The Ten Courses of Wholesome Karma

Last updated on November 19, 2007

Three of the body

  1. Abstaining from killing or taking life, oppression and harassment; possessing kindness, compassion and helpfulness.
  2. Abstaining from filching, theft and exploitation; respecting the property rights of others.
  3. Abstaining from misconduct and violation of others’ loved or cherished ones; not abusing them, disgracing or dishonoring their families.

Four of speech

  1. Abstaining from false speech, lying and deception; speaking only the truth, not intentionally saying things that stray from the truth out of a desire for personal gain.
  2. Abstaining from malicious speech inciting one person against another; speaking only words that are conciliatory and conducive to harmony.
  3. Abstaining from coarse, vulgar or damaging speech; speaking only words that are polite and pleasant to the ear.
  4. Abstaining from worthless or frivolous speech; speaking only words that are true, reasonable, useful and appropriate to the occasion.

Three of the mind

  1. Not being greedy; not focusing only on taking; thinking of giving, of sacrifice; making the mind munificent.
  2. Not thinking hateful and destructive thoughts or having a destructive attitude toward others; bearing good intentions toward others, spreading good will and aiming for the common good.
  3. Cultivating Right View (sammaditthi); understanding the law of kamma, that good actions bring good results and bad actions bring bad results; having a thorough grasp of the truth of life and the world; seeing the faring of things according to causes and conditions.