Aṅguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
XI. Sambodhi Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
XI. Enlightenment
Sutta 108
Dutiya Nidāna Suttaɱ
Three Causes (b)[1]
Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied,
and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these three causes of the origin of actions.
What three?
"(which prevents the arising)" This is a mistake. There are actions which arise abscent lust, etc., for example the not doing of an action based on lust, etc. That too is kamma and is the point of the sutta.
— p.p.
[242] Absence of lust is a cause[2] (which prevents the arising) of actions.
Absence of malice is a cause (which prevents the arising) actions.
Absence of delusion is a cause (which prevents the arising) actions.
An action done without lust,
not born of lust,
mot caused by lust,
not originated by lust
is profitable:
it is praiseworthy,
it has happiness for its result,
it conduces to the ending of (further) action,
not to the arising thereof.
An action done without malice,
not born of malice,
not caused by malice,
not originated by malice
is profitable:
it is praiseworthy,
it has happiness for its result,
it conduces to the ending of (further) action,
not to the arising thereof.
An action done without delusion,
not born of delusion,
not caused by delusion,
not originated by delusion
is profitable:
it is praiseworthy,
it has happiness for its result,
it conduces to the ending of (further) action,
not to the arising thereof.
These, monks, are the three causes of action."
[1] Comy. takes this and the previous sutta as one; so with the next pair.
[2] Not really causes, but prohibitive of action.
