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
emotionist 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,’ ‘unskilful,’ ‘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 consequentalist 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 of 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. Akusalaa, 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 or 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 can not 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)
2. 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