Aṅguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
XXI. Karajakāya Vagga
The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha
X. The Book of the Tens
XXI. The Deed-Born Body
Sutta 206 (WP: #217)
Paṭhama Sañcetanika Suttaɱ
Volitional (1)
Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi.
© 2012 Bhikkhu Bodhi
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[1][pts] "Bhikkhus, I do not say that there is a termination of volitional kamma that has been done and accumulated so long as one has not experienced [its results], and that may be in this very life, or in the [next] rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion.
But I do not say that there is making an end of suffering so long as one has not experienced [the results of] volitional kamma that has been done and accumulated.
"As to this, bhikkhus, there is a threefold corruption and failure of bodily kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, having a painful outcome and result; a fourfold corruption and failure of verbal kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, having a painful outcome and result; and a threefold corruption and failure of mental kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, having a painful outcome and result.
"And how, bhikkhus, is there a threefold corruption and failure of bodily kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, having a painful outcome and result?
(1) "Here, someone destroys life.
He is murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings.
(2) "He takes what is not given.
He steals the wealth and property of others in the village or forest.
(3) "He engages in sexual misconduct.
He has sexual relations with women who are protected by their mother, father, mother and father, brother, sister, or relatives; who are protected by their Dhamma; who have a husband; whose violation entails a penalty; or even with one already engaged.
"It is in this way that there is a threefold corruption and failure of bodily kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, having a painful outcome and result.
"And how, bhikkhus, is there a fourfold corruption and failure of verbal kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, having a painful outcome and result?
[293] (4) "Here, someone speaks falsehood.
If he is summoned to a council, to an assembly, to his relatives' presence, to his guild, or to the court, and questioned as a witness thus:
'So, good man, tell what you know,'
then, not knowing, he says, 'I know,'
or knowing, he says, 'I do not know';
not seeing, he says, 'I see,'
or seeing, he says, 'I do not see.'
Thus he consciously speaks falsehood for his own ends, or for another's ends, or for some trifling worldly end.
(5) "He speaks divisively.
Having heard something here, he repeats it elsewhere in order to divide [those people] from these; or having heard something elsewhere, he repeats it to these people in order to divide [them] from those.
Thus he is one who divides those who are united, a creator of divisions, one who enjoys factions, rejoices in factions, delights in factions, a speaker of words that create factions.
(6) "He speaks harshly.
He utters such words as are rough, hard, hurtful to others, offensive to others, bordering on anger, unconducive to concentration.
(7) "He indulges in idle chatter.
He speaks at an improper time, speaks falsely, speaks what is unbeneficial, speaks contrary to the Dhamma and the discipline; at an improper time he speaks such words as are worthless, unreasonable, rambling, and unbeneficial.
"It is in this way that there is a fourfold corruption and failure of verbal kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, having a painful outcome and result.
"And how, bhikkhus, is there a threefold corruption and failure of mental kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, having a painful outcome and result?
(8) "Here, someone is full of longing.
He longs for the wealth and property of others thus:
'Oh, may what belongs to another be mine!'
(9) "He has a mind of ill will and intentions of hate thus:
'May these beings be slain, slaughtered, cut off, destroyed, or annihilated!'
(10) "He holds wrong view and has an incorrect perspective thus:
'There is nothing given, nothing sacrificed, nothing offered;
there is no fruit or result of good and bad actions;
there is no this world, no other world;
there is no mother, no father;
there are no beings spontaneously reborn;
[294] there are in the world no ascetics and brahmins of right conduct and right practice who, having realized this world and the other world for themselves by direct knowledge, make them known to others.'
"It is in this way that there is a threefold corruption and failure of mental kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, having a painful outcome and result.
"It is, bhikkhus, because of the threefold corruption and failure of bodily kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, that with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell; or it is because of the fourfold corruption and failure of verbal kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, that with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell; or it is because of the threefold corruption and failure of mental kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, that with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell.
Just as dice, when thrown upward, will rest firmly wherever they fall, so too, it is because of the threefold corruption and failure of bodily kamma ... or it is because of the fourfold corruption and failure of verbal kamma ... or it is because of the threefold corruption and failure of mental kamma, arisen from unwholesome volition, that with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell.
§
"Bhikkhus, I do not say that there is a termination of volitional kamma that has been done and accumulated so long as one has not experienced [its results], and that may be in this very life, or in the [next] rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion.
But I do not say that there is making an end of suffering so long as one has not experienced [the results of] volitional kamma that has been done and accumulated.
"As to this, bhikkhus, there is a threefold success of bodily kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, having a pleasant outcome and result; a fourfold success of verbal kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, having a pleasant outcome and result; and a threefold success of mental kamma, [295] arisen from wholesome volition, having a pleasant outcome and result.
"And how, bhikkhus, is there a threefold success of bodily kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, having a pleasant outcome and result?
(1) "Here, someone, having abandoned the destruction of life, abstains from the destruction of life.
With the rod and weapon laid aside, conscientious and kindly, he dwells compassionate toward all living beings.
(2) "Having abandoned the taking of what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given.
He does not steal the wealth and property of others in the village or in the forest.
(3) "Having abandoned sexual misconduct, he abstains from sexual misconduct.
He does not have sexual relations with women who are protected by their mother, father, mother and father, brother, sister, or relatives; who are protected by their Dhamma; who have a husband; whose violation entails a penalty; or even with one already engaged.
"It is in this way that there is a threefold success of bodily kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, having a pleasant outcome and result.
"And how, bhikkhus, is there a fourfold success of verbal kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, having a pleasant outcome and result?
(4) "Here, having abandoned false speech, someone abstains from false speech.
If he is summoned to a council, to an assembly, to his relatives' presence, to his guild, or to the court, and questioned as a witness thus:
'So, good man, tell what you know,'
then, not knowing, he says, 'I do not know,'
or knowing, he says, 'I know';
not seeing, he says, 'I do not see,'
or seeing, he says, 'I see.'
Thus he does not consciously speak falsehood for his own ends, or for another's ends, or for some trifling worldly end.
(5) "Having abandoned divisive speech, he abstains from divisive speech.
Having heard something here, he does not repeat it elsewhere in order to divide [those people] from these; or having heard something elsewhere, he does not repeat it to these people in order to divide [them] from those.
Thus he is one who reunites those who are divided, [296] a promoter of unity, who enjoys concord, rejoices in concord, delights in concord, a speaker of words that promote concord.
(6) "Having abandoned harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech.
He speaks such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and lovable, as go to the heart, are courteous, desired by many, and agreeable to many.
(7) "Having abandoned idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter.
He speaks at a proper time, speaks truth, speaks what is beneficial, speaks on the Dhamma and the discipline; at a proper time he speaks such words as are worth recording, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial.
"It is in this way that there is a fourfold success of verbal kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, having a pleasant outcome and result.
"And how, bhikkhus, is there a threefold success of mental kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, having a pleasant outcome and result?
(8) "Here, someone is without longing. He does not long for the wealth and property of others thus:
'Oh, may what belongs to another be mine!'
(9) "He is benevolent and his intentions are free of hate thus:
'May these beings live happily, free from enmity, affliction, and anxiety!'
(10) "He holds right view and has a correct perspective thus:
'There is what is given, sacrificed, and offered;
there is fruit and result of good and bad actions;
there is this world and the other world; there is mother and father; there are beings spontaneously reborn;
there are in the world ascetics and brahmins of right conduct and right practice who, having realized this world and the other world for themselves by direct knowledge, make them known to others.'
"It is in this way that there is a threefold success of mental kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, having a pleasant outcome and result.
"It is, bhikkhus, because of the threefold success of bodily kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, that with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world; or it is because of the fourfold success of verbal kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, that with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world; or it is because of the threefold success of mental kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, that with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.
Just as dice, when thrown upward, will rest firmly wherever they fall, so too, it is because of the threefold success of bodily kamma ... [297] ... or it is because of the fourfold success of verbal kamma ... or it is because of the threefold success of mental kamma, arisen from wholesome volition, that with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.
"Bhikkhus, I do not say that there is a termination of volitional kamma that have been done and accumulated so long as one has not experienced [their results], and that may be in this very life, or in the [next] rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion.
But I do not say that there is making an end of suffering so long as one has not experienced [the results of] volitional kammas that have been done and accumulated."
