English
sweeping away little water. Thus indeed, it is called "heavy". If that is absent, among distant and proximate, that which is proximate, remembered at the time of death, that alone ripens first. If done at the proximate time, there is nothing to be said. If that too is absent, among habitual and non-habitual, that which is habitual, be it good conduct or bad conduct, that alone ripens first. But kamma merely done, having gained opportunity, in the absence of the former, draws forth rebirth. Thus, heavy kamma ripens first of all. If heavy is absent, then proximate. If that too is absent, then habitual. If that too is absent, then kamma merely done. Therefore it is said, "by way of giving fruit," meaning, "by the sequence of giving results." However, in Abhidhammāvatāra and others, habitual kamma is said to ripen first, before proximate kamma. Just as when the gate of a cattle pen, full of a herd of cows, is opened, even if there are trained, strong, and powerful cows in the back, whoever is near the gate of the pen, even a weak, old, decrepit cow, that one exits first. Similarly, even if other wholesome and unwholesome kammas exist, besides heavy kamma, due to its proximity to the time of death, the proximate kamma alone gives its result first. Therefore, it is stated first here. 52. 'Seen-state' (Diṭṭhadhamma) is the present existence, directly experienced. That which is to be experienced there, by way of experiencing results, is 'kamma ripening in the seen-state'. That which is to be experienced, having arisen immediately after the seen-state, is 'kamma ripening in the next existence'. That which is to be experienced, in any other existence, after the seen-state, is 'kamma ripening in later existences'. Kamma that merely was, but its result was not, is not, and will not be, such kamma is called 'kamma that is ineffective'. There, by its opponents, not overcome... Due to its being established, and due to its having attained a strong state through the distinction it has gained from a specific condition, the first javana volition, which is exceedingly powerful by reason of such a prior formation, and which yields fruit in that very existence, is called 'immediately effective karma'. For this karma, as described, due to its arising through acts of help or harm in the continuum of powerful beings endowed with special qualities, and due to its slight ripeness from repeated practice, is not like the other two, which depend on the cessation of the existing continuum or on the opportunity to arise. Thus, in this very existence, it yields only a fruit of activity, like a mere flower, an unconditioned result. But the seventh javana volition, which is the concluding volition, having gained distinction in the manner described, and yielding fruit in the immediately succeeding existence, is called 'subsequently effective karma'. And this yields the fruit of activity only after giving rebirth. There is no case where it yields the fruit of activity without giving rebirth. For the opportunity for subsequently effective karma is immediately after death. But the teachers say that when rebirth has been given, it yields the fruit of activity even for a hundred existences. The five volitions occurring in the middle of the initial and final volitions, not having attained the state of immediately effective karma, etc., due to the absence of the aforementioned reasons, and whose nature of yielding fruit is not cut off, when an opportunity arises at any time, produce fruit in rebirth and activity, and are called 'indefinitely effective karma'. But the former two karmas, whose respective times have passed, and the third karma, when the continuum of transmigration is cut off, are called 'ineffective karma'. By reason of the time of ripening: This refers to the former three karmas by reason of their respectively defined times —in the present, in the next existence, or at any time— and to the latter karma by reason of the absence of such a time. For the term 'ineffective karma' arises from the passing of its time. 53. By reason of the place of ripening: This refers to the realm in which rebirth ripens. 54. Now, to show the arising of unwholesome and other karmas through the doors of bodily action, etc., and to indicate their ten kinds of divisions, such as taking life, by means of their designation, the section beginning "Therein, unwholesome..." is commenced. Action occurring through the body-door is bodily action. Similarly, verbal action, and so on. 55. To cause a being to fall excessively, without allowing it to fall gently, is taking life. Taking what is not given, by body or speech, is taking what is not given. Wrong conduct in sensual pleasures, which is transgression in sexual intercourse, is wrong conduct in sensual pleasures. Here, "being" means a living being in common usage, but in ultimate reality, it is the life faculty. When one perceives a living being as such, the destructive volition that arises from an application aimed at severing the life faculty is taking life. When one perceives another's property as such, the thieving volition that arises from an application aimed at taking it is taking what is not given. Wrong conduct in sensual pleasures is the volition of transgression in forbidden places, occurring through the body-door by way of unwholesome indulgence. They say that drinking intoxicants is also included here, because it is wrong conduct in sensual pleasures, which are called tastes. The body-door, which is called bodily intimation, is so called because one's intention is made known by the body, and because it is known by the body itself, being a modification of the aggregate of kalāpas (minute particles) dominated by the wind element, which is the cause of progression and so on, and which is generated by the mind, and also because it is the body that moves, being a co-operating cause for stabilizing and so on, and because it is the channel through which actions occur. Although that intimation is generated by the mind-moment associated with that particular action, nevertheless, when it occurs in that way, the action that generates it is called bodily action and so on. Thus, it can be said to be the channel of occurrence for that very action. If it were merely said, "because it occurs through the body-door," then this objection might arise: "If so, there would be no classification of actions by doors. For an action occurring through the body-door is called 'bodily action,' and the channel of occurrence for bodily action is called 'body-door.' But if one commands another to take life and so on by speech, the bodily action also occurs through the speech-door, so there would be no classification of actions by doors. Similarly, if one performs false speech and so on by bodily gestures, the verbal action also occurs through the body-door, so there would be no classification of doors by actions." To show the classification by common usage, it is said, "b It is said, "from the abundance of action." Bodily action indeed mostly occurs through the body-door, little through the speech-door. Therefore, from mostly occurring through the body-door, the nature of bodily action is established, just as the nature of forest-dwellers is established for forest-dwellers. Similarly, bodily action mostly occurs through the body-door, not other actions. Therefore, from bodily action mostly occurring here, the nature of the body-door is established, just as the nature of a brahmin village is established for a brahmin village. Thus, there is no impediment in the determination of action-doors. This is the intention here. 56. "False" is an unreal thing. "False speech" is that by which they speak of it as real. "Slanderous" grinds up unity, destroys it, scatters it, or makes friendliness empty. "Harsh" makes oneself and others rough, or is rough to the touch like a saw. "Vain" means happiness, and what is beneficial, it bears fruit, spreads, destroys. "Vain talk" is whatever is unhelpful to oneself and others, that by which one prattles. Here, the volition that arises from the application of making known an unreal thing as real, intending to make it known as such, is false speech. This is a path of action only when it causes harm to others; otherwise, it is just action. The defiled volition that arises from the application of speech that causes division, out of a desire to divide others or a desire for one's own pleasure, is slanderous speech. This too is a path of action only when two parties are divided. The exclusively harsh volition that arises from the application of speech that cuts the vitals of others is harsh speech. Indeed, there is no harsh speech when the mind is calm. The defiled volition that arises from the application of making known unhelpful things like the bringing of cold, etc., is vain talk. This, however, is a path of action only when others grasp that unhelpful thing. Through the speech-door, which is called speech-intimation, one makes known one's intention by speech, and one is known by speech. Thus, in the speech-door, which is called speech-intimation, due to the nature of compelling speech, which is a modification of the aggregate of earth element and other elements arising from the mind that produces the application that causes division, and the occurrence of actions... due to its being face-to-face, in the door of action, which is called the door of speech. "Frequently stated" means just as explained. 57. Thinking of another's prosperity face-to-face, thinking of it out of greed, is covetousness. That by which one harms welfare and happiness is ill-will. Seeing wrongly, in a perverted way, is wrong view. Here, "Oh, if only this were mine!" such coveting of another's property is covetousness. That becomes a path of action by the very name of another's property. "Oh, if only this being would perish!" such mental defilement is ill-will. "There is no giving," and so on,