Aṅguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
XI. Sambodhi Vagga

III. The Book of the Threes

XI. Enlightenment

Sutta 107

Paṭhama Nidāna Suttaṃ

Three Causes (a)¹

 

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[241]

Thus have I heard:

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?

Lust is a cause of the origin of actions.

Malice is a cause of the origin of actions.

Delusion is a cause of the origin of actions.

An action done in lust,
born of lust,
caused by lust,
originated by lust
is not profitable:
it is blameworthy,
it has sorrow for its result,
it conduces to the arising of (further) action,
not to the ceasing of action.

An action done with malice,
born of malice,
caused by malice,
originated by malice
is not profitable:
it is blameworthy,
it has sorrow for its result,
it conduces to the arising of (further) action,
not to the ceasing of action.

An action done in delusion,
born of delusion,
caused by delusion,
originated by delusion
is not profitable:
it is blameworthy,
it has sorrow for its result,
it conduces to the arising of (further) action,
not to the ceasing of action.

These, monks, are the three causes of action."

 

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¹ Nidānāni = kāraṇāni. Comy. (which accumulate actions leading to the round of rebirth). Cf. text 134 f.