Doing Ill

Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.

[1] Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied,
and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, there are these three conditions.

What three?

Doing ill in deed,
doing ill in word
doing ill in thought.

Verily, monks, these are the three.

And to get rid of these three,
cultivate three.

What three?

To get rid of doing ill in deed,
cultivate doing well in deed;

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to get rid of doing ill in word,
cultivate doing well in word;

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to get rid of doing ill in thought,
cultivate doing well in thought.

Verily, monks, to get rid of these three conditions,
cultivate these three.'