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produced by another wholesome or unwholesome action that has found an opportunity, and the accumulation of requisites for life, thereby causing it to continue for a longer time. As it is said: For one who is respectful, always honoring the elders; Four qualities increase: life, beauty, happiness, and strength. Here, it should not be said that wholesome action does not support the continuum of aggregates produced by unwholesome action, nor that unwholesome action does not support the continuum of aggregates produced by wholesome action. For even in the case of the continuum of aggregates produced by unwholesome action, such as those of powerful nāgas and supaṇṇas, wholesome action done previously does indeed strengthen it in the manner described during the course of existence. Similarly, in the case of the continuum of aggregates produced by wholesome action, such as those of some fallen asuras, unwholesome action done previously does indeed cause it to continue for a longer time. The oppressive and destructive actions are also wholesome and unwholesome volitions of the kind described. Even though they are generative, they operate by weakening or obstructing another action or the continuum of aggregates produced by action, or by completely cutting them off, either before or after their own turn for fruition, or at the time of taking their turn for fruition. Here, the oppressive ones... Now, the obstruction of an intervening kamma is the weakening of another generative kamma. For kamma, indeed, even if strong at the time of generation, being obstructed by a directly opposing intervening kamma done later, its power is again destroyed. Even if it generates in a higher plane, it generates in a lower plane. Even if it generates among those of great power and might, it generates among those of little power. Similarly, even if it generates in high families, it generates in low families. Even if it generates among those of long life, it generates among those of short life. Even if it generates among those of great wealth, it generates among those of little wealth. Even if it generates male existence, it generates female existence or neuter existence. Even if it generates beauty of complexion, it generates ugliness. Even if it generates perfection of faculties, it generates blindness, or deafness, or any kind of faculty defect. Even if it generates perfection of limbs and minor limbs, it generates defects of limbs like hands and feet. Similarly, even unwholesome kamma generative of great hells at the time of accumulation, being obstructed by strong wholesome kamma done later, generates in the Ussada hells or among hungry ghosts. King Ajātasattu is an example here. Even if it generates in the Ussada hells, among hungry ghosts, or among animals, and so on, all this should be said. Supporting kamma, too, should be understood by its opposite. For thus, kamma, even if weak at the time of action, being supported later by a strong wholesome kamma of the same nature, or by an unwholesome kamma, becomes very strong. The obstruction of the kamma-produced continuity of aggregates is, for a being produced by another kamma, starting from the moment of conception, at any time, having produced various obstacles in the body, or having caused the ruin of possessions of position, land, property, cattle, buffaloes, wealth, grain, enjoyments, and of sons, wives, relatives, and friends, causing the arising of suffering. Indeed, kamma-results are of two kinds: vipāka-result and nisanda-result. Among these, the vipāka-result belongs only to the doer of the kamma. Not to another. The nisanda-result, however, is common even to others. In the Dhammapada, āna The story of Ndaseṭṭhi should be told here. Among the eye and other sense faculties, which are the continuations of karma, by which karma one, or two, or three, or all of them are completely destroyed, as in the case of Cakkhupāla and others, that karma is included in the category of destructive karma (upaghātaka). "Destructive" (upaghātaka) and "cutting off" (upacchedaka) are essentially the same in meaning. Thus, in the Majjhima Commentary, first it is called by the name "cutting off" (upacchedaka), and then it is said that "destructive" (upaghātaka) is also a name for it. In the Aṅguttara Commentary, first it is called by the name "destructive" (upaghātaka), and then it is said that "cutting off" (upacchedaka) is also a name for it. In the Visuddhimagga, in the section on the recollection of death, that same karma is called "cutting-off karma" (kammupacchedaka-kamma). And here, later, it will say "by cutting-off karma" (upacchedakakammunā). The cutting off of other karma by this karma is evident at the time of approaching death. For then, first, by the power of unwholesome karma, when bad destinies appear as omens, wholesome karma then repels them, shows good destinies as omens, and causes rebirth in heaven. When, by the power of wholesome karma, good destinies appear as omens, unwholesome karma then repels them, shows bad destinies as omens, and causes rebirth in a woeful state. The stories of King Duṭṭhagāmaṇi and Soṇatthera's father should be told. In the Aṅguttara Commentary, the path-karma, which destroys wholesome and unwholesome karma, is also said to be karma that cuts off other karma, as in the case of Aṅgulimāla and others. The great karmas attained in this life, by which unwholesome karma is lost, are also rightly included in the category of karma that cuts off other karma, as in the case of Devadatta. The cutting off of the continuity of aggregates produced by karma, however, should be understood in the case of those who, while their life-karma is present in that particular existence, die prematurely, due to the power of some offending karma that has found an opportunity, from the kalala stage onwards, by some disease, or fear, or attack. And here, referring to the supporting and other functions of other karma or the continuity of aggregates produced by karma, the wholesome or unwholesome nature of these four karmas is explained in the Visuddhimagga. And stated in the Aṅguttara Commentary. But in the Majjhima Commentary, in accordance with the sutta to be explained, referring to the support, etc., of the continuity of aggregates produced by kamma, the wholesome nature of the supporter and the unwholesome nature of the oppressor and destroyer are stated. But that [view] is stated as if not approved in the Majjhima Sub-commentary and the Aṅguttara Sub-commentary. But in the Great Sub-commentary, some argument was also made about it. But there, because it is stated in accordance with the sutta to be explained, it should be understood as a distinct Pāli method. And no argument should be made. For in the sutta, "This path, young man, leads to short life, that is, one who is a killer of living beings," and so on, the destroyer is stated only in terms of killing living beings. And the oppressor is stated, "This path, young man, leads to much sickness, that is, one who is of a tormenting nature towards beings," and so on, in terms of harming, etc. And the supporter is stated, "This path, young man, leads to long life." "That is, having abandoned the killing of living beings, one abstains from the killing of living beings," and so on, in terms of abstaining from killing, etc. And all this is in terms of a being who has attained human existence. Thus, a distinct Pāli method should be understood. But in the Great Sub-commentary and the Aṅguttara Sub-commentary, by those who do not desire the supporting of kamma, etc., the generative nature, etc., should be accepted as vipāka (result). It is stated, "Not kamma," as if the destructiveness of vipāka itself is appropriate. By way of function: generating, supporting, oppressing, and destroying – by way of these four functions. Therein, a single volition of killing accomplishes four functions. For as long as it does not obtain an opportunity to ripen, then, among the three functions of supporting, etc., it performs any function for which it has obtained conditions. When it obtains an opportunity to ripen, then, by that single volition, only one rebirth connection occurs. Thus, in the manner stated in the Sāketa Question, it generates one woeful existence. But thereafter, there is no function of generating rebirth connection. Along with the generation of resultant kamma in the course of existence, the other three functions [continue] for hundreds of thousands of existences... Even in a hundred thousand aeons, it certainly brings about (its result). The story of Dhammadinnā, the queen of King Uggasena, should be told here. But when she, before her own karmic result's turn, performs the cutting off of one who has become noble, or even of an ordinary person, or of one endowed with wholesome thoughts. Then, having cut off, she makes an opportunity only for the other karma. She herself does not generate a result. But when she cuts off the continuity of aggregates of one endowed with unwholesome thoughts. Then only, having cut off, she generates her own result. But from the time of once having obtained rebirth, even in many hundreds of thousands of existences, she performs only cutting off and so on. Here, the story of the Elder Mahāmoggallāna, the story of Sāmāvatī, the story of the monk Vaggumudātīriya, and the stories of Dussimāra and King Kalābu should be told. But because this karma called 'cutting off' is frequently found among animals. Therefore, it should not be said that a very strong unwholesome karma is not a 'cutter off' of a weak unwholesome karma, or of the continuity of aggregates produced by unwholesome karma. For that very reason, in the Majjhima Commentary, it is said that when many unwholesome karmas have been accumulated, a strong karma, having prevented the result of a weak karma, makes an opportunity for its own result.