Cūḷakammavibhaṅgasutta

Suttapiṭaka · Majjhimanikāya · Vol. 14 · Section 595

[595] Here again, student (māṇava), some woman or man approaches an ascetic (samaṇa) or a brahmin and is one who questions him: "Venerable sir, what is wholesome (kusala)? What is unwholesome (akusala)? What is blameworthy (sāvajja)? What is blameless (anavajja)? What should be cultivated? What should not be cultivated? What, being done by me, leads to my harm and suffering (dukkha) for a long time? Or what, being done by me, leads to my welfare and happiness for a long time?" Because of that action (kamma), thus completed and thus undertaken, with the breakup of the body, after death, he reappears in a good destination, in a heavenly world. But if, with the breakup of the body, after death, he does not reappear in a good destination, in a heavenly world, then if he comes to the human state, wherever he is subsequently reborn, he is of great wisdom (paññā). This, student, is the way of practice (paṭipadā) that leads to great wisdom, namely: having approached an ascetic or a brahmin, one is one who questions him: "Venerable sir, what is wholesome? What is unwholesome? What is blameworthy? What is blameless? What should be cultivated? What should not be cultivated? What, being done by me, leads to my harm and suffering for a long time? Or what, being done by me, leads to my welfare and happiness for a long time?"

English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.

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