Majjhima Nikāya
3. Upari Paṇṇāsa
4. Vibhaṇga Vagga

Sutta 135

Cūḷa Kamma-Vibhaṇga Suttaṃ

The Succinct Analysis of Kamma

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

[1][gogr][chlm][pts][than][nymo][ntbb][upal] I Hear Tell:

{1} Once Upon a Time the Lucky Man,
Sāvatthi town,
Jeta Grove,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Park
came-a revisiting.

{2} There then the youth Subha, Todeyya's Son,^[1]
drew near The Lucky Man.

Having drawn near Bhagava,
he exchanged friendly greetings with him.

Having made friendly greetings,
having exchanged polite talk,
he took a seat to one side.

Seated to one side then,
the youth Subha, Todeyya's son,
said this to Bhagava:

{3.} [1.1-2] "Good Gotama, what is
the driving force,
what results in
that which is human,
(minding only that which is human life),
being seen as inferior or superior?

[2.1-2] For seen good Gotama
are short-lived humans,
seen are those long-lived;

[2.3-4] Seen are those much-oppressed,
seen are those little-oppressed;

[2.5-6] Seen are those painfully-cast,
seen are those cast-cast-off;

[2.7-8] Seen are those little-appreciated,
seen are those much-appreciated;

[2.9-10] Seen are those of little-wealth,
seen are those of great-wealth;

[2.11-12] Seen are those of low clan,
seen are those of high clan;

[2.13-14] Seen are those of weak wisdom,
seen are those possessed of wisdom.

"Good Gotama, what is
the driving force,
what results in
that which is human,
(minding only that which is human life),
being seen as inferior or superior?

{4.} [1.1-2] "Kamma is one's own, youth,
beings are kamma-heirs,
kamma-wombed,
kamma-descended,
kamma-judged.

It is kamma that divides beings,
that is,
into inferior and superior."

"As to this, then, Good Gotama,
that was spoken succinctly,
I have not fully gained the expanded analysis,
fully gained understanding.

Well for me if Gotama
were to develop that Dhamma he taught.

Whatever the good Gotama taught succinctly,
I would fully gain the expanded analysis,
fully gain understanding."

"Then listen well, youth,
pay attention,
I will explain."

Then, saying "Even so!"
the happy youth Todeyya's Son
responded to Bhagava.

5 [2.1] "Here, youth,
either man or woman
takes the life of breathing things,
is cruel,
bloody-handed,
intent on injuring and killing,
without mercy to any breathing thing.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
Woeful Ways
painful,
ruinatious,
Niriaya Hell.

If at the body breaking up at death
there is not re-arising in
woeful ways,
painful,
ruinatious,
Niriaya Hell,
arriving at the human state,
whithersoever whithersoever,
in the resultant re-birth,
he is of short life-span.

This is the way to a short life-span, youth:
that is to say:
taking the life of breathing things,
being cruel,
bloody-handed,
intent on injuring and killing,
without mercy to any breathing thing.

{6} [2.2] Here further, youth,
either man or woman
has let go of slaughtering living beings,
shrinks from slaughtering living beings,
set-down cruelty,
set-down bloody-handedness,
intention to injure and kill,
one who lives merciful toward all living beings.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
some heaven world.

If at the body breaking up at death
there is not re-arising in
some heaven world
arriving at the human state,
whithersoever whithersoever,
in the resultant re-birth,
he is of long life-span.

This is the way to a long life-span, youth,
that is to say:
letting go of slaughtering living beings,
shrinking from slaughtering living beings,
set-down cruelty,
set-down bloody-handedness
intention to injure and kill,
one who lives merciful toward all living beings.

{7} [2.3] Here, youth,
either man or woman
harasses living creatures
with hand
or stone
or stick
or sword.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
woeful ways,
painful,
ruinatious,
Niriaya Hell.

This is the way to having many illnesses, youth:
that is to say:
harassing living creatures
with hand
or stone
or stick
or sword.

{8} [2.4] Here further, youth,
either man or woman
has let go of harassing living creatures
with hand
or stone
or stick
or sword.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
some heaven world.

If at the body breaking up at death
there is not re-arising in
some heaven world,
arriving at the human state,
whithersoever whithersoever,
in the resultant re-birth,
he has few illnesses.

This is the way to having few illnesses, youth:
that is to say:
not harassing living creatures
with hand
or stone
or stick
or sword.

{9} [2.5] Here, youth,
either man or woman
is wrathful,
easily irritated;
even with little things said by equals
is bad tempered,
agitated,
contrary and,
a back-talker;
is angry
hateful
and resentful
and shows it.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
woeful ways,
painful,
ruinatious,
Niriaya Hell.

This is the way to being ugly, youth:
that is to say:
being wrathful,
easily irritated;
even with little things said by equals
being bad tempered,
agitated,
contrary and,
a back-talker;
being angry
hateful
and resentful
and showing it.

{10} [2.6] Here further, youth,
either man or woman
has let go of wrath,
is not easily irritated;
even with big things said by equals
is not bad tempered,
agitated,
contrary or,
a back-talker;
is not angry
hateful
or resentful
or show it.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
some heaven world.

If at the body breaking up at death
there is not re-arising in
some heaven world,
arriving at the human state,
whithersoever whithersoever,
in the resultant re-birth,
he is good looking.

This is the way to being good looking, youth:
that is to say:
letting go of wrath,
not being easily irritated;
even with big things said by equals
not being bad tempered,
agitated,
contrary or,
a back-talker;
not being angry
hateful
or resentful
or showing it.

{11} [2.7] Here, youth,
either man or woman
is envious,
shows envy
at the reverence,
weighty seriousness,
honor,
respect,
devotion,
gained by others.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
woeful ways,
painful,
ruinatious,
Niriaya Hell.

This is the way to being under appreciated, youth:
that is to say:
being envious,
showing envy
at the reverence,
weighty seriousness,
honor,
respect,
devotion,
gained by others.

{12} [2.8] Here further, youth,
either man or woman
has let go of envy,
does not show envy
at the reverence,
weighty seriousness,
honor,
respect,
devotion,
gained by others.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
some heaven world.

If at the body breaking up at death
there is not re-arising in
some heaven world,
arriving at the human state,
whithersoever whithersoever,
in the resultant re-birth,
he is much appreciated.

This is the way to being much appreciated, youth:
that is to say:
not being envious,
not showing envy
at the reverence,
weighty seriousness,
honor,
respect,
devotion,
gained by others.

{13} [2.9] Here, youth,
either man or woman
is not a giver,
of food,
drink,
clothing,
vehicles,
garlands, perfumes, and ointments,
decent-well-lit habitation,
to shaman or brahmin.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
woeful ways,
painful,
ruinatious,
Niriaya Hell.

This is the way to being of little wealth, youth:
that is to say:
not being a giver,
of food,
drink,
clothing,
vehicles,
garlands, perfumes, and ointments,
decent-well-lit habitation,
to shaman or brahmin.

{14} [2.10] Here further, youth,
either man or woman
is a giver,
of food,
drink,
clothing,
vehicles,
garlands, perfumes, and ointments,
decent-well-lit habitation,
to shaman or brahmin.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
some heaven world.

If at the body breaking up at death
there is not re-arising in
some heaven world,
arriving at the human state,
whithersoever whithersoever,
in the resultant re-birth,
he is of great wealth.

This is the way to being of great wealth, youth:
that is to say:
being a giver,
of food,
drink,
clothing,
vehicles,
garlands, perfumes, and ointments,
decent-well-lit habitation,
to shaman or brahmin.

{15} [2.11] Here, youth,
either man or woman
is hard,
gone-mental;
does not greet
those that should be greeted,
does not rise up from his seat
for those that should be risen up for,
does not give his seat
to one who deserves a seat,^[2]
does not make way
for one who should be differed to,
does not respect
those who should be respected,
does not treat as weighty,
that which should be treated as weighty,
does not honor
that which should be honored,
does not give attention
to that which should be given attention.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
woeful ways,
painful,
ruinatious,
Niriaya Hell.

This is the way to being of a low clan, youth:
that is to say:
being hard,
having gone-mental;
not greeting
those that should be greeted,
not rising up from the seat
for those that should be risen up for,
not giving his seat
to one who deserves a seat,
not making way
for one who should be differed to,
not respecting
those who should be respected,
not treating as weighty,
that which should be treated as weighty,
not honoring
that which should be honored,
not giving attention
to that which should be given attention.

{16} [2.12] Here further, youth,
either man or woman
is not hard,
has not gone-mental;
does greet
those that should be greeted,
does rise up from his seat
for those that should be risen up for,
does give his seat
to one who deserves a seat,
does make way
for one who should be differed to,
does respect
those who should be respected,
does treat as weighty,
that which should be treated as weighty,
does honor
that which should be honored,
does give attention
to that which should be given attention.

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
some heaven world.

If at the body breaking up at death
there is not re-arising in
some heaven world,
arriving at the human state,
whithersoever whithersoever,
in the resultant re-birth,
he is of high clan.

This is the way to being of high clan, youth:
that is to say:
not being hard,
not having gone-mental;
greeting
those that should be greeted,
rising up from his seat
for those that should be risen up for,
giving his seat
to one who deserves a seat,
making way
for one who should be differed to,
respecting
those who should be respected,
treating as weighty,
that which should be treated as weighty,
honoring
that which should be honored,
giving attention
to that which should be given attention.

{17} [2.13] Here, youth,
either man or woman
who, having come into the presence of a shaman or brahman,
does not ask:

'What, bhante, is skillful?

What is unskillful?

What is blameworthy?

What blameless?

How should one practice?

What should one not practice?

If I do what,
will it be for many a day
for my pain and sorrow?

Or if I do what,
will it be for many a day
for my good and happiness?'

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
woeful ways,
painful,
ruinatious,
Niriaya Hell.

This is the way to being of weak wisdom, youth:
that is to say:
having come into the presence of a shaman or brahman,
not asking:

'What, bhante, is skillful?

What is unskillful?

What is blameworthy?

What blameless?

How should one practice?

What should one not practice?

If I do what,
will it be for many a day
for my pain and sorrow?

Or if I do what,
will it be for many a day
for my good and happiness?'

{18} [2.14] Here further, youth,
either man or woman
who, having come into the presence of a shaman or brahman,
does ask:

'What, bhante, is skillful?

What is unskillful?

What is blameworthy?

What blameless?

How should one practice?

What should one not practice?

If I do what,
will it be for many a day
for my pain and sorrow?

Or if I do what,
will it be for many a day
for my good and happiness?'

Because of kamma like that,
thus fully developed,
thus undertaken,
at the body breaking up at death
there is re-arising in
some heaven world.

If at the body breaking up at death
there is not re-arising in
some heaven world,
arriving at the human state,
whithersoever whithersoever,
in the resultant re-birth,
he is of great wisdom.

This is the way to being of great wisdom, youth:
that is to say:
having come into the presence of a shaman or brahman,
amid asking:

'What, bhante, is skillful?

What is unskillful?

What is blameworthy?

What blameless?

How should one practice?

What should one not practice?

If I do what,
will it be for many a day
for my pain and sorrow?

Or if I do what,
will it be for many a day
for my good and happiness?'

{19} [3] So, youth,
the course causing short life-span
leads to shortness of life-span;
the course allowing long life-span
leads to length of life-span;
the course causing many pains
leads to having many illnesses;
the course causing few pains
leads to having few illnesses;
the course creating ugliness
leads to ugliness;
the creating the lovely
leads to beauty;
the course causing the lessening of worth
leads to smallness of account;
the course allowing greatness of account
leads to being of great account;
the course causing poverty,
leads to poverty;
the course bringing wealth
leads to being wealthy;
the course showing disrespect
leads to being low clan;
the course that brings respect
leads to being high clan;
the course conducive to being weak in wisdom
leads to weakness of wisdom;
the course conducive to being of great wisdom
leads to greatness in wisdom.

{20} Kamma is 'one's own', youth,
beings are heirs to their kamma,
kamma is the womb,
kamma is one's ancestors,
kamma is the judge.

It is kamma that divides beings
that is,
into inferior and superior."

{21} And at this, Subha, Todeyya's son, said:

"Excellent Good Gotama! Excellent!

In the same way as if one were to set upright
that which had been upside down;
or as if one were to bring a lamp into the darkness
so that the beings there might see;
in the same way has the Good Gotama set out Dhamma
and made it clear.

I go to the Good Gotama for refuge,
I go to the Dhamma for refuge,
I go to the Order for refuge.

May the Good Gotama accept me
as a lay follower going for refuge
from this day forth
as long as life shall last!"^[3]

^[1] Todeyya was King Pasenadi's spiritual advisor, a rich and grumpy fellow identified as being reborn after death as a dog in his own house. The story of Pasenadi, and his conversion to Buddhism, is just one of many on-going stories one encounters in reading the entire Pāḷi.

^[2] An elder, teacher, newcomer, or one who is infirm. In the USA, for laymen, a woman; but in the case of a Bhikkhu, women should understand that a Bhikkhu would be disrespecting the Dhamma to stand or give his seat to anyone not included in the first list of those to whom one should yield a seat. Women and men are considered equal in this matter.

^[3] This last, a formula, is the ending of numerous suttas. The "Going for Refuge" is used to this day. See The Refuges

Majjhima Nikāya 3. Upari Paṇṇāsa 4. Vibhaṇga Vagga

Sutta 135

Cūḷa Kamma-Vibhaṇga Suttaṃ

The Succinct Analysis of Kamma

See also:

Majjhima Nikāya
3. Upari Paṇṇāsa
4. Vibhaṇga Vagga