> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# AN 2:19 · Skillful & Unskillful (Kusal’akusala Sutta)
- URL: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-2-19/
- Published: 2026-06-01T00:14:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T16:53:11.000Z
- Description: Aṅguttara Nikāya · AN 2:19. Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.
- Author: Ninth Heaven Literature & Arts Association (NHLAA)
- Tags: Buddhism, Sutta Piṭaka, Text, Indian, The Buddha, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Aṅguttara Nikāya, Discourse, Pali, Early Buddhist, Library, #Import 2026-07-06 03:33

“Abandon what is unskillful, monks. It is possible to abandon what is unskillful. If it were not possible to abandon what is unskillful, I would not say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’ But because it is possible to abandon what is unskillful, I say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’ If this abandoning of what is unskillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’ But because this abandoning of what is unskillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, ‘Abandon what is unskillful.’

“Develop what is skillful, monks. It is possible to develop what is skillful. If it were not possible to develop what is skillful, I would not say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’ But because it is possible to develop what is skillful, I say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’ If this development of what is skillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’ But because this development of what is skillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, ‘Develop what is skillful.’”

See also: [SN 22:2](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-22-2/); [Iti 39](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/iti-39/)

---

*Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) licence, for free distribution only. Source: [dhammatalks.org](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN2%5F19.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) (Metta Forest Monastery).*