Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

3.6.9      The Result of Unwholesome and Wholesome Actions – part two¹

Here, young man, a certain person (woman or man) is often prone to anger and annoyance. If corrected even a little he gets equally angry, agitated, and obstinate and he rolls in anger, hatred and bitterness. Because he undertakes and performs such kind of actions, after the breakage of the body (death), he reappears in the lower fields, in states of suffering, perdition and hell. In case after the breakage of the body (death), he does not reappear in the lower fields, in states of suffering, perdition and hell then he arrives in the human field. Wherever he appears, his appearance will be ugly. Such, young man, is the conduct that results in unsightliness: – one is often prone to anger and annoyance. If corrected even a little only one gets equally angry, agitated, obstinate and one rolls in anger, hatred and bitterness

Further, young man, a certain woman or a man is not prone to anger and annoyance. Even if criticised a lot he doesn’t turn equally angry, agitated, and obstinate and he does not roll in anger, hatred and bitterness. Because he undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body (death), he reappears in higher fields, in heavenly spheres. In case after the breakage of the body he does not reappear in higher fields, in heavenly spheres, then he arrives in the human world. Wherever he appears, his appearance will be graceful. Such, young man, is the conduct that results in beauty: – one is not prone to anger and annoyance. Even if criticised a lot one does not turn angry, agitated, and obstinate and one doesn’t roll in anger, hatred and bitterness.

Here, young man, a certain woman or a man is one who is of jealous character; he envies and grudges the gain, honor, respect, esteem, reverence or veneration received by others - all that he is covetous of. Because he undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body, (death) he reappears in the lower fields, in the states of misery. In case after the breakage of the body, he does not reappear in the lower fields, in the states of misery, then he arrives in the human field. Wherever he appears, he 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, honor, 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, he doesn’t envy and begrudge the gain, honor, respect, esteem, reverence or veneration received by others - all that he doesn’t covet. Because he undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body, he reappears in higher fields, in heavenly spheres. In case after the breakage of the body, after death  he does not reappear in higher fields, in heavenly spheres then he arrives in the human world. Wherever he appears, he will be influential. Such, young man, is the conduct that is conducive to being influential, that is – one doesn’t envy and begrude the gain, honor, 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 he undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body, (death) he reappears in the lower fields, in the states of misery. In case after the breakage of the body, he does not reappear in the lower fields, in the steates of misery, then he arrives in the human field. Wherever he appears, he 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 he undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body, (death) he reappears in higher fields, in heavenly spheres. In case after the breakage of the body, he does not reappear in higher fields, in heavenly spheres then he arrives in the human world. Wherever he appears, he 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 -  he pays no homage when he should pay homage; he does not rise in order to pay respect when he should rise and pay respect; he doesn’t offer a seat to those who deserve it; he does not give way for those who deserve it; he doesn’t revere those who should be revered; he doesn’t venerate those who should be venerated; he doesn’t honor those who should be honored and he doesn’t esteem those who should be esteemed. Because he undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body (death), he reappears in the lower fields, in the states of misery. In case after the breakage of the body, he does not reappear in the lower fields, in the states of misery, then he arrives in the human field.  Wherever he appears, he 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 honor those who should be honored 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 - he pays homage when he should pay homage; he rises in order to pay respect when he should rise and pay respect; he offers a seat to those who deserve it; he gives way for those who deserve it; he reveres those who should be revered; he venerates those who should be venerated; he honors those who should be honored and he esteems those who should be esteemed. Because he undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body (death), he appears in higher fields, in heavenly spheres. In case after the breakage of the body, he does not reappear in higher fields, in heavenly spheres then he arrives in the human world. Wherever he appears, he 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 honors those who should be honored 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 he undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body (death), he reappears in lower fields, in the states of misery. In case after the breakage of the body, he does not reappear in the lower fields, in the states of misery, then he arrives in the human field. Wherever he appears, he 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 he undertakes and performs such kind of actions after the breakage of the body (death), he reappears in higher fields, in heavenly spheres. In case after the breakage of the body, after death he does not reappear in higher fields, in heavenly spheres then he arrives in the human world. Wherever he appears, he 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!”