The Chapter on Deeds
AN 4.232 Deeds In Brief Saṁkhittasutta
"Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four?
There are dark deeds with dark results.
There are bright deeds with bright results.
There are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.
There are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight."
AN 4.233 Deeds in Detail Vitthārasutta
"Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four?
There are dark deeds with dark results;
bright deeds with bright results;
dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results; and
neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
And what are dark deeds with dark results? It's when someone makes hurtful choices by way of body, speech, and mind. Having made these choices, they're reborn in a hurtful world, where hurtful contacts strike them. Touched by hurtful contacts, they experience hurtful feelings that are exclusively painful---like the beings in hell. These are called dark deeds with dark results.
And what are bright deeds with bright results? It's when someone makes pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. Having made these choices, they're reborn in a pleasing world, where pleasing contacts strike them. Touched by pleasing contacts, they experience pleasing feelings of perfect happiness---like the gods of universal beauty. These are called bright deeds with bright results.
And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results? It's when someone makes both hurtful and pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. Having made these choices, they are reborn in a world that is both hurtful and pleasing, where hurtful and pleasing contacts strike them. Touched by both hurtful and pleasing contacts, they experience both hurtful and pleasing feelings that are a mixture of pleasure and pain---like humans, some gods, and some beings in the underworld. These are called dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.
And what are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds? It's the intention to give up dark deeds with dark results, bright deeds with bright results, and both dark and bright deeds with both dark and bright results. These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight."
AN 4.234 About Soṇakāyana Soṇakāyanasutta
Then Sikhāmoggallāna the brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, Sikhāmoggallāna sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha:
"Mister Gotama, a few days ago the student Soṇakāyana came to me and said: 'The ascetic Gotama advocates not doing any deeds. So he teaches the annihilation of the world!' The world exists through deeds, and it remains because deeds are undertaken."
"Brahmin, I can't recall even seeing the student Soṇakāyana, so how could we possibly have had such a discussion? I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four?
There are dark deeds with dark results;
bright deeds with bright results;
dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results; and
neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
And what are the dark deeds with dark results? It's when someone makes hurtful choices by way of body, speech, and mind. ... Touched by hurtful contacts, they experience hurtful feelings that are exclusively painful---like the beings in hell. These are called dark deeds with dark results.
And what are bright deeds with bright results? It's when someone makes pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. ... Touched by pleasing contacts, they experience pleasing feelings of perfect happiness---like the gods of universal beauty. These are called bright deeds with bright results.
And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results? It's when someone makes both hurtful and pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. ... Touched by both hurtful and pleasing contacts, they experience both hurtful and pleasing feelings that are a mixture of pleasure and pain---like humans, some gods, and some beings in the underworld. These are called dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.
And what are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds? It's the intention to give up dark deeds with dark results, bright deeds with bright results, and both dark and bright deeds with both dark and bright results. These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight."
AN 4.235 Training Rules (1st) Paṭhamasikkhāpadasutta
"Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four?
There are dark deeds with dark results;
bright deeds with bright results;
dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results; and
neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
And what are the dark deeds with dark results? It's when someone kills living creatures, steals, commits sexual misconduct, lies, and consumes beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. These are called dark deeds with dark results.
And what are bright deeds with bright results? It's when someone doesn't kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. These are called bright deeds with bright results.
And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results? It's when someone makes both hurtful and pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.
And what are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds? It's the intention to give up dark deeds with dark results, bright deeds with bright results, and both dark and bright deeds with both dark and bright results. These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight."
AN 4.236 Training Rules (2nd) Dutiyasikkhāpadasutta
"Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four?
There are dark deeds with dark results;
bright deeds with bright results;
dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results; and
neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
And what are dark deeds with dark results? It's when someone murders their mother or father or a perfected one. They maliciously shed the blood of a Realized One. Or they cause a schism in the Saṅgha. These are called dark deeds with dark results.
And what are bright deeds with bright results? It's when someone doesn't kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don't use speech that's false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they're content, kind-hearted, with right view. These are called bright deeds with bright results.
And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results? It's when someone makes both hurtful and pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.
And what are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds? It's the intention to give up dark deeds with dark results, bright deeds with bright results, and both dark and bright deeds with both dark and bright results. These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight."
AN 4.237 The Noble Path Ariyamaggasutta
"Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight. What four?
There are dark deeds with dark results;
bright deeds with bright results;
dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results; and
neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
And what are dark deeds with dark results? It's when someone makes hurtful choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called dark deeds with dark results.
And what are bright deeds with bright results? It's when someone makes pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called bright deeds with bright results.
And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results? It's when someone makes both hurtful and pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.
And what are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds? Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight."
AN 4.238 Awakening Factors Bojjhaṅgasutta
"Mendicants, I declare these four kinds of deeds, having realized them with my own insight....
And what are dark deeds with dark results? It's when someone makes hurtful choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called dark deeds with dark results.
And what are bright deeds with bright results? It's when someone makes pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called bright deeds with bright results.
And what are dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results? It's when someone makes both hurtful and pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. These are called dark and bright deeds with dark and bright results.
And what are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds? The awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity. These are called neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
These are the four kinds of deeds that I declare, having realized them with my own insight."
AN 4.239 Blameworthy Sāvajjasutta
"Mendicants, someone with four qualities is cast down to hell. What four? Blameworthy deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, and blameworthy view. Someone with these four qualities is cast down to hell.
Someone with four qualities is raised up to heaven. What four? Blameless deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, and blameless view. Someone with these four qualities is raised up to heaven."
AN 4.240 Pleasing Abyābajjhasutta
"Mendicants, someone with four qualities is cast down to hell. What four? Hurtful deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, and hurtful view. Someone with these four qualities is cast down to hell.
Someone with four qualities is raised up to heaven. What four? Pleasing deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, and pleasing view. Someone with these four qualities is raised up to heaven."
AN 4.241 Ascetics Samaṇasutta
"'Only here is there a first ascetic, here a second ascetic, here a third ascetic, and here a fourth ascetic. Other sects are empty of ascetics.' This, mendicants, is how you should rightly roar your lion's roar.
And who is the first ascetic? It's a mendicant who---with the ending of three fetters---is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening. This is the first ascetic.
And who is the second ascetic? It's a mendicant who---with the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion---is a once-returner. They come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering. This is the second ascetic.
And who is the third ascetic? It's a mendicant who---with the ending of the five lower fetters---is reborn spontaneously. They're extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This is the third ascetic.
And who is the fourth ascetic? It's a mendicant who realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements. This is the fourth ascetic.
'Only here is there a first ascetic, here a second ascetic, here a third ascetic, and here a fourth ascetic. Other sects are empty of ascetics.' This, mendicants, is how you should rightly roar your lion's roar."
AN 4.242 Benefits of Relying on a True Person Sappurisānisaṁsasutta
"Mendicants, you can expect four benefits from relying on a true person. What four? Growth in noble ethics, immersion, wisdom, and freedom. You can expect these four benefits from relying on a true person."