Impurity by body, Cunda, is threefold. Impurity by speech is fourfold. Impurity by mind is threefold.

And how, Cunda, is impurity by body threefold?

  1. Here, someone destroys life. He is murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings.

  2. He takes what is not given. He steals the wealth and property of others in the village or forest.

  3. He engages in sexual misconduct. He has sexual relations with women who are protected by their mother, father, mother and father, brother, sister, or relatives; who are protected by their Teachings; who have a husband; whose violation entails a penalty; or even with one already engaged.

It is in this way that impurity by body is threefold.

And how, Cunda, is impurity by speech fourfold?

  1. Here, someone speaks falsehood. If he is summoned to a council, to an assembly, to his relatives’ presence, to his club, or to the court, and questioned as a witness thus: ‘So, good man, tell what you know’. Then, not knowing, he says, ‘I know,’ or knowing, he says, ‘I do not know’; not seeing, he says, ‘I see’, or seeing, he says, ‘I do not see!’ Thus he knowingly speaks falsehood for his own benefit, or for another's benefit, or for some insignificant worldly benefit.

  2. He speaks argumentatively. Having heard something here, he repeats it elsewhere in order to divide (those people) from these; or having heard something elsewhere, he repeats it to these people in order to divide (them) from those. Thus he is one who divides those who are united, a creator of divisions, one who enjoys separation, rejoices in separation, finds pleasure in separation, a speaker of words that create separation.

  3. He speaks harshly. He speaks such words as are rough, hard, hurtful to others, offensive to others, bordering on anger, unconducive to concentration.

  4. He indulges in idle chatter. He speaks at an improper time, speaks falsely, speaks what is unbeneficial, speaks opposite to The Teachings and the discipline; at an improper time, he speaks such words as are unwise, unreasonable, rambling, and unbeneficial.

It is in this way that impurity by speech is fourfold.