Ten Non-Virtues

The Three Non-Virtues of the Body

A. Killing is the act of separating the body and mind of a sentient being. The divisions are:

1. Killing through hatred like warriors killing enemies in battle.

2. Killing through attachment and desire like desiring to eat the flesh and wear the skin of goats, sheeps, and so forth.

3. Killing through ignorance like those who do not know the cause and effect of virtue and non-virtue, or those who do not understand religion properly and make offerings of sentient beings.
   

B. Sexual Misconduct is immoral sexual intercourse. The divisions are:

1. Protected by lineage like brother and sister of the same parents.

2. Protected by spouse, like having sex with a married person.

3. Protected by precepts, like having sex with a nun who has taken vows.

C. Stealing, taking what is not given, is taking possessions that you do not own that were not given to you. The divisions are:

1. Taking by force, like taking without the authority of the government or king.

2.  Stealing through power, like many people together with the power of arms directly stealing and so forth.

3.  Stealing in a stealthy manner, like a thief who does not use force but takes belongings without the owner seeing.

4.  Taking possessions in business and so forth by lying to deceive others.

5. Taking through deceit, like making up wrong volume and measurements and so forth in order to take and claim ownership of others possessions and so forth.
   

The Four Non-Virtues of Speech
A. Harsh speech is to disturb others' minds with your words. The divisions are:

1. Direct harsh speech is like exclaiming to someone about their being deaf or blind and calling them that right to them.

2. Indirect harsh speech, like sending messages that disturb other’s minds.

3. Abusive speech; although the words may be pleasant, they make other’s minds upset.
   

B. Pointless speech is speaking many irrelevant, meaningless words. The divisions are:

1. Nonsense speech that is spontaneously, carelessly speaking.

2. Especially pointless speech is talking when you know you should not talk, like at a prayer gathering or initiation.

3. Unreal pointless speech like singing and stories.
   

C. Lying is to know the truth of something but to express untrue words to others. The divisions are:

1. Lying without benefit or harm which is not intending to mislead, others, like saying things that are untrue when joking around.

2. Lying with benefit and harm, intending to mislead others and, speaking untrue words.

3. Serious lying, like falsely claiming to see Buddhas, and saying you have attained levels of spiritual realization that you have not.
   

D. Divisive Speech is saying words that incite discord between friends and break their relationship. The divisions are:

1. Forceful divisive speech, when someone with power directly uses forceful words to separate friends.

2. Concealed divisive speech, as when there are two friends and you go to one and say the other criticized him, then this causes them to separate.

3. Exhorting divisive speech, although the divisive speech is not direct, you say something to others whom the friends associate with which creates discord between the two friends.
   

The Three Non-Virtues of the Mind

A. Evil Mindedness is a desirous mind that wishes to get attractive things, food, possessions, and so forth for oneself. The divisions are:

1. The evil mind wishing to get others’ food and wealth for oneself.

2. Delighting and having evil thoughts that others do not have fortune, possessions, and so forth.

3. Selfishness, wishing to have fortune, possessions, and so forth for oneself, and at the same time delighting in others not getting such things.

B. Malice is the intention to harm the object one feels is unpleasant. The divisions are:

1. The mind is angry with another and wants to harm and injure which is the malice that arises from the aspect of hatred.

2. When you become unhappy about others being great and famous is the malice that arises from the aspect of jealousy.

3. When you do not forget being harmed previously by others and you want to retaliate which is malice arising from the aspect of resentment.
   

C. Wrong Views are the mistaken understanding of the meaning. The divisions are:

1. The wrong view of cause and effect of thinking that there is no benefit to positive actions, and that there is no harm in negative actions.

2. The wrong view of the Three Jewels of not going for refuge in the Buddha, and not having faith in the Buddha’s teachings.

3. Following the wrong views of the truth of extremist philosophies.
   

Admit and confess all of the accumulation of negative actions done by yourself, encouraged others to do, or rejoiced at others doing.