramaṇī, pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī, pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī, samphappalāpā veramaṇī, anabhijjhā, abyāpādo, sammādiṭṭhi—idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sādhū”ti.

Blameful (Asādhu): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.

 
Praiseworthy (Sādhu): Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Tapaniya Sutta (AN 10.185) and Tapaniya Sutta (AN 10.141)

“Tapanīyañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ desessāmi atapanīyañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, tapanīyo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, tapanīyo dhammo.
 
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, atapanīyo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, atapanīyo dhammo”ti.

Stressful (Lead to heating the mind) (Tapaniyo): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.

 
Calming (Lead to cooling the mind) (Atapaniyo): Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Ācayagāmi Sutta (AN 10.186) and Ācayagāmi Sutta (AN 10.142)

“Ācayagāmiñca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ desessāmi apacayagāmiñca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, ācayagāmī dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ācayagāmī dhammo.
 
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, apacayagāmī dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, apacayagāmī dhammo”ti.

Lead to rebirth (Ācayagāmi Dhammo): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.

 
Calming (Lead to Nibbāna) (Apacayagāmī Dhammo): Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Duk­khud­ra­ya Sutta (AN 10.187) and Dukkhudraya Sutta (AN 10.143)

“Dukkhudrayañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ desessāmi sukhudrayañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, dukkhudrayo dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi— ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhudrayo dhammo.
 
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sukhudrayo dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhudrayo dhammo”ti.

Lead to suffering (Duk­khud­ra­yo Dhammo): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.

 
Calming (Lead to Sukha/Nibbāna) (Sukhudrayo Dhammo): Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Vipāka Sutta (AN 10.188) and Dukkhavipāka Sutta (AN 10.144)

“Duk­kha­vipākañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ desessāmi sukhavipākañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, dukkhavipāko dhammo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhavipāko dhammo.
 
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sukhavipāko dhammo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhavipāko dhammo”ti.

Dukkhavipāko dhammo: taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.

 
Sukhavipāko dhammo: Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Ariya­magga Sutta (AN 10.189) and Ariyamagga Sutta (AN 10.145)

“Ariyamaggañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi anariya­maggañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, anariyo maggo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anariyo maggo.
 
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ariyo maggo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi— ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyo maggo”ti.

Anariyo maggo: taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.

 
Ariyo maggo: Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

 

Kaṇha­magga Sutta (AN 10.190) and Kaṇhamagga Sutta (AN 10.146)

“Kaṇhamaggañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi sukkamaggañca. Taṁ suṇātha … pe … katamo ca, bhikkhave, kaṇho maggo? Pāṇātipāto … pe … micchādiṭṭhi—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kaṇho maggo.
 
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sukko maggo? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī … pe … sammādiṭṭhi— ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukko maggo”ti.

Kaṇho maggo (Dark path): taking a life, stealing, abusing sense pleasures, speaking untruth, slandering, harsh speech, gossiping, greed, ill-will, wrong views.

 
Sukko maggo (Bright path): Opposites: see, “Kilesa – Relationship To Akusala, Kusala, And Puñña Kamma”

 

Second part: “Dasa Akusala/Dasa Kusala – Basis of Buddha Dhamma -2.”