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an.5.6 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Entering

(1) “Bhikkhus, there is no entering upon the unwholesome so long as faith is securely settled in cultivating wholesome qualities. But when faith has disappeared and lack of faith obsesses one, then there is the entering upon the unwholesome.

(2) “There is no entering upon the unwholesome so long as a sense of moral shame is securely settled in cultivating wholesome qualities. But when a sense of moral shame has disappeared and moral shamelessness obsesses one, then there is the entering upon the unwholesome.

(3) “There is no entering upon the unwholesome so long as moral dread is securely settled in cultivating wholesome qualities. But when moral dread has disappeared and lack of moral dread obsesses one, then there is the entering upon the unwholesome.

(4) “There is no entering upon the unwholesome so long as energy is securely settled in cultivating wholesome qualities. But when energy has disappeared and laziness obsesses one, then there is the entering upon the unwholesome.

(5) “There is no entering upon the unwholesome so long as wisdom is securely settled in cultivating wholesome qualities. But when wisdom has disappeared and lack of wisdom obsesses one, then there is the entering upon the unwholesome.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh


Becoming

“Mendicants, you don’t become unskillful as long as faith is established in skillful qualities.
But when faith vanishes and faithlessness takes over,
you become unskillful.
You don’t become unskillful as long as conscience … prudence … energy … wisdom is established in skillful qualities.









But when wisdom vanishes and witlessness takes over,
you become unskillful.”