Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

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Assaji
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Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

Post by Assaji »

Hello Pali friends,

First of all, I would like to cite the Pali-English dictionary by Margaret Cone:

kusalā dhammā, right practices or actions; good conduct; virtues; factors conducing to well-being;
Vin I 103,13 (pamukham etam ~ānam dhammānam, tena vuccati pātimokkhan ti);
II 188,2 (hāni yeva ... Devadattassa pāṭikankhā ~esu dhammesu no vuddhi);
D III 102,12 (tatr' ime ~ā dhammā, seyyathidam cattāro satipatthānā cattāro sammappadhānā...);
M I 184,30 (ye keci ~ā dhammā sabbe te catusu ariyasaccesu sangahaṃ gacchanti);
402,17 (kāyasucaritam vacisucaritam manosucaritam ime tayo ~e dhamme abhinivajjetvā ...);
Th 83 (bhāvehi ~am dhammam);
Ja III 274,3* (icc ete ~e dhamme ṭhite passāmi attani);
Dhs 1 (katame dhammā ~ā);
Mil 13,5 (aham... ~ā dhammā akusalā dhammā avyākatā dhammā ti imesu tisu padesu pakkhipitvā sabbam tarn abhidhammapitakam vitthārena osāressāmī ti);
33,14 (sīlam ... saddhā viriyam sati samādhi ime te ~ā dhammā ti);



From the "Critical Pali Dictionary":

a-kusalā dhammā, Dhs §30, etc.;
DN III 56,20 (Sv);
73,20;
AN IV 363,10,
MN III 48,17 (abhivaddhanti, parihāyanti);
~ānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānaṁ,
MN I 93,23;
III 215,3;
pāpakā ~ā dhammā,
MN I 221,6 (Ps),
Mil 226,15;
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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

Post by Assaji »

And now the passages from the suttas mentioned in the dictionary articles, with the translations by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi.

MN 60, Apannaka sutta

‘‘Tatra, gahapatayo, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṃvādino evaṃdiṭṭhino – ‘atthi dinnaṃ…pe… ye imañca lokaṃ parañca lokaṃ sayaṃ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti tesametaṃ pāṭikaṅkhaṃ? Yamidaṃ kāyasucaritaṃ, vacīsucaritaṃ, manosucaritaṃ – ime tayo kusale dhamme abhinivajjetvā yamidaṃ kāyaduccaritaṃ, vacīduccaritaṃ, manoduccaritaṃ – ime tayo akusale dhamme samādāya vattissanti.

"Now, householders, of those recluses and brahmins whose doctrine and view is this: 'There is nothing given ... no good and virtuous recluses and brahmins in the world who have themselves realised by direct knowledge and declare this world and the other world,' it is to be expected that they will avoid these three wholesome states, namely, good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, and good mental conduct, and that they will undertake and practise these three unwholesome states, namely, bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, and mental misconduct."

DN 25, Udumbarika sutta

Santi ca kho, nigrodha, akusalā dhammā appahīnā saṃkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṃ jātijarāmaraṇiyā, yesāhaṃ pahānāya dhammaṃ desemi.

There are, Nigrodha, unwholesome things that have not been abandoned, tainted, conducive to rebirth, fearful, productive of painful results in the future, associated with birth, decay and death. It is for abandonment of these things that I teach Dhamma.

DN 26, Cakkavatti-sihanada sutta

‘‘Atha kho tesaṃ, bhikkhave, sattānaṃ evaṃ bhavissati – ‘mayaṃ kho akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ samādānahetu evarūpaṃ āyataṃ ñātikkhayaṃ pattā. Yaṃnūna mayaṃ kusalaṃ kareyyāma. Kiṃ kusalaṃ kareyyāma? Yaṃnūna mayaṃ pāṇātipātā virameyyāma, idaṃ kusalaṃ dhammaṃ samādāya vatteyyāmā’ti.

And then the thought will occur to these beings: "It is only because we became addicted to evil ways that we suffered this loss of our kindred, so let us now do good! What good things can we do? Let us abstain from the taking of life - that will be a good practice."

DN 28, Sampasadaniya sutta

‘‘Aparaṃ pana, bhante, etadānuttariyaṃ, yathā bhagavā dhammaṃ deseti kusalesu dhammesu. Tatrime kusalā dhammā seyyathidaṃ, cattāro satipaṭṭhānā, cattāro sammappadhānā, cattāro iddhipādā, pañcindriyāni, pañca balāni, satta bojjhaṅgā, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo.

"Also, lord, the Blessed Lord's way of teaching Dhamma in regard to the wholesome factors is unsurpassed, that is to say: the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four roads to power, the five spiritual faculties, the five mental powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold Path.
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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

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Kalama sutta describes as "akusalā dhammā" greed, aversion and delusion, in conjunction with the breach of ethical guidelines, and, conversely, describes as "kusalā dhammā" the absence of these vices, in conjunction with observation of ethical guidelines.

Sevitabb-asevitabba sutta (MN 114), includes greed and aversion in the category of mental conduct:

‘‘Kathaṃrūpaṃ, bhante, manosamācāraṃ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti? Idha, bhante, ekacco abhijjhālu hoti, yaṃ taṃ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṃ taṃ abhijjhātā hoti – ‘aho vata yaṃ parassa taṃ mamassā’ti; byāpannacitto kho pana hoti paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo – ‘ime sattā haññantu vā vajjhantu vā ucchijjantu vā vinassantu vā mā vā ahesu’nti – evarūpaṃ, bhante, manosamācāraṃ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti.

‘‘Kathaṃrūpaṃ, bhante, manosamācāraṃ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti? Idha, bhante, ekacco anabhijjhālu hoti, yaṃ taṃ parassa paravittūpakaraṇaṃ taṃ nābhijjhātā hoti – ‘aho vata yaṃ parassa taṃ mamassā’ti; abyāpannacitto kho pana hoti appaduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo – ‘ime sattā averā abyābajjhā [abyāpajjhā (sī. syā. kaṃ. pī. ka.)] anīghā sukhī attānaṃ pariharantū’ti – evarūpaṃ, bhante, manosamācāraṃ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti.

"And what kind of mental conduct causes unwholesome states to increase and wholesome states to diminish in one who cultivates it? Here someone is covetous; he covets the wealth and property of others thus: 'Oh, may what belongs to another be mine!' Or he has a mind of ill will and intentions of hate thus: 'May these beings be slain and slaughtered, may they be cut off, perish, or ne annihilated!' Such mental conduct causes unwholesome states to increase and wholesome states to diminish in one who cultivates it.

"And what kind of mental conduct causes unwholesome states to diminish and wholesome states to increase in one who cultivates it? Here someone is not covetous; he does not covet the wealth and property of others thus: 'Oh, may what belongs to another be mine!' His mind is without ill will and he has intentions free of hate thus: 'May these beings be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety! May they live happily!' Such mental conduct causes unwholesome states to diminish and wholesome states to increase in one who cultivates it."
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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

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Professor Cousins writes about the relationship of "kusalā dhammā" with meditative practices:

This brings me to the very large number of passages in which kusala is linked with dhamma, either in the singular or more often in the plural. It is important to note that many of the passages here are meditational in their orientation. So in the Mahāvagga (Vin I 104) the Buddha declares that if a monk does not make known a Vinaya offence when the Pātimokkha is recited, this would be a deliberate lie and a deliberate lie is an obstacle. The text defines an obstacle (antar āyiko dhammo), first of all as an obstacle to achieving the first jhāna, then successively to the remaining jhānas up to the fourth, then various kinds of meditational experience are mentioned, ending (summarizing) with "to the achieving of skilful dhammas." Similarly, in the discussionof the fourth pārājika (at Vin III 91), in the list of higher states which must not be falsely claimed by the monk these meditational attainments (jhāna, vimokkha, samādhi, etc.) are referred to as skilful dhammas.

This kind of direct linkage between higher states and skilfulness is found in a number of contexts.(35) So in the Saṃyutta-nikāya we find the ascetic who wishes to attain a skilful dhamma and realize higher states (uttari-manussa-dhamma; alam-ariya-ñāṇa-dassana). In the Lohicca-sutta we meet the idea that if someone attains a skilful dhamma, he should not tell anyone else. Or the Buddha is asked if he has achieved this skilful dhamma for a long while. Again in the A"nguttara-nikāya we learn of the six factors which make a monk fit (or unfit) to attain a skilful dhamma: he is skilful in coming, skilful in going, skilful as to means (upāyakusala), he arouses the purpose (chanda) of attaining a skilful dhamma which has not been attained, he guards skilful dhammas which have been attained and is successful in constant action. Compare too passages in which are found the expression: (he succeeds in) the method, the dhamma that is skilful (...ñāyaṃ dhammaṃ kusalaṃ).(36) Usually this makes the point that, whether householder or renunciant, he can succeed if he follows the right way i.e. the eightfold path.

Similar usages occur in the plural too.(37) So in the Majjhima-nikāya, when the Jains admit to not knowing: "the arousing of skilful dhammas", the reference must be to the apparent absence of the higher jhānas in the Jain system.(38) Or, in the A"nguttara-nikāya, when skilful dhammas explicitly refer to mental peace (cetosamatha) within and insight into dhammas from the standpoint of wisdom (adhipaññādhammavipassanā). In the Paṭisambhidā-magga we are even told that all skilful dhammas lead in the direction of the liberations (vimokkhānuloma).

There are a great many places in which skilful dhammas are referred to briefly or without much qualification, where it is not possible to be sure whether the intention is to refer specifically to meditational states. Nevertheless, this is probably the meaning which should be assumed in the majority of cases. I do not wish to argue that a broader usage which includes other desirable states is entirely excluded, only that in such cases the expression points primarily to meditational practice. This makes translation by such expressions as "good states " misleading; for such renderings point first and foremost to the ordinary ethical dimension and only secondarily to meditational experience. By contrast I believe the intention of the Pali texts in these passages is to point first to the jhānas and the states later known as the dhammas contributing to awakening (bodhi-pakkhiya). In other words the use of kusala in these contexts is concerned with the fact that these are special states which are, directly or indirectly, produced by wisdom. That is why they are called "skilful".

There are equally a great many passages where the meditational context is beyond real dispute. One example of this is the occurrence of skilful dhammas in the formula of the four right efforts and in related formulae concerned with vigour (viriya), such as descriptions of effort (vāyāma) in the eightfold path.(39) This of course is simply a specific case of the bodhi-pakkhiyas in general and indeed the seven sets are sometimes cited in relation to
kusala:

But, Venerable sir, there is another incomparable quality (ānuttariya): how the Lord teaches dhamma as regards skilful dhammas. As to that, the skilful dhammas are as follows: four establishings of mindfulness, four right efforts, four bases of success, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, the noble eightfold path ... That, Venerable Sir, is an incomparable quality as regards skilful dhammas ... there is nothing further to be known by higher knowledge, such that another mendicant or brahmin, knowing by higher knowledge, would know more deeply i.e. as regards skilful dhammas.(40)

Sometimes the link is made directly to the first of the seven sets: the four establishings of mindfulness.(41) So for example in the Janavasabha-suttanta we are told by Brahmā Sanaṃkumāra that the four establishings of mindfulness were made known for the purpose of attaining the skilful -- here the reference must be to the remaining six sets. Some at least of the discourses, where things kusala are mentioned in a context which lead up to a culmination with the eightfold or the tenfold path, probably belong here.(42) Compare also the Kāya-gatā-sati-sutta where we are told, in relation to the person who has brought into being, made much of and immersed himself in mindfulness of the body, that whatever skilful dhammas he has are connected with the knowledges (vijjā-bhāgiya) i.e. lead to the three knowledges.(43)

When in the Mahā-hatthi-padopama-sutta Sāriputta tells (M I 184) us that all skilful dhammas are included in the four noble truths, we should again interpret skilful dhammas here as referring to meditational states. Indeed, this is made clear later in the sutta by the references to equipoise connected with the skilful. More generally, there are many passages in which skilful dhammas are spoken of in association with bhāvanā "bringing into being" or some form of the verb bhāveti.(44) In most of these what is implied is the technical sense of these words, as referring to the bringing into being of the eightfold path in particular or the dhammas which contribute to awakening in general i.e. the fourth noble truth. This is even more likely to be the case when the skilful to be brought into being is contrasted with the unskilful "to be abandoned" i.e. the corresponding function of the second noble truth.(45) No doubt closely related to this is the idea of achieving a stage of fixity in relation to skilful dhammas, an idea closely related to some interpretations of what is meant by stream-entry.(46)

There are a number of passages which refer to someone who is (not) applying insight (vipassaka) to skilful dhammas.(47) Sometimes this probably refers to a type of insight meditation.(48) However, it also merges into contexts where skilful dhammas or the skilful is simply the object of doubt or wisdom.(49)

...

Skilled in meditational/mystical (/ascetic?) practices (in the early Pali sources and, no doubt, in other contemporary traditions), including skilled in the kind of behaviour which supports meditation, etc. i.e. sīla, etc.

http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethi ... s-cousins/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Assaji
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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

Post by Assaji »

To conclude, I would propose as the best translation of "kusalā dhammā", which would connote both actions and states, "skillful (ways of) behaviour", in line with Apannaka sutta cited above.
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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

Post by daverupa »

"Skillful", as a translation of kusalā, doesn't always summon the connotations of 'good' and 'advantageous' that the Pali term enjoys, and it potentially obscures the fact that the word applies to mental as well as to physical spheres. "Wholesome" seems to be a better fit for that aspect of the compound in some contexts.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

Post by Assaji »

Hi Daverupa,

Well, there's a separate topic devoted to the term "kusalā".

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5575" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

Post by daverupa »

Very useful to have that linked and connected to this discussion.

:anjali:
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

Post by Assaji »

In Sutta-nipata 4.11 lying (a way of behavior) is listed among the dhammas along with anger and doubt:

Chando nu lokasmiṃ kutonidāno,
Vinicchayā cāpi kutopahūtā
Kodho mosavajjañca kathaṃkathā ca,
Ye vāpi dhammā samaṇena vuttā


Where does desire come from in the world?
And decision-making, where does that originate?
And anger, lying, and doubt,
the things also spoken of by the ascetic.

Kodho mosavajjañca kathaṅkathā ca,
Etepi dhammā dvayameva sante;
Kathaṅkathī ñāṇapathāya sikkhe,
Ñatvā pavuttā samaṇena dhammā


Anger, lying, and doubt:
these things are also present because of [that] duality.
A doubting person should train in the ways of knowledge.
These things were spoken of by the ascetic after knowing them.
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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

Post by Assaji »

frank k wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:12 amI can cite many examples where "kusalā dhammā" as "skillful modes of conduct" would not work.
You are welcome to cite these examples here. I know there are limitations to this translation, and it would be helpful to discuss them.
frank k wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:12 amThe primary meaning of Dhamma, is the teachings of the Buddha that lead directly to nirvana.
The word "dhamma" has many extremely diverse meanings, and it would be a simplification to make some meaning a primary one, generalizing it onto other meanings.
frank k wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:12 amSo it's not just skillful qualities we're after, that's a huge class of actions, it's only those that lead to nirvana.

For example, take right effort and viriya indriya.
For example, being a skilled chef is a skillful quality, being a skilled judge is a skillful quality. But those are not the unarises skillful Dharmas that the Buddha wants us to undertake constantly.

Even skillful ethical qualities like being a kind and generous person, on its own (without Buddha DHARMA that leads to nirvana), will only lead to impermanent residence in the deva realms.
You spoke about leaving the word "dhamma" untranslated, but here evidently you translate "dhammā" as "qualities". In the case of "kusalā dhammā", this translation is rather strained. Moreover, the expression "skillful qualities" lies outside of normal English usage, and it is rather difficult to comprehend for the uninitiated.

The Apaṇṇaka Sutta (MN 60; M I 402,17) provides an excellent definition:
Yamidaṃ kāyasucaritaṃ, vacīsucaritaṃ, manosucaritaṃ — ime tayo kusale dhamme abhinivajjetvā yamidaṃ kāyaduccaritaṃ, vacīduccaritaṃ, manoduccaritaṃ — ime tayo akusale dhamme samādāya vattissanti.
Accordingly, the good bodily conduct (kāyasucaritaṃ), verbal conduct (vacīsucaritaṃ) and mental conduct (manosucaritaṃ) belong to "kusalā dhammā" even in case when they don't immediately lead to Nibbāṇa.
frank k wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:12 am The only 'Dharma' definition that the Buddha is talking about, in formulas such as right effort, is this one:

AN 7.83 (it's almost the last sutta in AN 7, before the repetition series starts)
https://lucid24.org/an/an07/an07-v07/index.html#s83
That's mostly sujato translation there, so you can see the problem I point out, where he translated 'dhamma' as 'thing', where "DHARMA" is the kusala Dharma that right effort, right sati/remembering needs to constantly align with and perform.

‘ime dhammā ekantanibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṃvattantī’ti;
certain things do lead solely to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and nirvana.
Thank you for a great example. Indeed, the "things" translation here dilutes the meaning. Won't it be much better and more natural to translate:
‘ime dhammā ekantanibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṃvattantī’ti;

'These modes of conduct (dhammā) lead exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāṇa.'
The wordplay between "dhammā" (modes of conduct) and "dhammo" (Buddha's teaching) can perhaps be preserved by providing "dhammā" in brackets after the "modes of conduct" translation.
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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

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O Bhikkhus. The footprints of all land-bound creatures fit within the footprint of the elephant; the elephant’s footprint is said to be the supreme footprint in terms of size. Similarly all skilful dhammas have heedfulness as their base, converge within the bounds of heedfulness. Heedfulness may be said to be supreme amongst those dhammas.

AN 10.15
There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.

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Re: Pali Term: Kusalā dhammā

Post by frank k »

Assaji wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:26 am ...
I didn't translate 'dhamma' as 'qualities'.
lucid24.org, my site, started with a scraped version of B. Sujato's translations from suttacentral, and sometimes B. thanissaro's translation.
Unfortunately I haven't felt the motivation to find the time and energy to go through every single sutta yet and untranslate every single 'dhamma' hidden with an english translation.

My stance is to leave every single 'dhamma' in the pali untranslated, and to add [] square brackets to qualify in English what the most likely meaning is in that context.

So where you see I cut and paste pali+english with 'dhamma' translated into some English, it's just the source I copied, not my intention to translate 'dhamma'.

I'll write an article in the next week or two to try to concisely summarize what I'm saying into one small piece, I realize no one wants to read 10 different articles I've written over the years.

Here's are another couple of examples of a kusala dharma [skillful mode of ethical wholesome conduct] that's better off being untranslated.
1. metta
2. samatha meditation.

For example, one with extremely lustful temperament shouldn't be practicing metta towards certain people at certain times.

One who does too much samatha meditation is not a Dhamma-vihari, doesn't have enough sutta study to balance it out.

By leaving Dhamma untranslated, it gets the practitioner to get in a habit of disambiguating Dhamma on the fly, every moment, because even kusala Dhamma practices are not kusala for the yogi all the time. They need to use Dhamma vicaya all the time to figure out if the Dhamma that sati is trying to keep in mind is the most appropriate and healthy dhamma to perform every moment.

dhamma is a dynamic Buddha Dharma practice that is yogi dependent. It loses the versatility when it gets translated into specific static entities.

Hope I'm making a little bit of sense - this is why I haven't written that concise article yet, it's not easy to explain.
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