| hose behaviour is in accordance with the Dhamma | | | | one’s “rebirth-becoming” is |
| has the nature of a human being or a deva. He may | | | | one’s result, and cause and result are |
| be said to be free from vice in the present life and he | | | | connected together. |
| need have no fear of going towards misfortune for he | | | | The “kamma which leads to becoming” |
| is sure to attain a state of good fortune. | | | | is classified as follows:- |
| For one who abstains from evil, the teachings of | | | | 1. Heavy (Garuka) Kamma. This is of a severe nature, |
| Buddhism do not say that one will never again do | | | | the results of which take place before the results of |
| wrong things, but the good actions which one has | | | | any other forms of kamma. |
| done give one a good basis of security for the future. | | | | Meritorious kamma, in this category includes the |
| As for one who abstains from evil by abandoning the | | | | practice of the four form (Rupa) Jhanas, and the four |
| tendency to do evil, he must have attained one of the | | | | formless (Arupa) Jhanas. |
| Transcendental-Realms of which the | | | | Demeritorious kamma, in this category includes the five |
| Path-of-Stream-Winning (Sota-Magga) is the first. | | | | henious crimes (Anantarika-Kamma); these being: (A) |
| As for ordinary people (Puthujjana) who have not yet | | | | (B) Murdering one’s Father or Mother, (C) Killing |
| entirely finished with evil; they do some evil and some | | | | an Arahant, (D) Causing a schism in the |
| good, and consequently tend towards both good and | | | | Order(Sangha), (E) In-juring a Buddha so as to draw |
| had fortune. Those who do minor evil deeds, without | | | | blood. |
| breaking the major of-fenses of the law, may not | | | | If we commit any of the five henious crimes, the result |
| experience the evil effects of their actions in the | | | | is bound to be that we go to the Great Hell (Avici) |
| present, and may not be arrested. Even so, they make | | | | without being able to prevent it. |
| their kamma in accordance with their actions. | | | | If we practise the four form or formless Jhanas, of the |
| Kamma is that which gives rise to results; the only one | | | | type which do not deteriorate,1 we are sure to be born |
| who is free of this isthe;,A.rahant,,.who is kamma-free | | | | in the realms of the Brahmas of form (Rupa-Brahma) |
| (Ahosi-Kamma). | | | | or of formlessness (Arupa Brahna), the class |
| Beings of all types will, in time, leave .this Realm and go | | | | depending on one’s attain-ment. |
| towards another.. How can one know for sure, which | | | | If one has not this type of kamma, then one must |
| of the thirty-one Realms one is going to attain ? | | | | examine the second type. |
| In order to know, one must examine one’s | | | | 2. Habitual (Bahula) Kama. This is kamma which is |
| kamma; because one’s “kamma which | | | | repeatedly done. |
| leads to becoming” is linked to one’s | | | | On the side of demerit, it includes for example, the |
| “rebirth becoming” (Uppatti-Bhava), | | | | doing of evil regularly every day without stopping; as |
| which is the realm of becoming that one attains in the | | | | with the person whose means of livelihood is robbery, |
| future. | | | | or trapping, catching and killing, fish, game and animals |
| One’s “kamma which leads to | | | | every day for sale as food; which is sure to lead to |
| becoming” is one’s origin or cause; | | | | the four realms of misfortune. |