Majjhima Nikāya
III. Upari Paṇṇāsa
4. Vibhaṇga Vagga

The Middle Length Sayings
III. The Final Fifty Discourses
4. The Division on Analysis

Sutta 136

Mahā Kamma-Vibhaṇga Suttaṃ

Discourse on
the Greater Analysis of Deeds^[1]

Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner, O.B.E., M.A.
Associate of Newham College, Cambridge
First Published in 1954

[254]

[1][chlm][than][than.2][nymo][upal][olds] THUS HAVE I HEARD:

At one time the Lord was staying near Rājagaha
in the Bamboo Grove at the squirrels' feeding place.

Now at that time the venerable Samiddhi^[2]
was staying in a little forest hut.

Then the wanderer Potali's son,
who was always pacing up and down,
always roaming about on foot,
approached the venerable Samiddhi;
having approached,
he exchanged greetings with the venerable Samiddhi,
and having conversed in a friendly and courteous way
he sat down at a respectful distance.

As he was sitting down at a respectful distance,
the wanderer Potali's son
spoke thus to the venerable Samiddhi:

"Reverend Samiddhi,
from the recluse Gotama's own mouth
have I heard,
from his own mouth
have I learnt
that deed of body is foolish,^[3]
deed of speech is foolish,
only deed of mind is truth;^[4]
and that there is that attainment
on attaining which
one experiences nothing."^[5]

"Do not, friend Potali's son,
speak thus;
do not, friend Potali's son,
speak thus.

Do not misrepresent the Lord;
for neither is misrepresentation of the Lord good
nor would the Lord speak thus:

'Deed of body is foolish,
deed of speech is foolish,
only deed of mind is truth;
and that there is that attainment
on attaining which
one experiences nothing.'"

"How long have you been gone forth, reverend Samiddhi?"

"Not long, friend, three years."

[255] "Now, why should we speak to monks who are Elders
when even a newly ordained monk
thinks that the Teacher should be defended thus?

Reverend Samiddhi,
when one has intentionally done a deed
by body,
speech
or thought,
what does one experience?"

"When one has intentionally done a deed
by body,
speech
or thought,
friend Potali's son,
one experiences anguish."

Then the wanderer Potali's son,
neither rejoicing in
nor protesting against
what the venerable Samiddhi had said,
rose from his seat and departed
without rejoicing,
without protesting.

Not long after the wanderer Potali's son had departed,
the venerable Samiddhi approached the venerable Ānanda;
having approached,
he exchanged greetings with the venerable Ānanda,
and having conversed in a friendly and courteous way,
he sat down at a respectful distance.

As he was sitting down at a respectful distance,
the venerable Samiddhi told the venerable Ānanda
the whole of the conversation he had had with the wanderer Potali's son
as far as it had gone.

When this had been said,
the venerable Ānanda
spoke thus to the venerable Samiddhi:

"This, reverend Samiddhi,
is a subject of conversation
that should be told to the Lord.

Wait, reverend Samiddhi,
until we can approach the Lord;
when we have approached the Lord
we should tell him this matter;
as the Lord explains it to us,
so should we remember it."

"Yes, your reverence,"
the venerable Samiddhi answered the venerable Ānanda in assent.

Then the venerable Ānanda
and the venerable Samiddhi
approached the Lord;
having approached and greeted the Lord,
they sat down at a respectful distance.

As he was sitting down at a respectful distance,
the venerable Ānanda
told the Lord
the whole of the conversation the venerable Samiddhi had had
with the wanderer Potali's son
as far as it had gone.

When this had been said
the Lord spoke thus to the venerable Ānanda:

"But I, Ānanda,
do not even recognise the wanderer Potali's son's premise,
how then (can I recognise) a conversation like this?

The question of the wanderer Potali's son
was given a one-sided answer
by the foolish man Samiddhi
(although) it needed a discriminating explanation."

When this had been said
the venerable Udāyin^[6]
spoke thus to the Lord:

"But if this, revered sir,
were the meaning of what the [256] venerable Samiddhi said,
(then) whatever one experiences is anguish."^[7]

Then the Lord addressed the venerable Ānanda, saying:

"Now, do you, Ānanda, see
this foolish man Udāyin's (wrong) approach?^[8]

I, Ānanda, knew that this foolish man Udāyin,
opening up (this question) now,
would open it up to no purpose.^[9]

Ānanda, the wanderer Potali's son
really asked about the three feelings.

If,^[10] Ānanda, this foolish man Samiddhi
had explained thus
when he was questioned thus
by the wanderer Potali's son:

'When, friend Potali's son,
one has intentionally done a deed
by body,
speech
or thought
for experiencing pleasure
he experiences pleasure;

'When, friend Potali's son,
one has intentionally done a deed
by body,
speech
or thought
for experiencing pain
he experiences pain;

'When, friend Potali's son,
one has intentionally done a deed
by body,
speech
or thought
for experiencing neither pain nor pleasure
he experiences neither pain nor pleasure;'

explaining thus, Ānanda,
the foolish man Samiddhi
would have explained properly
to the wanderer Potali's son.

And moreover, Ānanda,
there are foolish and inexperienced wanderers
who are members of other sects
who would find out about the Tathāāgata's
great analysis of deeds^[11]
if you, Ānanda, would listen
while the Tathāgata is classifying^[12]
the great analysis of deeds."

"It is the time for this, Lord,
it is the time for this, Well-farer,
that the Lord should classify
the great analysis of deeds.

When the monks have heard the Lord,
they will remember."

"Well then, Ānanda,
listen,
attend carefully,
and I will speak."

[257] "Yes, revered sir,"
the venerable Ānanda answered the Lord in assent.

The Lord spoke thus:

"There are these four (types of) persons, Ānanda,
existing in the world.^[13]

What four?

Some individual here, Ānanda,
is one who makes onslaught on creatures,
takes what has not been given,
wrongly enjoys pleasures of the senses,
is a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view.

At the breaking up of the body after dying
he arises in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell.

■

At the breaking up of the body after dying
he arises in a good bourn,
a heaven world.

■

But some individual here, Ānanda,
refrains from onslaught on creatures,
refrains from taking what has not been given,
refrains from wrong enjoyment of the sense-pleasures,
refrains from lying,
refrains from slanderous speech,
refrains from harsh speech,
refrains from gossip,
is not covetous,
not malevolent in mind,
and is of right view.

At the breaking up of the body after dying
he arises in a good bourn,
a heaven world.

■

Some individual here, Ānanda,
refrains from onslaught on creatures,
refrains from taking what has not been given,
refrains from wrong enjoyment of the sense-pleasures,
refrains from lying,
refrains from slanderous speech,
refrains from harsh speech,
refrains from gossip,
is not covetous,
not malevolent in mind,
and is of right view.

At the breaking up of the body after dying
he arises in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell.

This is a case,^[14] Ānanda,
where some recluse or brahman,
as a result of ardour,
as a result of striving,
as a result of application,
as a result of diligence,
as a result of right mental work,^[15]
attains such concentration of mind
that while the mind is concentrated
he sees with the purified deva-like vision
surpassing that of men
some individual here
who made onslaught on creatures,
took what had not been given,
wrongly enjoyed sense-pleasures,
was a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view -
and he sees that
at the breaking up of the body after dying
he has arisen in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell.

He speaks thus:

'Indeed there are evil deeds,
there is [258] fruition of wrong faring.

And the individual I saw here
making onslaught on creatures,
taking what had not been given,
wrongly enjoying sense-pleasures,
a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view -
I now see
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arisen in the sorrowful way,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell.'

He speaks thus:

'Indeed everyone who makes onslaught on creatures,
takes what has not been given,
wrongly enjoys sense-pleasures,
is a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view,
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arises in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell.'

Those who know thus
know rightly.

False is the knowledge
of those that know otherwise.'

In this way
he obstinately holds to
and adheres to^[16]
that which he has known by himself,
seen by himself,
discerned by himself as
'This alone is the truth,
all else is falsehood.'

■

But there is this case, Ānanda,
when some recluse or brahman,
as a result of ardour,
as a result of striving,
as a result of application,
as a result of diligence,
as a result of right mental work,
attains such concentration of mind
that while the mind is concentrated
he sees with the purified deva-like vision
surpassing that of men
some individual here
who made onslaught on creatures,
took what had not been given,
wrongly enjoyed sense-pleasures,
was a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view -
and he sees that
at the breaking up of the body after dying
he has arisen in a good bourn,
a heaven world.

He speaks thus:

'Indeed there are no evil deeds,
no fruition of wrong faring.

He speaks thus:

Those who know thus
know rightly.

False is the knowledge
of those that know otherwise.'

In this way he obstinately holds to
and adheres to
that which he has known,
seen and discerned by himself as
'This alone is the truth,
all else is falsehood.'

■

This is a case, Ānanda, where some recluse or brahman,
as a result of ardour,
as a result of striving,
as a result of application,
as a result of diligence,
as a result of right mental work,
attains such concentration of mind
that while the mind is concentrated
he sees with the purified deva-like vision
surpassing that of men
some individual here
who was restrained from making onslaught on creatures,
restrained from taking what had not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view,
and sees that at the breaking up of the body after dying
he has arisen in a good bourn,
a heaven world.

He speaks thus:

'Indeed there are lovely deeds;
there is fruition of right faring.

And the individual that I saw here
who was restrained from making onslaught on creatures,
restrained from taking what had not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view,
I now see at [259] the breaking up of the body after dying
arisen in a good bourn,
a heaven world.'

He speaks thus:

'Indeed everyone who is restrained from making onslaught on creatures,
restrained from taking what had not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view,
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arises in a good bourn,
a heaven world.

Those who know thus
know rightly.

False is the knowledge
of those that know otherwise.'

In this way he obstinately holds to
and adheres to
that which he has known,
seen and discerned by himself as
'This alone is the truth,
all else is falsehood.'

■

But there is this case, Ānanda,
when some recluse or brahman,
as a result of ardour,
as a result of striving,
as a result of application,
as a result of diligence,
as a result of right mental work,
attains such concentration of mind
that while the mind is concentrated
he sees with the purified deva-like vision
surpassing that of men
some individual here
who was restrained from making onslaught on creatures,
restrained from taking what had not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view,
and sees that at the breaking up of the body after dying
he has arisen in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell.

He speaks thus:

'Indeed there are no lovely deeds,
there is no fruition of right faring.

And the individual that I saw here
restrained from making onslaught on creatures,
restrained from taking what had not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view,
I now see at the breaking up of the body after dying
arisen in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell.'

He speaks thus:

Those who know thus
know rightly.

False is the knowledge
of those that know otherwise.'

In this way he obstinately holds to
and adheres to
that which he has known,
seen and discerned by himself as
'This alone is the truth,
all else is falsehood.'

As to this, Ānanda,
whatever recluse or brahman speaks thus:

'Indeed there are evil deeds,
there is fruition of wrong faring' -

this I allow to him.

And if he speaks thus:

'The individual that I saw here,
taking what had not been given,
wrongly enjoying sense-pleasures,
a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view -
I now see
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arisen in a good bourn,
a heaven world.' -
this too I allow to him.

But if he speaks thus:

'Everyone who makes onslaught on creatures,
takes what has not been given,
wrongly enjoys sense-pleasures,
is a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view,
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arises in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell' -
this I do not allow to him.

And if he speaks thus:

'Those who know thus
know rightly.

False is the knowledge

of those that know otherwise' -
neither do I allow this to him.

And whoever obstinately holds to
and adheres to
that which he has known by himself,
seen by himself,
discerned by himself as
'This alone is the truth,
all else is falsehood ' -
neither do I allow this to him.

What is the cause of this?

The [260] Tathāāgata's knowledge
of the great analysis of deeds
is otherwise, Ānanda.

As to this, Ānanda,
whatever recluse or brahman speaks thus:

'Indeed there are no evil deeds,
there is no fruition of wrong faring' -
this I do not allow to him.

And if he speaks thus:

The individual I saw here
making onslaught on creatures,
taking what had not been given,
wrongly enjoying sense-pleasures,
a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view -
I now see
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arisen in a good bourn,
a heaven world -
this I allow to him.

But if he speaks thus:

'Everyone who makes onslaught on creatures,
takes what has not been given,
wrongly enjoys sense-pleasures,
is a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view,
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arises in a good bourn,
a heaven world -
this I do not allow to him.

Those who know thus
know rightly.

False is the knowledge
of those that know otherwise.' -

neither do I allow this to him.

What is the cause of this?

The Tathāāgata's knowledge
of the great analysis of deeds
is otherwise, Ānanda.

As to this, Ānanda,
whatever recluse or brahman speaks thus:

'Indeed there are lovely deeds,
there is fruition of right faring' -
I allow this to him.

And if he speaks thus:

And the individual that I saw here
who was restrained from making onslaught on creatures,
restrained from taking what had not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view,
I now see at the breaking up of the body after dying
arisen in a good bourn,
a heaven world.' -
this too I allow to him.

But if he speaks thus:

'Everyone who is restrained from making onslaught on creatures,
restrained from taking what had not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view,
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arises in a good bourn,
a heaven world.' -
this I do not allow to him.

And if he speaks thus:

Those who know thus
know rightly.

False is the knowledge
of those that know otherwise.'

-neither do I allow this to him.

What is the cause of this?

The Tathāāgata's knowledge
of the great analysis of deeds
is otherwise, Ānanda.

As to this, Ānanda,
whatever recluse or brahman speaks thus:

'Indeed there are no lovely deeds,
there is no fruition of right faring' -
this I do not allow to him.

But if he speaks thus:

'The individual that I saw here
restrained from making onslaught on [261] creatures,
restrained from taking what had not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view,
I now see at the breaking up of the body after dying
arisen in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell.'

-this I allow to him.

But if he speaks thus:

'Everyone who is restrained from making onslaught on creatures,
restrained from taking what had not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view,
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arises in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell. -

this I do not allow to him.

And if he speaks thus:

Those who know thus
know rightly.

False is the knowledge
of those that know otherwise.'

-neither do I allow this to him.

What is the cause of this?

The Tathāāgata's knowledge
of the great analysis of deeds
is otherwise, Ānanda.

As to this, Ānanda,
whatever individual there is
who makes onslaught on creatures,
takes what has not been given,
wrongly enjoys sense-pleasures,
is a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arises in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell -
either an evil deed to be experienced as anguish
was done by him earlier,
or an evil deed to be experienced as anguish
was done by him later,
or at the time of dying
a false view was adopted
and firmly held by him;
because of this,
at the breaking up of the body after dying
he arises in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell.

And he who made onslaught on creatures here,
took what had not been given,
wrongly enjoyed sense-pleasures,
was a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and was of false view
undergoes its fruition
which arises here and now
or in another mode.

As to this, Ānanda, whatever individual there is who makes onslaught on creatures,
takes what has not been given,
wrongly enjoys sense-pleasures,
is a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and of false view
at the breaking up of the body after dying
arises in a good bourn,
a heaven world -
either a lovely deed to be experienced as happiness
was done by him earlier,
or a lovely deed to be experienced as happiness
was done by him later,
or at the time of dying
a right view was adopted
and firmly held by him;
because of this,
at the breaking up of the body after dying
he arises in a good bourn,
a heaven world.

If he^[17] made onslaught on creatures here,
took what had not been given,
wrongly enjoyed sense-pleasures,
was a liar,
of slanderous speech,
of harsh speech,
a gossip,
covetous,
malevolent in mind,
and was of false view
he undergoes its fruition
which arises here and now
or in another mode.

As to this, Ānanda, whatever individual there is who is restrained [262] from making onslaught on creatures,
is restrained from taking what has not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view
and who, at the breaking up of the body after dying,
arises in a good bourn,
a heaven world -
either a lovely deed to be experienced as happiness
was done by him earlier,
or a lovely deed to be experienced as happiness
was done by him later,
or at the time of dying
a right view was adopted
and firmly held by him;
because of this,
on the breaking up of the body after dying
he arises in a good bourn,
a heaven world.

And he who was restrained from making onslaught on creatures here,
is restrained from taking what has not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who is not covetous,
who is benevolent in mind
and of right view
undergoes its fruition
which arises either here and now
or in another mode.

As to this, Ānanda, whatever individual there is
who is restrained from making onslaught on creatures,
is restrained from taking what has not been given,
from wrong enjoyment of sense-pleasures,
from lying,
from slanderous speech,
harsh speech,
gossipping,
who was not covetous,
who was benevolent in mind
and of right view
and who, at the breaking up of the body after dying,
arises in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell -
either an evil deed to be experienced as anguish
was done by him earlier,
or an evil deed to be experienced as anguish
was done by him later,
or at the time of dying
a false view was adopted
and firmly held by him;
because of this,
on the breaking up of the body after dying
he arises in the sorrowful ways,
a bad bourn,
the Downfall,
Niraya Hell.

So, Ānanda,
there is the deed that is inoperative,^[18]
apparently inoperative;^[19]
there is the deed that is inoperative,
apparently operative;
there is the deed that is both operative
and apparently operative;
there is the deed that is operative,
apparently inoperative."

Thus spoke the Lord.

Delighted, the venerable Ānanda rejoiced in what the Lord had said.

Discourse on the Greater Analysis of Deeds:
The Sixth

^[1] Because the word mahā-kamma-vibhaṇga occurs in this Discourse the prefix mahā must be taken to qualify kamma-vibhaṇga and not sutta; see M.L.S., vol. i, Intr. p. xiii.

^[2] Mentioned in M. Sta. 133.

^[3] mogha, empty, vain, useless; called at MA. v. 15 tuccha aphala, empty, fruitless; also opposed to sacca at D. i. 187, M. ii. 169, etc.

^[4] sacca, explained at MA. v. 15 as tatha bhūta, real, fact; the Comy also refers to the Upāli-sutta (M. Sta. 56) where it is said that deed of mind is the more blameable ... deed of body and deed of speech are not like it.

^[5] Referred by MA. v. 16 to the Poṭṭhapāda-sutta (D. Sta. 9): kathan nu kho abhisaññā-nirodho hoti, D. i. 180.

^[6] Lāḷ-Udāyin. MA. v. 16. See D.P.P.N., "an elder who possessed the knack of saying the wrong thing."

^[7] dukkkasmiṃ, explained at MA. v. 10 as sabbaṃ dukkhaṃ, i.e. the anguish of rolling on, of the defilements and of the saṃkhārā.

^[8] ummagga, with v.l. ummaṇga is explained at MA. v. 16 as paññā ummaggaṃ; cf. SnA. 60 ummaggo paññā pavuccati. In the context it would seem that ummaṇga, emergence "of a desire for knowledge leading to questioning" is the better reading. See G.S. ii. 184, n. 6.

^[9] ummujjamāno ayoniso ummujjissati, wanting to speak he stretches out his neck, moves his jaws and twitches his face, he is not able to sit still. The Lord saw all this and did not come to know about it either through deva-vision or reasoning of mind or omniscience, MA. v. 16-17. Again, see G.S. ii. 184, n. 6 and the connection noted there that has been made between ummujja and Skrt. unmiñjita; and for unmiñja, unmiñjita one may now consult B.H.S.D.: "opening, as of the mouth."

^[10] This sentence is quoted at Asl. 88 as belonging to a Discourse in which kamma is thought of as volition, or intentional. The wanderer's name is given as Pātaliputta.

^[11] mahākammavibhaṇga, the term which appears to give this Discourse its name.

^[12] bhajantassa, apparently from bhajati, to follow, associate with. Vibhajati is to dissect, divide, classify, and is the word Ānanda uses (immediately below) in his response.

^[13] MA. v. 18 says that these four are matikā (headings, summaries) set out so as to detail the knowledge of the great analysis of deeds, but they are not themselves the classification of such knowledge.

^[14] As at D. i. 13.

^[15] MA. v. 18 says that these five (ardour to right mental work) are names for energy.

^[16] As at M. i. 130, 257, 498.

^[17] sace kho so here; yañ ca kho so in the other paragraphs.

^[18] atthi kammaṃ abhabbaṃ (one version reading n'atthi).

^[19] abhabbābhāsa.

Majjhima Nikāya III. Upari Paṇṇāsa 4. Vibhaṇga Vagga

The Middle Length Sayings III. The Final Fifty Discourses 4. The Division on Analysis

Sutta 136

Mahā Kamma-Vibhaṇga Suttaṃ

Discourse on the Greater Analysis of Deeds[1]

Majjhima Nikāya
III. Upari Paṇṇāsa
4. Vibhaṇga Vagga

The Middle Length Sayings
III. The Final Fifty Discourses
4. The Division on Analysis

Discourse on
the Greater Analysis of Deeds^[1]