Ten Wholesome Deeds

Abstention from 1) killing, 2) stealing, 3) sexual misconduct, 4) duplicity, 5) harsh speech, 6) lying, 7) irresponsible speech, 8) greed, 9) anger, 10) foolishness.

The Buddha said: 'Living beings may perform ten good practices or ten evil practices. What are the ten? Three are of the body, four are of the mouth, and three are of the mind. The three of the body are killing, stealing, and lust. The four of the mouth are duplicity, harsh speech, lies, and irresponsible speech. The three of the mind are jealousy, hatred, and stupidity. Thus these ten are not in accord with the Holy Way and are called ten evil practices. To put a stop to these evils is to perform the ten good practices.' (S42 14)

The Flower Adornment Sutra says this of the Bodhisattva who, by his very nature, practices the Ten Wholesome Deeds.

I. Abstention from Killing

By nature he naturally leaves all killing far behind. He does not collect knives or staves. He does not cherish resentment or hatred. He has shame and he has remorse. He is endowed with humaneness and reciprocity. Toward all beings who have lives, he always brings forth thoughts of benefit and kindly mindfulness. This Bodhisattva should not with evil mind even trouble living beings, how much the less give rise to heavy intent and actually kill or harm any whom he realizes are living beings. (FAS Ch26(2) 4)

II. Abstention from Stealing

By nature he does not steal. The Bodhisattva is always content with his own possessions. He is always kind and forgiving towards others and does not wish to encroach upon them. If an item belongs to someone else, he gives rise to the thought that it is someone else's item and would never consider stealing it, down to a blade of grass or a leaf--if not given, he does not take it--how much the less any other of the necessities of life. (FAS Ch26(2) 10)

III. Abstention from Sexual Misconduct

By nature he does not engage in sexual misconduct. The (married, lay) Bodhisattva is content with his own wife and does not seek the wives of others. Toward the wives and concubines of others, the women protected by others, by relatives of those betrothed, and those protected by the law, he does not even give rise to the thought of greedy defilement, how much the less follow it into action, and how much the less give himself over to what is not the Way. (FAS Ch26(2) 17)

IV. Abstention from Lying

By nature he does not lie. The Bodhisattva always utters true speech, actual speech, and timely speech, to the point that even in a dream, he would never think of wanting to do so, how much the less deliberately commit violations. (FAS Ch26(2) 20)

V. Abstention from Divisive Speech

By nature he does not engage in divisive speech. The Bodhisattva, towards all living beings, has no thought of dividing them against each other. He has no thought of troubling or harming. He does not report the speech of one person to break his relationship with a second person, nor does he report the speech of the second person to break his relationship with the first person. If people have not already broken with each other, he does not break them up. If they have already broken with each other, he does not increase the break. He does not enjoy dividing people against each other, nor is he happy when people are divided against each other. He does not utter speech that would divide people against each other, nor does he report speech that would divide people against each other--regardless of whether it is true or false. (FAS Ch26(2) 20-21)

VI. Abstention from Harsh Speech

By nature he does not engage in harsh speech, that is, cruel, malicious speech, coarse, wild speech, speech that brings suffering to others, speech that provokes anger and hatred in others, blunt speech, furtive speech, vile and evil speech, cheap and vulgar speech, speech unpleasant to hear, speech that does not delight the listener, angry hateful speech, speech that burns the heart like fire, speech bound up in resentment, heated, irritating speech, disagreeable speech, displeasing speech, speech that can destroy oneself and others--all such types of speech as those he completely abandons. He always utters kind, encouraging speech, soft and gentle speech, speech that delights the mind, speech pleasant to the listener, speech that makes the listener happy, speech that wholesomely enters into people's hearts, elegant and refined speech, speech agreeable to most people, speech that gladdens most people, and speech that brings joy to body and mind. (FAS Ch26(2) 25-26)

VII. Abstention from Irresponsible Speech

By nature he does not engage in loose speech. The Bodhisattva always delights in thoughtful, examined speech, in appropriate speech, in true speech, in meaningful speech, lawful speech, speech that accords with Way-principle, skillfully taming and regulating speech, speech which is reckoned and measured according to the time and which is decisive. This Bodhisattva, even when making jokes, always weighs his words, so how much the less would he deliberately pour out scattered and abandoned talk. (FAS Ch26(2) 28)

VIII. Abstention from Greed

By nature he does not engage in greed. The Bodhisattva does not give rise to greed for others' wealth and property, or things owned and used by others. He does not wish for them or seek them. (FAS Ch26(2) 28)

IX. Abstention from Anger

By nature he is free from anger and hatred. The Bodhisattva, towards all living beings, constantly brings forth a mind of kindness, a benefiting mind, a mind of pity and sympathy, a happy mind, a compatible mind, a mind of accepting and gathering them in. He once and for all abandons anger, hatred, resentment, malevolence, rage, and irritation. He is always considerate and cooperative in his conduct, humane, kind, and helpful. (FAS Ch26(2) 29)

X. Abstention from Foolishness

He is, further, free from deviant views. The Bodhisattva dwells on the proper Paths. He does not practice astrology or divination. He does not grasp at evil precepts. His mind's views are proper and upright. He does not deceive; he does not flatter. Towards the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, he brings forth decisive faith. (FAS Ch26(2) 29-30)

(Source: Epstein, 2003: pp. 197 - 198)

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1) Chinese Mandarin: shr shan (shr) ; 2) Sanskrit: dasa-kusala; 3) Pali: dasa sikkhapadani, dasa-sila; 4) Alternate Translations: good deeds, good acts, good practices; [not to take life, take what has not been given to us, practice sexual misconduct, lie, use harsh speech, engage in idle talk, slander, hold thoughts of covetousness, keep anger and resentment, keep and foster deluded thoughts; to have compassionate caring, generosity, contentment, truthfulness, kindly speech, meaningful speech, harmonious speech, generous thoughts, compassionate thoughts, clear thoughts.]

See also: moral precepts, Five Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, faith, Five Schools of Buddhist Study and Practice - Vinaya, Samaya of Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism

Buddhist Text Translation Society (http://www.BTTSonline.org) References: S42 14-15; DFS X 6; FAS Ch26(2) 4-35.
 

Source: http://online.sfsu.edu/%7Erone/Buddhism/BuddhistDict/BDT.html

(NOTE: Numerous corrections and enhancements have been made under Shastra tradition and "Fair Use" by an Anonymous Buddhist Monk Redactor (Compiler) of this Online Buddhist Encyclopedia Compilation)