Paṭhamamanoduccaritasutta — Duccaritavagga — the twenty-fifth chapter of the Fives
Setting
None stated; the discourse continues from AN 5.1, whose setting at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove is understood to hold
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
a compressed negative half, then the positive half spelled out in full
Length
~1 minute to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — a partial break from this trio's compression
Why this discourse
Completing this chapter's trio of specific conduct-channels, this discourse breaks partway from AN 5.242–243's extreme compression: the negative half stays abbreviated, but the positive half — good mental conduct — is spelled out in full.
Reading guide
Mind, the third and final channel
Manoduccarita names conduct at the level of mental intention itself — the third of the three classical channels, completing the trio begun with bodily conduct at AN 5.242 and verbal conduct at AN 5.243.
Still compressed, but only partway
The negative half remains a single abbreviated line, exactly as in the two previous discourses. But this discourse then breaks pattern, spelling out the positive half's full five-item list rather than leaving it equally compressed.
Good mental conduct, given in full
No self-blame; praise from sensible people after examination; a good reputation; dying without confusion; and rebirth in heaven — AN 5.241's exact positive formula, now applied specifically to mental conduct and stated word for word.
Why break the pattern here, and not earlier
This discourse closes the first full pass through all three conduct-channels. Spelling out at least one complete example — even if only its positive half — before the whole three-channel sequence repeats at AN 5.245–248 gives the reader one clear anchor for what the compressed discourses around it are actually claiming.
A second pass follows
AN 5.245 restarts this entire sequence with a genuinely different variant — the same general structure, but with different closing consequences — before AN 5.246–248 apply that new variant to the same three conduct-channels in turn.
Key terms
manoduccarita, manosucarita — “bad mental conduct” and “good mental conduct” — this discourse's title concepts, the third classical conduct-channel.
pe — the standard abbreviation marker, still compressing this discourse's negative half.
attāpi attānaṁ na upavadati — “you don't blame yourself” — the first item of the positive half, spelled out in full here.
kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati — “you get a good reputation” — the third item of the positive half.
sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati — “reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm” — the fifth and final item, closing the positive half.
The text
The discourse in full: bad mental conduct compressed, good mental conduct spelled out. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Bad mental conduct
§1“Mendicants, there are these five drawbacks in bad mental conduct … benefits in good mental conduct …”
Five benefits of good mental conduct
§2
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What does 'manoduccarita' mean?
Correct: A. This discourse's title concept, the third conduct-channel.
Question 2 of 10
How does this discourse break from AN 5.242-243's pattern?
Correct: A. A partial break, not a complete one.
Question 3 of 10
What five items does this discourse's positive half name in full?
Correct: A. AN 5.241's exact positive formula, applied to mental conduct.
Question 4 of 10
Why might this discourse break the compression pattern at this specific point?
Correct: A. One complete example before the whole sequence repeats.
Question 5 of 10
What discourse follows, restarting the whole sequence with a variant?
Correct: A. A second pass through general conduct, then its three channels again.
Question 6 of 10
What does 'attāpi attānaṁ na upavadati' mean?
Correct: A. The first item of the positive half, spelled out here.
Question 7 of 10
What is 'mano' the term for?
Correct: A. The third of the three classical conduct-channels.
Question 8 of 10
What is the closing item of this discourse's positive half?
Correct: A. Closing both this list and this chapter's first full pass.
Question 9 of 10
What does 'kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggacchati' mean?
Correct: A. The third item of the positive half.
Question 10 of 10
What chapter does this discourse belong to?
Correct: A. 'Bad Conduct', this session's twenty-fifth chapter.
