[47] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Hall with the Peaked Roof. Then Mahāli the Licchavi approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Mahāli the Licchavi said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, what is the cause, what is the condition for the doing of bad kamma, for the occurrence of bad kamma?"
"Greed (lobha), Mahāli, is a cause; greed is a condition for the doing of bad kamma, for the occurrence of bad kamma. Hatred (dosa), Mahāli, is a cause; hatred is a condition for the doing of bad kamma, for the occurrence of bad kamma. Delusion (moha), Mahāli, is a cause; delusion is a condition for the doing of bad kamma, for the occurrence of bad kamma. Careless attention (ayoniso manasikāra), Mahāli, is a cause; careless attention is a condition for the doing of bad kamma, for the occurrence of bad kamma. A wrongly directed mind (citta), Mahāli, is a cause; a wrongly directed mind is a condition for the doing of bad kamma, for the occurrence of bad kamma. This, Mahāli, is the cause, this is the condition for the doing of bad kamma, for the occurrence of bad kamma."
"But, venerable sir, what is the cause, what is the condition for the doing of good kamma, for the occurrence of good kamma?"
"Non-greed (alobha), Mahāli, is a cause; non-greed is a condition for the doing of good kamma, for the occurrence of good kamma. Non-hatred (adosa), Mahāli, is a cause; non-hatred is a condition for the doing of good kamma, for the occurrence of good kamma. Non-delusion (amoha), Mahāli, is a cause; non-delusion is a condition for the doing of good kamma, for the occurrence of good kamma. Careful attention (yoniso manasikāra), Mahāli, is a cause; careful attention is a condition for the doing of good kamma, for the occurrence of good kamma. A rightly directed mind, Mahāli, is a cause; a rightly directed mind is a condition for the doing of good kamma, for the occurrence of good kamma. This, Mahāli, is the cause, this is the condition for the doing of good kamma, for the occurrence of good kamma.
"If, Mahāli, these ten dhammas were not found in the world, there would not be discerned here what is called 'unrighteous conduct, unbalanced conduct' or 'righteous conduct, balanced conduct.' But because, Mahāli, these ten dhammas are found in the world, therefore there is discerned what is called 'unrighteous conduct, unbalanced conduct' or 'righteous conduct, balanced conduct.'"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.