AN 3.119 - Kammanta Sutta (Activity)
Translated by Bhikkhu Candana
Source: https://www.mindreleased.com/s/Book-3_Anguttara-Nikya-A-New-Translation.pdf#page=245
License: Candana — free distribution, unaltered contents
Copyright © Bhikkhu Candana, 2020, 2026. Free distribution only; do not alter the contents. The original book, including its complete permission notice, accompanies this text.
Candana source labels: 118. Site text ID: AN 3.119.

118. Kammanta Sutta (Activity) Bhikkhus, there are these three failures. What three?

Failing in activity; failing in livelihood; and failing to rectify the view.

And what, Bhikkhus, is ‘failing in activity?’

Here, Bhikkhus, someone destroys living beings, takes what is not freely given, engages in sexual misconduct, tells lies, slanders, uses harsh and mean words meant to hurt and cause injury and suffering, and engages in frivolous speech by using idle chatter.

This, Bhikkhus, is what is meant by ‘failing in activity’.

And what, Bhikkhus, is ‘failing in livelihood?’

Here, Bhikkhus, someone makes a living through wrong means of securing his livelihood and gaining support.

This, Bhikkhus, is what is meant by ‘failing in livelihood’.

And what, Bhikkhus, is ‘failing to rectify the view?’

Here, Bhikkhus, someone holds onto wrong views, while functioning with the wrong and convoluted ways of understanding, seeing life thus:

‘There is no point in giving, making offerings, or sacrificing anything, since there are no benefits or good results for what is generously given, as well as in making offerings or sacrifices.

Similarly, there are no results for good and evil actions; there is no ‘this existence’ nor a life beyond it; there is no mother, no father; there are no spontaneously reborn beings; there are no recluses or brahmins with upright behavior and proper conduct, with solid and reliably good character, who having come to the correct path and method, by realizing for themselves this world and the other, confidently and through their own personal experience, teach and declare it to others.’

Bhikkhus, this is failing to rectify the view.

Now, Bhikkhus, these are the three failures.

On the other hand, Bhikkhus, there are these three successes. What three?

Success in activity; success in gaining a livelihood; and success in rectifying the view.

And what, Bhikkhus, is ‘success in activity?’

Here, Bhikkhus, someone does not destroy nor harms living beings; does not take what is not freely given; does not engage in sexual misconduct; does not tell lies; does not slander; does not use harsh or mean words meant to harm or cause suffering; and does not talk frivolously nor uses idle chatter.

This, Bhikkhus is what is meant by ‘success in activity’.

And what, Bhikkhus, is ‘success in gaining a livelihood’?

Here, Bhikkhus, someone does not engage in wrong means of securing his livelihood, and instead, earns his living through the right means of making a living by gaining support, in order to live.

This, Bhikkhus, is ‘success in gaining a livelihood’.

And what, Bhikkhus, is ‘success in rectifying the view’?

Here, Bhikkhus, someone holds the Right View, while functioning with the right understanding, thus:

‘There is indeed much value in giving, making offerings, and sacrificing things, as there are surely benefits and good results for what is generously given, as well as in the offerings and sacrifices made. Similarly, there are results for good and evil actions; there is this existence and a life beyond; there is mother and father; there are indeed spontaneously reborn beings; there are recluses or brahmins with upright behavior and proper conduct, with solid and reliably good

character, who having come to the correct path and method, through realizing for themselves this world and the other, confidently and through their own personal experience, teach and declare it to others.’

Bhikkhus, this is ‘success in rectifying the view’.

These, therefore, Bhikkhus, are the three successes.
