3.5.10

Lesson 3.5.10 Cūḷakammavibhaṅgasuttaṃ, Part One – The Result of Unwholesome and Wholesome Actions

A person can never truly understand kamma (skt: karma) within the context of other people. The common phrase, "It's his/her karma," really has nothing to do with the Buddha's explanation: "Kamma is my only possession, I am heir to my kamma, I am born from my kamma, kamma is my relative, kamma is my reconciliation, whatever kamma I perform, wholesome or unwholesome, I will be the heir thereof." While an enlightened being can see the kamma of others (i.e., the arising and passing of other beings), an ordinary person must focus on their own, within their own personal and limited context. By continuously examining one's intentions, one develops an understanding of kamma that leads to kammasakatā sammadiṭṭhi—the right understanding that one is directly responsible for one's actions and their results, which acknowledges a universal moral law that is beneficial for all. The Cūḷakammavibhaṅasutta (‘shorter exposition of kamma’) illustrates this by showing how kamma—the principle of cause and effect related to one’s executed actions—determines human differences in lifespan, well-being, attractiveness, wealth, social standing, and intelligence. This discourse is split in two parts—those explanations more fitting to the chapter of sammā-ājīvo (right livelihood) are introduced in the next chapter 3.6.