Kusala how lead to NibbanaThe word Kusala in Buddhist ethics is used in a special sense. P.T.S Pali – English

dictionary defines it as clever, skillful, expert, good, right as an adjective. Further it gives the meanings “good thing, good deeds, virtue, merit or good consciousness” as a noun. In Buddhist ethics, generally, the word Kusala means able and efficient.

Wholesome actions has the ability to remove all unwholesome actions based on the three wholesome roots i.e. greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and ignorance (moha). Thus Kusala contribute to ending of Sajsara.

Prof. P.D. Premasiri explains Kusala as follows:“An examination of the terms Kusala and Akusala in the Pali canonical scriptures

shows that the term Kusala appears to have been used more frequently in evaluating language in characterizing the specific modes of behaviour and conditions of mind, which conduce to the attainment of the ultimate goal of Buddhism, omits the term Pubba but include the term Kusala. The Buddha asserts that the practices that are Kusala generally lead a person to the highest state, Nibbana. The Kusala states sometimes as the 37 Bodhipakkhiya-dhamma. Nibbana, the highest spiritual attainment of Buddhism is the condition in which greed, hatred and ignorance are to be absent. Greed, hatred, and ignorance are descried as Akusala while the absence of them is described as Kusala. Kusala, unlike Pubba is not to be discarded, but to be cultivated.”

According to commentarial explanation, Kusala means the shaking and destruction of contemptible evil habits. There are three roots relevant to all wholesome actions are Alobha (non-greed), Adosa (non-hatred) and Amoha (non-ignorance). The wholesome mental states, which have these three basic characteristics, and three more special characteristics: mental health, faultlessness, and skillfulness. These three virtues always set the individual free from entanglements and direct him towards renunciation and wisdom.

The Buddhist ethical life, which is introduced through Kusala, can be understood in two ways: the wholesomeness of person who is free from defilement and the person who has not eradicated the defilements completely. The ultimate perfection of Buddhist ethics is the attainment of Nibbana. One who has attained Nibbana is described as one who has eliminated both merit and demerit.

Thus the path that is followed for the attainment of Nibbana is the path that cultivates wholesome actions. The perfection of these Kusalas is Nibbana. The person who has realized Nibbana is one who has perfected him by the cultivation of Kusalas. So Pubba is associated with the continuity in Sajsara while the Kusala is associated with the ending of Sajsara.