Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

“Here, young man, a certain woman or a man is one who is of jealous character; one envies and grudges the gain, honour, respect, esteem, reverence or veneration received by others - all that one is covetous of. Because one undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body, (death) one reappears in the lower fields, in the states of misery. In case after the breakage of the body, one does not reappear in the lower fields, in the states of misery, then one arrives in the human field. Wherever one appears, one will be of low rank. Such, young man, is the conduct that is conducive to being uninfluential, that is – one envies and grudges the gain, honour, respect, esteem, reverence or veneration received by others - all that one is covetous of.

Here, young man, a certain woman or a man has no jealous character, one doesn’t envy and begrudge the gain, honour, respect, esteem, reverence or veneration received by others - all that one doesn’t covet. Because one undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body, one reappears in higher fields, in heavenly spheres. In case after the breakage of the body, after death one does not reappear in higher fields, in heavenly spheres then one arrives in the human world. Wherever one appears, one will be influential. Such, young man, is the conduct that is conducive to being influential, that is – one doesn’t envy and begrudge the gain, honour, respect, esteem, reverence or veneration received by others, all that one doesn’t covet.

Here, young man, a certain woman or a man is one who does not give anything to ascetics or Brahmins, no food nor drink, clothing or vehicles, garlands, scents or perfumes, no bedding, dwelling, nor light. Because one undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body, (death) one reappears in the lower fields, in the states of misery. In case after the breakage of the body, one does not reappear in the lower fields, in the states of misery, then one arrives in the human field. Wherever one appears, one will be poor. Such, young man, is the conduct that leads to poverty, that is – one is not a donor to ascetics or Brahmins, no giver of food or drink, clothing or vehicles, garlands, scents or perfumes, bedding, dwelling or light.

Here, young man, a certain woman or a man supports ascetics or Brahmins, with food or drink, clothing or vehicles, garlands, scents or perfumes, with bedding, dwelling or light. Because one undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body, (death) one reappears in higher fields, in heavenly spheres. In case after the breakage of the body, one does not reappear in higher fields, in heavenly spheres then one arrives in the human world. Wherever one appears, one will be rich. Such, young man, is the conduct that leads to wealth, that is – one is a donor to ascetics or Brahmins, a giver of food or drink, clothing or vehicles, garlands, scents or perfumes, bedding, dwelling or light.

Here, young man, a certain woman or a man is one who is obstinate and arrogant - one pays no homage when one should pay homage; one does not rise in order to pay respect when one should rise and pay respect; one doesn’t offer a seat to those who deserve it; one does not give way for those who deserve it; one doesn’t revere those who should be revered; one doesn’t venerate those who should be venerated; one doesn’t honour those who should be honoured and one doesn’t esteem those who should be esteemed. Because one undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body (death), one reappears in the lower fields, in the states of misery. In case after the breakage of the body, one does not reappear in the lower fields, in the states of misery, then one arrives in the human field. Wherever one appears, one will be low-born. Such, young man, is the conduct conducive to low birth, – that is one who is obstinate and arrogant; one who pays no homage when one should pay homage to; one who does not rise in order to pay respect when one should rise and pay respect; one who doesn’t offer a seat to those who deserve it; one who does not give way for those who deserve it; one who doesn’t revere those who should be revered; one who doesn’t venerate those who should be venerated; one who doesn’t honour those who should be honoured and one who doesn’t esteem those who should be esteemed.

Here, young man, a certain woman or a man is one who is not obstinate or arrogant - one pays homage when he should pay homage; one rises in order to pay respect when one should rise and pay respect; one offers a seat to those who deserve it; one gives way for those who deserve it; one reveres those who should be revered; one venerates those who should be venerated; one honours those who should be honoured and one esteems those who should be esteemed. Because one undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body (death), one appears in higher fields, in heavenly spheres. In case after the breakage of the body, one does not reappear in higher fields, in heavenly spheres then one arrives in the human world. Wherever one appears, one will be high-born. Such, young man, is the conduct conducive to high birth, – that is one who is not obstinate or arrogant; one who pays homage when one should pay homage; one who rises in order to pay respect when one should rise and pay respect; one who offers a seat to those who deserve it; one who gives way for those who deserve it; one who reveres those who should be revered; one who venerates those who should be venerated; one who honours those who should be honoured and one who esteems those who should be esteemed.

Here, young man, a certain woman or a man having approached ascetics or Brahmins, does not enquire: ‘What, Bhante, is wholesome, what is unwholesome? What is blameable, what is blameless? What should be pursued, what should be avoided? Which of my actions will, if performed, lead to disadvantage and suffering for a long time? Which of my actions will, if performed, lead to benefit and well-being for a long time?’ Because one undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body (death), one reappears in lower fields, in the states of misery. In case after the breakage of the body, one does not reappear in the lower fields, in the states of misery, then one arrives in the human field. Wherever one appears, one will be a foolish person. Such, young man, is the conduct that leads to stupidity, that is – one having approached ascetics or Brahmins, does not enquire: ‘What, Bhante, is wholesome, what is unwholesome? What is blameable, what is blameless? What should be pursued, what should be avoided? Which of my actions will, if performed, lead to disadvantage and suffering for a long time? Which of my actions will, if performed, lead to benefit and well-being for a long time?’

Here, young man, a certain woman or a man having approached ascetics or Brahmins, enquires: ‘What, Bhante, is wholesome, what is unwholesome? What is blameable, what is blameless? What should be pursued, what should be avoided? Which of my actions will, if performed, lead to disadvantage and suffering for a long time? Which of my actions will, if performed, lead to benefit and well-being for a long time?’ Because one undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body (death), one reappears in higher fields, in heavenly spheres. In case after the breakage of the body, after death one does not reappear in higher fields, in heavenly spheres then one arrives in the human world. Wherever one appears, one will be an intelligent person. Such, young man, is the conduct that leads to wisdom, that is – one having approached ascetics or Brahmins, enquires: ‘What, Bhante, is wholesome, what is unwholesome? What is blameable, what is blameless? What should be pursued, what should be avoided? Which of my actions will, if performed, lead to disadvantage and suffering for a long time? Which of my actions will, if performed, lead to benefit and well-being for a long time?’

Such, young man, is the conduct that is conducive to a short life, leading to having a short life; such is the conduct that is conducive to a long life leading to having a long life; such is the conduct that is conducive to being sick and ill, leading to poor health; such is the conduct that is conducive to being well and healthy, encountering good health; such is the conduct that is conducive to unsightliness, leading to being ugly; such is the conduct that is conducive to beauty, leading to being graceful; such is the conduct that is conducive to birth in low ranks, leading to being uninfluential; such is the conduct that is conducive to birth in a higher position, leading to being influential; such is the conduct that is conducive to poverty, leading to being poor; such is the conduct that is conducive to wealth, leading to being rich; such is the conduct that is conducive to low birth, leading to being low born; such is the conduct that is conducive to high birth, leading to being high born; such is the conduct that is conducive to stupidity, leading to being foolish; such is the conduct that is conducive to wisdom, leading to being intelligent. Young man, beings are owners of their actions, beings are heirs of their actions, they are born from their kamma, kamma is their relative, kamma is their reconciliation. Whatever actions beings perform, wholesome or unwholesome, qualifies them as inferior or superior!”

* Cūḷakammavibhaṅgasuttaṃ: Cūḷa + kamma + vibhaṅga + suttaṃ: short + kamma + explanation, exposition + suttaṃ.