What is kamma?
Kamma (Sanskrit
- Karma) literally means action of deed. In its ultimate sense Kamma means good
and bad volition (kusala akusala cetanaa). Every volitional action, except that
of a Buddha or of an Arahant, is called Kamma. The Buddha and Arahants do not
accumulate fresh Kamma as they have destroyed all their passions. In other words
Kamma is the law of moral causation. It is action and reaction in the ethical
realm.
Kamma does not necessarily mean past action only; it may be both present
and past actions. It is not fate. Nor is it predestination, which is imposed on
us by some mysterious unknown power to which we must helplessly submit ourselves.
It is one's own doing which reacts on one's own self, and so it is possible for
us to divert the course of our Kamma.
Kamma is action and Vipaaka, fruit, is
its reaction. It is the cause and the effect. Like a mango seed is Kamma, Vipaaka,
effect, is like the mango fruits arising from the tree. The leaves and flowers
are like the Vipaakaanisamsa - inevitable consequences. As we sow, we reap either
in this life or in a future birth. What we reap today is what we have sown either
in the present or in the past.
Kamma is a law in itself. But it does not follow
that there should be a lawgiver. Ordinary laws of nature e.g. gravitation, need
no law-giver. The law of Kamma too demands no lawgiver. It operates in its own
field without the intervention of an external, independent ruling agency. Inherent
in Kamma is the potentiality of producing its due effect. The cause produces the
effect; the effect explains the cause. The seed produces the fruit; the fruit
explains the seed, and both are inter-related. Even so Kamma and its effect are
inter-related; 'the effect already blooms in the cause.'
Kusala Kamma
There
are ten kinds of Kusala kamma or meritorious actions. They are:
(i) Generosity
- Daana, which yields wealth.
(ii) Morality - Siila, which gives birth in noble
families and in states of happiness.
(iii) Meditation - Bhaavanaa, which gives
birth in Realms of Form and Formless Realms, and which tends to gain Higher Knowledge
and Emancipation.
(iv) Reverence - Apacaayana, the cause of noble parentage.
(v)
Service - Veyyaavacca, which tends to produce a large retinue.
(vi) Transference
of merit - Pattidaana, which serves as a cause to give in abundance in future
births.
(vii) Rejoicing in others' merit - Pattaanu Moodanaa, which is productive
of merit wherever one is born.
(viii) Hearing the Doctrine - Dhamma Savana,
which promotes wisdom.
(ix) Expounding the Doctrines - Dhamma Deesanaa, which
promotes wisdom.
(x) Straightening of one's own views - Ditthijju Kamma, which
strengthens one's confidence.
These ten are sometimes treated as twelve. Then
Praising of Others' Good Actions - Pasamsaa is added to Rejoicing in Others' Merit;
and Taking the Three Refuges - Sarana and Mindfulness, Anussati are used instead
of Straightening of One's Views. Praising others' good deeds results in getting
praise to oneself. The seeking of the Three Refuges results in the destruction
of passions. Mindfulness" promotes diverse forms of happiness. The Five Ruupa
Jhaanas and the Four Aruupa jhaana are also regarded as Kusala Kamma pertaining
to the Realms of Form and the Formless Realms respectively.
Akusala Kamma
There
are ten Akusala Kammas or evil actions which are caused by deed, word, and thought.
Three are caused by deed:- namely, killing Paanaatipaata, stealing-Adinnaadaana
and unchastity, Kaameesu. Four are caused by word, namely, lying, Musaavaada,
slandering, Pisunaavaaca, harsh speech Pharusaavaaca, and frivolous talk-Samphappalaapa.
Three are caused by mind, namely, covetousness-Abhijjhaa, ill-will-Vyaapaada,
and false views, Micchaaditthi.
Killing means the destruction of any living
being. The Paali term "Paana" strictly means the psycho-physical life
pertaining to one's particular existence. The speedy destruction of this life
force, without allowing it to run its due course, is Paanaatipaata. Animals are
also included in living beings, but not plants. The following five conditions
are necessary to complete this evil of killing: (i) a being, (ii) consciousness
that it is a being, (iii) intention of killing,
(iv) effort, and (v) consequent
death. The evil effects of killing are: short life, diseasedness, constant grief
caused by separation from the loved, and constant fear.
Five conditions are
necessary to complete the evil of stealing - namely, (i) another's property, (ii)
consciousness that it is so, (iii) intention of stealing, (iv) effort, and (v)
consequent, removal. The evil effects of stealing are: poverty, wretchedness,
unfulfilled desires, and dependent livelihood.
Four conditions are necessary
to complete the evil of unchastity, namely, (i) the mind to enjoy the forbidden
object, (ii) the attempt to enjoy, (iii) devices to obtain, and (iv) possession.
The evil effects of unchastity are having many enemies, getting undesirables wives,
birth as a woman or as an eunuch.
Four conditions are necessary to complete
the evil of lying namely, (I) an untrue thing, (ii) intention to deceive, (iii)
the corresponding effort, (iv) the communication of the matter to others. The
evil effects of lying are being tormented by abusive speech, being subject to
vilification, incredibility, and a stinking mouth.
Four conditions are necessary
to complete the evil of slandering, namely, (i) persons that are to be divided,
(ii) the intention to separate them or the desire to endear oneself to one of
them, (iii) corresponding effort, and (iv) the communication. The evil effect
of slandering is the dissolution of friendship without sufficient cause.
Three
conditions are necessary to complete the evil of harsh speech, namely, (i) a person
to be abused, (ii) angry thought, and (iii) the abuse. The evil effects of harsh
speech are :- being detested by others though absolutely blameless, and a harsh
voice.
Two conditions are necessary to complete the evil of frivolous talk,
namely, (i) the inclination towards frivolous talk, and (ii) its narration. The
evil effects of frivolous talk are:- defective bodily organs and incredible speech.
Covetousness
has the characteristic mark of thinking "Ah, would this property were mine!
The two conditions necessary to complete this evil are: (I) another's property
and (ii) adverting to it, saying: "Would this be mine!" The evil effect
of covetousness is non-fulfilment of' one's wishes.
Two conditions are necessary
to complete the evil of ill-will namely, (I) another being, and (ii) the thought
of doing harm. The evil effects of ill-will are ugliness, manifold diseases, and
a detestable nature. False view is seeing things wrongly. False beliefs, like
the denial of the efficacy of deeds etc., are also included in this evil.
Two
conditions are necessary to complete this evil, namely, (i) perverted manner in
which the object is viewed, and (ii) the understanding of it according to that
misconception. The evil effects of false view are base attachment, lack of wisdom,
dull wit, chronic diseases and blameworthy idea.
The Cause of Kamma
Not
knowing things as they truly are does one accumulate Kamma. No Kamma is accumulated
by one who has completely eradicated craving and has understood things as they
truly are. Ignorance -Avijjaa and craving - ta"nhaa are the chief causes
of Kamma.
The Doer of Kamma
Who is the doer of Kamma? Who reaps the fruit
of Kamma? Says the Venerable Buddhaghoosa in the Visuddhi Magga:
No doer is
there who does the deed,
Nor is there one who feels the fruit.
In the ultimate
sense a Buddhist cannot conceive of any unchanging entity, any being in the form
of a Deva, a man, or an animal. These forms are merely the temporary manifestations
of the Kammic force. The term "being" is only used for conventional
purposes. Strictly speaking what we call "a being" is only composed
of mind and matter.
Buddhists believe that there is no actor apart from action,
no perceiver apart from perception, no conscious subject behind consciousness.
Volition or will-cetanaa, is itself the doer of Kamma. Apart from these mental
states, there is none to sow and none to reap.
Where is Kamma?
"Where,
Venerable Sir, is Kamma?" questions King Milinda of the Venerable Naagaseena.
"0 Mahaaraaja," replies the Venerable Naagaseena, "Kamma is not
stored somewhere in this fleeting consciousness or in any other part of the body.
But dependent on mind and matter, it rests, manifesting itself at the opportune
moment, just as mangoes are not said to be stored somewhere in the mango tree,
but dependent on the mango tree they lie springing up in due season."
Just
as wind or fire is not stored in any particular place, even so Kamma is not stored
anywhere within or without the body. Kamma is an individual force which is transmitted
from one existence to another.
Classification of Kamma
There are moral and
immoral actions which may produce their ' due effects in this very life. They
are called immediately Effective - Dittha Dhamma Veedaniiya Kamma." If they
do not operate in this life, they become "ineffective - ahoosi."
There
are some actions, which may produce their effects in a subsequent life. They are
termed "Subsequently Effective - Upapajja Veedaniya Kamma." They too
become ineffective if they do not operate in the second birth. Those actions may
produce their effects in any life in the course of one's wandering in Samsaara,
are known as Indefinitely Effective -Aparaapariya Vedaniya kamma." This classification
of Kamma is with reference to the time in which effects are worked out. There
are four classes of Kamma according to Function - Kicca. Every birth is conditioned
by past good and bad Kamma that predominates at the moment of death. The Kamma
that conditions the future birth is called "Reproductive - janaka Kamma."
Now
another Kamma may step forward to assist or maintain the action of this Reproductive
Kamma. Just as this Kamma has the tendency to strengthen the Reproductive Kamma,
some other action which tends to weaken, interrupt, the fruition of the Reproductive
Kamma may step in. Such actions are respectively termed "SupportiveUpatthambhaka
Kamma" and "Counteractive Upapidaka Kamma."
According to the
law of Kamma, the potential energy of the Reproductive Kamma could be nullified
by a more powerful opposing Kamma of the past, which, seeking an opportunity,
may quite unexpectedly operate, just as a powerful opposing force can check the
path of the flying arrow and bring it down to the ground. Such an action is called
"Destructive - Upaghaataka Kamma," which is more effective than Supportive
and Counteractive Kamma in that it not only obstructs but also destroys the whole
force.
There are four classes of Kamma according to the priority of effect.
The first is Garuka, which means weighty or serious. This Kamma, which is either
good or bad, produces results in this life, or in the next for certain. If good,
it is purely mental as in the case of jhaanas - Ecstasies. Otherwise it is verbal
or bodily.
The five kinds of Weighty Kamma are: (i) Matricide, (ii) Parricide,
(iii) the murder of an Arahant, (iv) the Wounding of a Buddha, (v) the Creation
of a Schism in the Sangha. Permanent Scepticism - Niyata Micchaaditthi is also
termed one of the Weighty Kammas.
In the absence of a Weighty Kamma to condition
the next birth, a death-proximate Kamma - Aasanna might operate. This is the Kamma
one does immediately before the dying moment. Habitual - Aacinna Kamma is the
next in priority of effect. It is the Kamma that one habitually performs and recollects
and for which one has a great liking. The fourth is the "Cumulative - Katattaa
Kamma," which embraces all that cannot be included in the above three. This
is as it were the reserve fund of a particular being.
The last classification
is according to the place in which the Kamma effects transpire, namely:
(i)
Evil Kamma - Akusala, which may ripen in the Sentient Plane - Kaamalooka.
(ii)
Good Kamma - Kusala, which may ripen in the Sentient Plane.
(iii) Good Kamma,
which may ripen in the Realm of Form - Ruupaalooka.
(iv) Good Kamma, which
may ripen in the Formless Realms - Aruupaalooka.
Is Everything due to Kamma?
Although
Buddhism attributes the inequality of mankind to Kamma as one of the chief causes
amongst a variety, yet it does not assert that everything is due to Kamma. If
everything is due to Kamma, a person would always be bad if it was his Kamma to
be bad. One would not need to consult a physician to be cured of a disease; for
if one's Kamma was such, one would be cured.
According to Buddhism there are
five orders or processes - niyaamas which operate in the physical and mental realms.
(i)
Utu niyaamas: Physical inorganic order; e.g., the seasonal phenomena of winds
and rains, the unerring order of seasons, characteristic seasonal changes and
events, the causes of wind and rains, the nature of heat etc.
(ii) Bija niyaamas:
Physical organic order; order of, germs and seeds; e.g., rice produced from rice
seed, sugar taste resulting from sugar-cane or honey, the peculiar characteristics
of certain fruits, etc. The scientific theory of cells and genes a . nd the physical
similarity of twins may be ascribed to this order.
(iii) Kamma niyaamas: Order
of act and result; e.g., desirable and undesirable acts produce corresponding
good and bad results. As surely as water seeks its own level, so does Kamma, given
opportunity, produce its inevitable result - not in the form of reward or punishment
but as an innate sequence. This sequence of deed and effect is as natural and
necessary as the way of the sun and the moon.
(iv) Dhamma niyaamas: Order of
the norm; e.g., the natural phenomena occurring at the advent of a Bodhisatta
in his last birth. Gravitation and other similar laws of nature, the reason for
being good, and so forth, may be included in this group.
(v) Citta niyaamas:
order of mind or psychic law; e.g., processes of consciousness, arising and perishing
of consciousness, constituents of consciousness, power of mind, etc. Telepathy,
telesthesia, retrocognition, premonition, clairvoyance, clairaudience, thought
reading all psychic phenomena which are inexplicable to modern science are included
in this class.
Every mental or physical phenomenon could be explained by these
all-embracing five orders or processes which are laws in themselves.
It is
this doctrine of Kamma that gives consolation, hope, self-reliance, and moral
courage to a Buddhist. This belief in Kamma "validates his effort and kindles
his enthusiasm" because it teaches individual responsibility. This law of
Kamma explains the problem of suffering, the mystery of so-called fate and predestination
of other religions, and above all the inequality of mankind.