AN 10.224 — Untitled Discourse on Forty Qualities

“Someone with forty qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there. What forty? They kill living creatures, steal, and commit sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. They’re covetous, malicious, with wrong view. They encourage others to do these things. They approve of these things. And they praise these things. Someone with these forty qualities is placed in hell as if delivered there. Someone with forty qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there. What forty? They don’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical. They’re contented, kind-hearted, with right view. They encourage others to do these things. They approve of these things. And they praise these things. Someone with these forty qualities is placed in heaven as if delivered there.”