English
he is of high birth. This, young man, is the way that leads to high birth, namely – he is not stubborn, not arrogant; he salutes those who should be saluted, he rises for those who should be risen for, he gives a seat to those worthy of a seat, he gives way to those worthy of way, he respects those who should be respected, he reveres those who should be revered, he honors those who should be honored, he worships those who should be worshipped. 296. ‘‘Here, young man, some woman or man, having approached a recluse or brahmin, does not ask – ‘What, venerable sir, is wholesome, what unwholesome; what is blameworthy, what blameless; what should be cultivated, what should not be cultivated; what, if I do it, will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time, or what, if I do it, will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?’ By that action, thus completed, thus undertaken, with the breaking up of the body, after death, he is reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a downfall, hell. If he is not reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a downfall, hell, with the breaking up of the body, after death, if he comes to human existence, wherever he is reborn, he is of dull wisdom. This, young man, is the way that leads to dull wisdom, namely – having approached a recluse or brahmin, he does not ask – ‘What, venerable sir, is wholesome, what unwholesome; what is blameworthy, what blameless; what should be cultivated, what should not be cultivated; what, if I do it, will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time, or what, if I do it, will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?’ ‘‘Here again, young man, some woman or man, having approached a recluse or brahmin, does ask – ‘What, venerable sir, is wholesome, what unwholesome; what is blameworthy, what blameless; what should be cultivated, what should not be cultivated; what, if I do it, will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time, or what, if I do it, will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?’ So t by which action, thus completed, thus undertaken, with the breaking up of the body, after death, he reappears in a good destination, a heavenly world. If he does not reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world, with the breaking up of the body, after death, if he comes to human existence, wherever he is reborn, he is greatly wise. This, young man, is the practice that leads to great wisdom: that is, to approach a recluse or a brahmin and question them: ‘Venerable sir, what is wholesome? What is unwholesome? What is blameworthy? What is blameless? What should be cultivated? What should not be cultivated? What, if I do it, will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time? Or what, if I do it, will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?’ 297. “Thus, young man, the practice leading to a short life brings about a short life; the practice leading to a long life brings about a long life; the practice leading to much illness brings about much illness; the practice leading to little illness brings about little illness; the practice leading to ugliness brings about ugliness; the practice leading to attractiveness brings about attractiveness; the practice leading to little influence brings about little influence; the practice leading to great influence brings about great influence; the practice leading to little wealth brings about little wealth; the practice leading to great wealth brings about great wealth; the practice leading to low birth brings about low birth; the practice leading to high birth brings about high birth; the practice leading to dullness brings about dullness; the practice leading to great wisdom brings about great wisdom. Beings, young man, are owners of their actions, heirs of their actions, born of their actions, bound by their actions, supported by their actions. Action divides beings into inferior and superior.” When this was said, the young man Subha, Todeyya’s son, said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, Venerable Gotama! Excellent, Venerable Gotama! Just as, good Gotama, one might set upright what was overturned, or reveal what was hidden, or show the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the darkness— ‘those with eyes will see forms’; even so has the Dhamma been made clear by the good Gotama in many ways. I go for refuge to the good Gotama, and to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. May the good Gotama remember me as a lay follower, who has gone for refuge from this day forth as long as life lasts. The Cūḷakammavibhaṅgasutta is finished, the fifth. 6. The Mahākammavibhaṅgasutta 298. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Feeding Ground. Now at that time, the venerable Samiddhi was dwelling in a forest hut. Then the wanderer Potaliputta, while walking and wandering for exercise, approached the venerable Samiddhi. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the venerable Samiddhi. Having concluded their courteous and amiable talk, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the wanderer Potaliputta said to the venerable Samiddhi: “I heard this directly from the ascetic Gotama, friend Samiddhi, I received it directly: ‘Bodily action is futile, verbal action is futile, only mental action is true.’ And there is that attainment, having attained which, one feels nothing at all.” “Do not say that, friend Potaliputta; do not slander the Blessed One. It is not good to slander the Blessed One. The Blessed One would not say this: ‘Bodily action is futile, verbal action is futile, only mental action is true.’ But there is that attainment, friend, having attained which, one feels nothing at all.” “How long have you been ordained, friend Samiddhi?” “Not long, friend! Three years.” Now here, what shall we elder monks say, when indeed such a new monk thinks the Teacher should be protected? "Having done intentional action, friend Samiddhi, by body, speech, and mind, what does he experience?" "Having done intentional action, friend Potaliputta, by body, speech, and mind, he experiences suffering." Then indeed the wanderer Potaliputta neither approved nor disapproved of what venerable Samiddhi had said; neither approving nor disapproving, he rose from his seat and departed. 299. Then indeed, venerable Samiddhi, not long after the wanderer Potaliputta had departed, approached venerable Ānanda; having approached, he exchanged greetings with venerable Ānanda. Having exchanged courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, venerable Samiddhi recounted to venerable Ānanda all the conversation he had had with the wanderer Potaliputta. When this was said, venerable Ānanda spoke to venerable Samiddhi thus: "This, friend Samiddhi, is indeed a matter for discussion to see the Blessed One. Come, friend Samiddhi, let us approach the Blessed One; having approached, we will report this matter to the Blessed One. As the Blessed One explains it to us, so shall we remember it." "Yes, friend," venerable Samiddhi replied to venerable Ānanda. Then indeed, venerable Ānanda and venerable Samiddhi approached the Blessed One; having approached, they bowed to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, venerable Ānanda reported to the Blessed One all the conversation that venerable Samiddhi had had with the wanderer Potaliputta. When this was said, the Blessed One spoke to venerable Ānanda thus: "Indeed, Ānanda, I do not even know of having seen the wanderer Potaliputta, much less..." What is the form of conversation? And by this, Ananda, that deluded man Samiddhi answered a question that should have been analytically explained to Potaliputta the wanderer, with a categorical answer.” When this was said, Venerable Udāyī said to the Blessed One: “But, Venerable Sir, did Venerable Samiddhi speak with reference to this: ‘Whatever is felt, that is suffering’?” 300. Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Ananda: “Do you not see, Ananda, the digression of this deluded man Udāyī? I knew, Ananda, ‘Now this deluded man Udāyī, as he emerges, will emerge improperly.’ Right from the start, Ananda, Potaliputta the wanderer had asked about the three feelings. If this deluded man Samiddhi, Ananda, when asked by Potaliputta the wanderer, had answered thus: ‘Having performed a volitional action, friend Potaliputta, by body, speech, or mind, which is to be felt as pleasure, he feels pleasure; having performed a volitional action, friend Potaliputta, by body, speech, or mind, which is to be felt as pain, he feels pain; having performed a volitional action, friend Potaliputta, by body, speech, or mind, which is to be felt as neither pain nor pleasure, he feels neither pain nor pleasure.’ Answering thus, Ananda, that deluded man Samiddhi would have answered Potaliputta the wanderer correctly. But, Ananda, what other wanderers of other sects are foolish and ignorant? And what will they know of the Tathagata’s Great Analysis of Kamma? If you, Ananda, were to hear the Tathagata expounding the Great Analysis of Kamma.” “Now is the time, Blessed One, now is the time, Sugata, for the Blessed One to expound the Great Analysis of Kamma. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will hold it in mind.” "will explain." "Then, Ananda, listen, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," the venerable Ananda replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: "These four persons, Ananda, exist, are found in the world. Which four? Here, Ananda, a certain person here is a killer of living beings, is a taker of what is not given, is a wrongdoer in sensual pleasures, is a speaker of falsehood, is a speaker of divisive speech, is a speaker of harsh speech, is a speaker of idle chatter, is covetous, has a mind of ill-will, has wrong view. He, with the breaking up of the body, after death, reappears in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell.