Ten Unwholesome Deeds (十惡業; Sibageop)

​Of the many unwholesome activities we commit in daily life, the ten unwholesome deeds (十惡業) are committed in body, speech and mind. If we repent of these ten unwholesome deeds and act in the completely opposite way, we can perform the ten wholesome deeds (十善業). Of the ten unwholesome deeds, unwholesome words are the most common. Considering that the Thousand Hands Sutra begins with the “mantra for purification of speech (淨口業眞言),” we should begin to consider how many times we speak unwholesome words every day. The ten unwholesome deeds are as follows.

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​1) Killing, the act of taking life (殺生)

​2) Stealing, the act of taking what is not yours (偸盜)

​3) Sexual misconduct, committing immoral sexual acts (邪婬)

​4) Lying, the act of saying what is not true (妄語)

​5) Ornate speech, the act of engaging in pointless or flattering speech (綺語)

​6) Insult, the act of engaging in abusive or derogatory speech (惡口)

​7) Slander, the act of saying things to alienate or hurt people (兩舌)

​8) Covetousness, being envious of what others have (貪欲)

​9) Anger, to be consumed with hatred and loathing over perceived wrongs (瞋恚) 

10) False views, to believe in false or wrong views (邪見)

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​The ten unwholesome deeds are further divided into three categories. First, in the category of “deeds caused by bodily action (身業),” there are killing, stealing and sexual misconduct. Second, in the category of “deeds caused by speech (口業),” there are lying, double talk, insult and slander. Third, in the category of “deeds caused by one’s mind (意業),” there are covetousness, anger and false views.

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​- excerpt from Buddhist English (Intermediate 2) published in 2014 by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism​​

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