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Kusala and Akusala
as Criteria of Buddhist Ethics
Bhikkhu Thich Nhat-Tu
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Kusala and akusala, a pair of terms coined by the Buddha,
are the primary terms to evaluate human behavior and morality.
Literally, kusala can be differently rendered as skilful, intelligent,
expert; good, right, virtuous, meritorious, beneficial; lucky, happy,
healthy and prosperous, as the context demands. Akusala can,
therefore, be translated into English as the opposite qualities from
kusala such as unskillful, bad and so on. Like the concept of dhamma,
no single English word can convey or render exactly what kusala
denotes. According to Keown, it is very common for kusala to be
rendered as "skilful", but it should be recognized that this
translation carries with it a specific implication for the nature of
Buddhist ethics, namely that it is utilitarian. Even then, he warned
us, it is a poor translation on aesthetic grounds, and we may note
that utilitarian philosophers retain the traditional moral terminology
of "good", "bad", "right", and "wrong". (Keown (1992): 119). Payutto
appears to be inclined to favor the rendering of kusala as "skilful",
when he, in his Good, Evil and Beyond Kamma in the Buddha’s Teachings,
translated some scriptural passages from Dhammapada, Anguttaranikaaya,
Itivuttaka, Udaana and Sa"myuttanik ya (Payutto (1993): 30-3)
although some fourteen pages earlier, he rendered it as "intelligent,
skilful, content, beneficial, good", and "that which removes
affliction". (Payutto (1993): 18). There is problem with using
"skilful" as a translation of kusala, that is the English word
"skilful" does not extend in English to both moral and technical
commendation as the word kusala does in its Pali, as Keown has been
rightly pointed out that:
- "Skilful" denotes approval in the technical sense only
and does not figure at all in the vocabulary of moral discourse in
English. No-one word describe a simple act of generosity as a "skilful
deed", and who has ever heard of a boy scout doing his "skilful deed
for the day?" Instead, one naturally speaks of "good" or "virtuous"
deeds. While "skilful" may be a perfectly correct translation of
kusala when the term appears in a technical context (for instance, a
skilful artisan), it is forced and awkward in a moral one. In English
the natural way of describing the moral state of an Arahat is as
"endowed with virtues" (sampannakusala) and of the "highest virtue" or
of the "highest skill", on the other hand, is an attribute of a
master-craftsman, not a saint (Keown (1992): 119-20). However, it may
also be misleading to translate kusala and akusala into English simply
as good and evil respectively, although both can convey approbation or
commendation and disapprobation or condemnation, respectively in both
moral and technical sense.
In some certain context, "good" and "evil" can be the best
candidates of translations of the Pali kusala and akusala. For
instance, "we use the word "good" in English when we speak of "good
deed" or "good man", implying moral approval; and we use the same word
to denote technical approval, for instance, when we speak of a "good
dentist" or a "good plumber". Kusala enjoys the same elasticity of
meaning as the word "good" in that it can denote either moral goodness
or technical excellence according to the context" (Keown (1992):
119).Good and evil are just of conventional values while those of
kusala and akusala of the same, on one hand, and of paramatha values,
on the other. A person virtuous and moral may be said to be good by
one person or community, but may not be good to many others. In the
same vein, every particular might be said to be good or evil by one
person but might not be the same by many others. So far as the
convention is concern, there is always some disparity regarding value-judgement.
The latter should therefore be considered from different viewpoints,
such as good or evil in naturalist sense, in emotional sense, in
prescriptive sense, in hedonistic sense, in an artistic sense, in an
economic sense, so forth and so on.
From the Buddhist point of view, there are things of
kusala nature, which may not always be considered good, while
something of akusala not always be evil. Depression, melancholy, sloth
and distraction, for example, although akusala, are not usually
considered to be "evil" as we know it in English. In the same vein,
some forms of kusala, such as calmness of body and mind, may not
readily come into the general understanding of the English word
"good". Thus kusala and akusala and "good" and "evil" are not
necessary the same things (see Payutto (1993): 17ff).In the hope of
avoiding confusion, both the word kusala and akusala may be rendered
differently in various contexts. It should be, however, noted here
that the distinction should be made between the "descriptive" and the
"moral" meaning of both the term kusala and akusala. In the case of
kusala, the former refers to conduct or mentality that is morally good
or right, whereas the latter, generally, it means anything that causes
happiness (sukha) or bliss (nibbaana) or conductive to final good or
partake of nibbaana. In the case of akusala there can be also of
"descriptive" meaning and "moral" meaning. In descriptive meaning, it
conveys the factual judgement that something is bad, harmful and
unhappy. As an ethical term, akusala sorts with a family of such
terms, for instance, "immoral", morally "bad" or "wrong",
"unskillful", "unhealthy", "sinful", and so on.Kusala and akusala
describe the moral status of human action and dispositions vis-a-vis
the summum bonum. Kusala is something conductive to profit and
happiness while akusala is of the contrary nature (A. I. 58). Kusala
denotes moral qualities, which should be cultivated. Its cultivation
may lead to welfare, happiness as a worldly level, and intrinsically
partake of supreme bliss (nibbaana) as higher level. Akusala, to the
contrary, is generally referred to as immoral qualities, which are
accordingly to be abandoned by a truth-seeker. The cultivation of
kusala qualities transforms an ordinary man (puthujjana) to a perfect
human being (Arahat). The abandoning of akusala qualities is
confirmative in this respect. Contrary to akusala, kusala is the good
moral qualities or states, which lead gradually to the highest state.
Kusala is conductive to destruction of kilesa whereas akusala to what
is contrary to good moral oriented-goal. Kusala is a source for action
and wholesome attitude while akusala is identified with fundamental
evil motives. Kusala is a cause for moral action and mental purity
whereas akusala for evil conduct and mental impurity. Akusala is
described as a source of the arising of karma (kammaana"m samudayaaya)
while kusala of its destruction (kammaana"m nirodha) (A. I. 264).
The Baahitika Sutta of Majjhimanikaaya (M. II. 114)
stresses on the consequentially approach to the concept of kusala and
akusala. It says that kusala is moral conduct conducing to no-harmful
nor injurious consequences (asavyaapajjha-vipaaka), whereas akusala
immoral conduct involving harmful or injurious consequences (savyaapajjha-vipaaka)
to the agent as well as others, who could be affected by the agent’s
actions, which should be avoided. Buddhaghosa gave the etymology of
kusala as something destroying evil and vice. Etymologically speaking,
things are known as kusala because they shake, react against, disturb
and destroy evil, wicked things. Or, kusa describes things which are
latent in an evil way, and kusa-la (qualities) are so called because
they cut off and sever those things, which are akusala. Again,
knowledge is known as kusa because it stops, reduces or terminates
evil things, and so the meaning is that good things (kusala) should be
grasped and promoted, taken hold off by that kusa or knowledge. Or
just as the grass known as kusa can cut part of the hand with either
edge, so these things cut off the vices in two ways, both in their
latent and manifest forms. This is why they are known as kusa- because
they cut like the kusa grass (Asl.39. Translation from Keown (1992).
Buddhaghosa in his commentaries further gave a fivefold
connotation of kusala, namely:
I- Free of illness or health (aarogya),
II- Unstained, clean and clear (anavajja),
III- Based on wisdom or intelligence (kosala-sambhuuta),
IV- Freedom from bondage (niddaratha), and
V- Conductive happiness or well-being (sukha-vipaaka).
This implies that being well trained in kusala, the mind
is freed from moral diseases or imperfection. It is clean and
unstained by all moral corruption and having wisdom or intelligence as
its base. Such qualities are totally free from distress and
intrinsically conductive to welfare and happiness in this very life.
Akusala characterizes whatever is negative in this regard. That is to
say, it is a state or quality of mind, which is unhealthy, harmful,
having ignorance as its root and resulting in suffering here and
hereafter. In brief, kusala can be defined as those qualities, which
lead the mind to generate and promote both in morally good quality and
efficiency, leading to the attainment of nibbaana. Akusala, as the
contrary to kusala, are those qualities or states of mind, which are
against nibbanically oriented-goal and leading to regression in the
samsaric cycle.
What is evil or wrongful is renounced (akusala"m pajahati)
while the good should be cultivated (kusala"m bhaaveti) (A. IV. 353)
is the constant advice to human beings given by the Buddha. In the
Anguttaranikaaya, observing clearly the possibility of pursuing the
good (kusala) and destruction of the evil (akusala) by human beings,
the Buddha urges his disciples to abandon what is akusala while
cultivating what is kusala:
- "Bhikkhu, what is morally evil should be abandoned. It
can be done. If it were not possible I would not tell you to do so.
Moreover, if the abandoning morally evil qualities were not conductive
to welfare, but to suffering, I would not tell you "abandon evil", but
because its abandoning conduces to well being and happiness, I
therefore ask you to do so.Bhikkhu, what is morally good should be
cultivated. It can be done. If it were not impossible I would not tell
you to do so. Moreover, if the cultivation of morally good qualities
was not conductive to welfare, but to suffering, I would not tell you
"cultivate good", but because its cultivation conduces to well-being
and happiness, I therefore ask you to do so". (A. I. 58, also at A. I.
158).
In the Diighanikaaya A.t.thakathaa, Buddhaghosa told us
that one who is virtuous suffers no painful feelings whereas the
accumulation of vice, on the other hand, will indubitably lead to an
increase in suffering (DA. III. 1050). On the nature of kusala, the
author of the Dhammasa"nga.nii wrote that:
- "Kusala are mainly of threefold root or virtue, namely,
non-greed, non-aversion and non-delusion, and generally are those
feelings, perceptions, proliferations and consciousness which are of
morally good nature, and those bodily kamma, verbal kamma and mental
kamma which have those roots as their base."
- "Akusala are mainly of threefold root or vice, namely,
greed, aversion and delusion, and generally are those feelings,
perceptions, proliferations and consciousness which are of morally
evil nature, and those bodily kamma, verbal kamma and mental kamma
which have those roots as their base." (Dhs. 181)
In the scriptural contexts, the Buddha himself is believed
saying that the kamma based on cardinal virtues (kusalamuulaani)
conduces to moral perfection while kamma based on the vice (akusalamuulaani)
leading to samsaric cycle:
- "Whatever kamma performed out of greed, hatred and
delusion or have this threefold vice as their root is evil. That kamma
is harmful, having suffering as its result and bringing about the
creation of more samsaric kamma.Whatever kamma performed out of
non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion or have these threefold
cardinal virtue (kusalamuulaani) as their root is morally good. That
kamma is beneficial, having welfare or happiness, as a result, and
bringing about the cessation of samsaric kamma".( A. I. 263). And
again, with the help of a simile, this idea is well expressed as
follows:
- "Having abandoned the evil demeritorious states, which
born of greed, hatred and delusion, he lives in this world
undisturbed, free from suffering, bondage and attains the ultimate
goal (nibbaana) in this very existence, just like a palm-tree stump,
unable to grow again in the future." (A. I. 204)
In Buddhism, kusala states are enumerated in detail. In
terms of siila, kusala are cardinal virtues (kusalamuulaani), five
moral precepts for laymen (pa– ca-s la) (D. III. 235; A. III. 203,
275; Vbh. 285), eight moral precepts for those who want to practice
the homeless life (a.t.tha-siila) (A. IV. 248), ten moral precepts for
a novice (dasa-sikkhaapada or dasa-siila), (Khp. I. 1), ethical
principles of noble deeds (ma"ngala-siila) (Sn. II. 259-68) and
Paatimokkha-samvara-sila for bhikkhu and bhikkhuni. In term of
wholesome mental states (kusalamahaabhuumika or sobhanaa saadhaaranaa),
kusala contains those moral qualities, such as confidence (saddhaa),
exertion for the good (viriya), mindfulness (sati), meditation (samaadhi),
individual shame of evil (hiri), social shame of evil (ottappa),
charity (daana), forbearance or patience (khaanti), persistence (adhittana),
truthfulness (sacca), non-attachment (alobha), good will (adosa),
equanimity (tatramajjhattaa, upekkhaa), loving kindness (metta),
compassion (karu"naa), sympathetic joy (muditaa) and wisdom (pa~n~naa).
In terms of thirty-seven constituents of enlightenment (bodhipakkhiyadhamma),
kusala consists of the four bases of mindfulness (cattaaro-satipa.t.thaanaa),
the four modes of right endeavour (cattaaro sammappadhaana), the four
bases of psychic power (cattaaro iddhipaadaa), the five faculties (pa~ncindriyaani),
the five powers (pa~ncabalaani), the seven factors of enlightenment (sattabojjhanga)
and the eightfold path (ariyo atthangiko maggo) (D. III. 102). It is
said, for instance, that The Buddha is one who has discarded all
morally evil states (akusala) and possessed of morally good states (kusala)
(M. II. 116: Sabbaakusaladhammapahiino . . .Tathaagato kusaladhamma
samannaagato ti.). In another passage, the Buddha is described as one
who has abandoned all unwholesome states of mind and attained moral
perfection (Ud. 66).
So far as the level of consequence is concerned, there are
two kinds of kusala: one leading to rebirth (va.t.ta gaamii) in the
pleasant form of existence (sugati) and the other leading to the end
of rebirth (viva.t.ta gaamii) (MA. I. 89ff). Of the former are family
affection as well as merituous deeds or deeds of positive merit (pu~n~na)
including all acts of social welfare, while of the latter the practice
of foundation of mindfulness (DA. III. 847). In the Diighanikaaya
A.t.thakathaa, Buddhaghosa confirms us that some particular pu~n~na
and kusala are of the same nature in functioning and leading to the
end of rebirth. The pu~n~na to that effect is lokuttara-pu~n~na up to
the destruction of all aasavas (DA. III. 858). In the Pali canonical
scriptures, there are instances in which kusala and pu~n~na are used
interchangeably as synonyms. This overlapping of the sense shows that
kusala, at a lower level, is conductive to or promote a person’s
happiness here and hereafter (Idha nandati, pecca nandati. Dhp. 18; S.
I. 18). At a higher level, it will result in rebirth in
heavenly sphere of existence (devaloka) (S. I. 33; 197). At the
highest level, it leads to the attainment of ultimate goal of Buddhism
(nibbaana) (A. V. 240ff; 173ff; It. 14-15). Of the first two, kusala
and pu~n~na are two aspects of the same class of merituous deeds,
resulted in sensuous enjoyments or happiness in human and deva worlds,
i.e. in sa"msaara. That is to say every pu~n~na is virtuous deed (kusala),
and every virtuous deed is both pu~n~na and kusala.
Of the last, kusala, as distinct from pu~n~na in higher
status, will result only in non-sensuous spiritual bliss (nibbaana)
destroying the samsaric cycle by eradication of the defilements of
greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and ignorance (moha). That is to say in
this higher status of attainment (nibbaana), the sphere of pu~n~na is
left behind while that of kusala remained the same as the sphere of
nibbaana. This is the reason why the Pali canon describes an Arahat as
one who is being freed from or is having passed beyond pu~n~na and
papaa (pu~n~napaapapahii.na) but not good (kusala) and evil (akusala)
(Dhp. 39; S. II. 82; Sn. 520; 790). In the other words, the Buddha
makes a distinction merit (pu~n~na) and demerit (paapa), on the one
hand, and good (kusala) and evil (akusala), on the other. So far as
the unenlightened is concerned, merit (pu~n~na) is advised to
accumulate whereas demerit (p pa) avoided. As to the enlightened one,
only the ideas of merit (pu~n~na) and demerit (paapa) should be
renounced, but not those of good (kusala) and evil (akusala). Because
promoting good (kusala apasampadaa) is part of the Buddhist ethics (Sn.
183) and differentiation of good (kusala) and evil (akusala) can be
considered as virtue of an enlightened one, just as the night and day
cannot be confused (M. I. 21). This can be clearly seen in the
Sa"myutta-nikaaya. Here, the Buddha has properly laid down the moral
distinctions between good and bad (kusala-akusala), blameworthy and
non-blameworthy (saavajja-anavajja), low and excellent (h na-pa.niita)
and shady and clean (ka.nha-sukka) (S. V. 106, see also D. II. 222ff).
Differentiating good (kusala) from evil (akusala) as criterion of a
wise person, the Buddha defines: "Those who comprehends what akusala
is, what the source of akusala is, what kusala is and the source of
kusala is, are said to possess right view (sammaadi.t.thi)" (M. I.
47). In the same manner, a person is said to be ignorant and deluded
if he does not know these moral distinctions (A. III. 165).
ABBREVIATIONS AND REFERENCES
Texts
= A"nguttara-Nikaaya, I-V, ed. R. Morris, E. Hardy, C. A.
F. Rhys Davids. (London: PTS, 1885-1900)
D. = Diighanikaaya, I-III, ed. T. W. Rhys David and J. E.
Carpenter, (London: PTS, 1889-1910)
DA. = Diighanikaaya A.t.thakathaa, I-III, ed. T. W. Rhys
David and J. E. Carpenter, W. Stede. (London: PTS, 1886-1932)
Dhp. = Dhammapada, ed. K. R. Norman and O. von Hinuber.
(London: PTS, 1931)
Dhs. = Dhammasa"mnga.nii, ed. E. Muller. (London: PTS,
1885)
It. = Itivuttaka, ed. E. Windisch. (London: PTS, 1890)
Khp. = Khuddakapaa.tha, ed. Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids.
(London: PTS, 1931)M. = Majjhimanikaaya, I-IV, ed. V. Trenckner, R.
Chalmers, Mrs. Rhys Davids. (London: PTS, 1888-1902)
MA. = Majjhimanikaaya A.t.thakathaa, I-V, ed. J. H. Woods,
D. Kosambi, I. B. Horner. (London: PTS, 1922-38)
PTS. = Pali Text Society
S. = Sa"myuttanikaaya, I-V, ed. L. Feer and Mrs. Rhys
Davids. (London: PTS, 1884-1898)
Sn. = Suttanipaata, ed. D. Andersen and H. Smith. (London:
PTS, 1913)
Ud. = Udaana, ed. P. Steinthal. (London: PTS, 1885)
Vbh. = Vibha"nga, ed. and tr. by S. K. Mukhopadhyaya. (Santiniketan:
1950)
Vin. = Vinayapi.taka, I-V, ed. H. Oldenberg. (London: PTS,
1879-83)
Studies
Keown, D., (1992) The Nature of Buddhist Ethics. London:
The Macmillan Press.
Payutto, Bhikkhu P. A. (1993) Good, Evil and Beyond Kamma
in the Buddha’s Teaching. Bangkok: Buddhadhamma Foundation.
Source : www.buddhismtoday.com
Update : 01-12-2001
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