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(2)–(11) are the ten courses of unwholesome and wholesome action (kammapatha)—see MN 9.4, 9.6;

(12)–(18) are the last seven factors of the eightfold path—wrong and right—the first factor being identical with (11);

(19)–(20) are sometimes added to the two eightfold paths—see MN 117.34–36;

(21)–(23) are the last three of the five hindrances—see MN 10.36—the first two being identical with (9) and (10);

(24)–(33) are ten of the sixteen imperfections that defile the mind, mentioned in MN 7.3;

(37)–(43) are the seven bad qualities and the seven good qualities (saddhamm̄) mentioned in MN 53.11–17.

108 Ṃ: Non-cruelty (avihiṁsā), which is a synonym for compassion, is mentioned at the beginning because it is the root of all virtues, especially the root-cause of morality.

109 MA: This is a description of those who hold firmly to a view that has occurred to them, believing “This alone is the truth”; they do not relinquish it even if spoken to by the Buddha with reasoned arguments.

110 MA: The inclination of mind is of great benefit because it entails exclusively welfare and happiness, and because it is the cause of the subsequent actions that conform to it.

111 The Pali term rendered by “extinguished” is parinibbuto, which can also mean “attained to Nibbāna”; and the Pali term rendered by “help extinguish” is parinibbāpessati, which can also mean “help attain Nibbāna” or “bring to Nibbāna.” The Pali original for the expression to follow, “by which to extinguish it,” parinibbānaya, might have been rendered “for attaining Nibbāna.” Though in all three cases the alternative rendering would be too strong to insist on literally, its implications contribute to the suggestiveness of the original in a way that cannot be captured in translation.

112 MA points out that this statement can be understood in two ways: (1) one who is himself free from cruelty can use his non-cruelty to help extinguish the cruelty of another person; and (2) one who is himself cruel can develop non-cruelty to extinguish his own cruel disposition. All the following cases should be similarly understood in this twofold way.

113 MA: The compassionate teacher’s task is the correct teaching of the Dhamma; beyond that is the practice, which is the work of the disciples.

SUTTA 9

114 MA: Right view is twofold: mundane and supramundane. Mundane right view is again twofold: the view that kamma produces its fruits, which may be held both by Buddhists and outsiders, and the view that accords with the Four Noble Truths, which is exclusive to the Buddha’s Dispensation. Supramundane right view is the understanding of the Four Noble Truths attained by penetrating to the four paths and fruits of sanctity. The question posed by the Ven. Sāriputta concerns the sekha, the disciple in higher training, who possesses supramundane right view leading irreversibly to emancipation. This is implied by the phrase “unwavering confidence” and “arrived at this true Dhamma.”

115 Here the unwholesome (akusala) is explained by the ten unwholesome courses of action. The first three of these pertain to bodily action, the middle four to verbal action, the last three to mental action. The ten are explained at greater length at MN 41.8–10.

116 These three are called the roots of the unwholesome because they motivate all unwholesome actions. For a thorough and informative textual study of these factors and their opposites, see Nyanaponika Thera, The Roots of Good and Evil.

117 These ten wholesome courses of action are elaborated upon in MN 41.12–14.

118 MA explains the disciple’s understanding of these four terms by way of the Four Noble Truths thus: all the courses of action are the truth of suffering; the wholesome and unwholesome roots are the truth of the origin; the non-occurrence of both actions and their roots is the truth of cessation; and the noble path that realises cessation is the truth of the path. To this extent a noble disciple at one of the first three stages has