Kuśalakarmapatha

kuśalakarmapatha (T. dge ba bcu; C. shanyedao 善業道). Literally, "wholesome courses of action," refers to the ten wholesome actions (karmapatha; karma), which lead to favorable rebirth. Also referred to as daśa-kuśalāni, daśakuśala, etc. These wholesome actions are the opposite of the ten unwholesome actions (akuśalakarmapatha).

Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang states:

There is no end or limit to the positive actions to be adopted, which are inconceivable; but in terms of how they are accumulated they can be condensed into three that are physical acts, [four that are verbal acts, and three mental acts].

As for what motivates them, it is said:

Absence of desire, absence of aversion, absence of stupidity:

Actions that arise from these are positive.

The ten wholesome actions are:

• three actions of the body

  (1) refraining from killing (prāṇātipāta)

  (2) refraining from stealing (adattādāna)

  (3) refraining from sexual misconduct (kāmamithyācāra)

• four actions of speech

  (4) refraining from lying (mṛṣāvāda)

  (5) refraining from slander or malicious speech (paiśunyavāda)

  (6) refraining from offensive or harsh speech (pārūṣyavāda)

  (7) refraining from frivolous prattle (saṃbhinnapralāpa)

• three actions under the category of mind

  (8) being free from covetousness (abhidhyā)

  (9) being free from ill will (vyāpāda)

  (10) holding right view (samya dristi)

See also

• kuśala
• karmapatha ("courses of action")
• akuśalakarmapatha ("unwholesome actions")

Sources

• Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University 
• Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang (2011), A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher, translated by Padmakara Translation Group, Shambhala