What is the right understanding?

- The four truths

     1. To understand suffering

     2. To understand the origin of suffering

     3. To understand the extinction of suffering

     4. To understand the path that leads to the extinction of suffering

- Understanding merit and demerit

     When the noble disciple understands what is karmically wholesome, and the root of wholesome karma, is karmically in wholesome, and the root of unwholesome karma, then he has Right Understanding.

     Karmically unwholesome (Akusala) can be divided into three categories (Bodily Action, Verbal Action, and Mental Action).

     Bodily Action (kaya-kamma)

     1. Destruction of living beings is karmically unwholesome

     2. Stealing is karmically unwholesome

     3. Unlawful sexual intercourse is karmically unwholesome

     Verbal Action (vaci-kamma)

     4. Lying is karmically unwholesome

     5. Tale-bearing is karmically unwholesome

     6. Harsh language is karmically unwholesome

     7. Frivolous tale is karmically unwholesome

     Mental Action (mano-kama)

     8. Covetousness is karmically unwholesome

     9. Ill-will is karmically unwholesome

     10. Wrong views are karmically unwholesome

     These ten are called "Evil Courses of Action" (Akusala-kamma-patha)

     Conclusion, the roots of unwholesome karma is Greed (lobha), Hatred (dosa), and Delusion (moha). What is "karmieally wholesome"? The abstention of all "Evil Courses of Action" (Akusala-kamma-patha).

- Understanding the three characteristics (Ti-lakkana)

     All formations are "transient"(anicca); all formations are "subject to suffering"(dukkha); all things are "without a self" (anatta). Corporaeality is transient, feeling is transient, perception is transient, mental formations are transient, consciousness is transient.

     Again, when one understands that corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness are transient [subject to suffering and without a self], in that case one possesses Right Understanding.