FOURFOLD KAMMA
IN ORDER TO gain a clearer understanding of the role of kammain dying and rebirth, a holistic introduction to the nature ofkamma and some of its various aspects would be helpful. As thesubject of kamma is both profound and complex, a ratheracademic approach has been adopted here which, I hope, willnot deter or discourage the general reader. However, if the following discussion is too dry, technical or boring, this chaptercould be set aside and returned to subsequently.
THE NATURE OF KAMMA
The word kamma means literally action or deed, but in the Buddha’s teaching it refers exclusively to volitional action. From a technical standpoint, kamma denotes wholesome or unwholesome volition (cetanà), volition being the factor responsible for action. Thus the Buddha declares: “It is volition, monks, that I call kamma, for having willed, one performs an action through body, speech or mind.” All volitional action, except that of a Buddha or an arahant, constitutes kamma. As mentioned in the last chapter, although volition arises and passes away together with its citta, the kammic potential created by it does not dissipate until it has given its appropriate effect or becomes defunct. Buddhas and arahants are bound to experience the ripening of their past kamma as long as their psycho-physical personalities persist, that is, until they pass away. The law of kamma (kammaniyàma) is self-subsistent in its
operation, ensuring that willed deeds produce their effects in accordance with their ethical quality just as surely as seeds bear fruit in accordance with their species. The direct products of kamma are the resultant cittas that arise when kamma finds the right conditions to bear fruit. Kamma also produces a distinct type of matter in the organic bodies of living beings, called kammaborn matter, which was briefly explained in the preceding chapter.
SOME ASPECTS OF KAMMA
By applying four different methods of analysis, kamma can be classified into four fourfold divisions, making sixteen types of kamma in all. A summary of this is given in Diagram 3, and followed by a detailed explanation.
1 BY WAY OF FUNCTION
Kammas perform different functions (kicca), of which four arementioned here. Any kamma, under different circumstances,can perform any or several of these functions.
1.1 Productive (janaka) kamma is wholesome or unwholesomevolition which produces resultant cittas and kamma-born matter, both at the moment of rebirth-linking and during the course of existence. At the moment of conception, productive kamma generates the rebirth-linking citta and the kamma-born types of matter constituting the physical body of the new being. During the course of existence, it produces other resultant cittas and kammaborn matter, such as the sense faculties, gender, and the heart-base (the seat of consciousness, which is different from the anatomical heart). Only a kamma that has attained the status of a full course of action can perform the function of producing rebirth-linking, but all wholesome and unwholesome kammas without exception can produce results during the course of existence.
1.2 Supportive (upatthambhaka) kamma is kamma which does not gain an opportunity to produce its own result, but which, when some other kamma is exercising a productive function, supports it, either by enabling it to produce its pleasant or painful results over an extended time without obstruction, or by reinforcing the results produced by another kamma. For example, when through the productive function of wholesome kamma one is reborn as a human being, supportive kamma may contribute to the extension of one’s life-span and ensure that one is healthy and well provided with the necessities of life. When an unwholesome kamma has exercised its productive function by causing a painful disease, other unwholesome kammas may support it by preventing medicines from working effectively, thereby prolonging the disease. When a being has been reborn as an animal through the productive force of unwholesome kamma, supportive kamma may facilitate the ripening of more unwholesome kamma productive of painful results, and may also lead to an extension of the life-span so that the continuity of unwholesome resultants will long endure.
1.3 Obstructive (upapãëaka) kamma is kamma which cannot produce its own result but nevertheless obstructs and frustrates some other kamma, countering its efficacy or shortening the duration of its pleasant or painful results. Even though a productive kamma may be strong at the time it is accumulated, an obstructive kamma directly opposed to it may counteract it so that it becomes impaired when producing its results. For example, a wholesome kamma tending to produce rebirth in a superior plane of
existence may be impeded by an obstructive kamma so that it generates rebirth in a lower plane. A kamma tending to produce rebirth among high families may produce rebirth among low families; kamma tending to produce beauty may produce a plain appearance, etc. In the opposite way, an unwholesome kamma tending to
produce rebirth in the great hells may be counteracted by an obstructive wholesome kamma and produce rebirth in the minor hell or among the petas [departed ones]. During the course of existence, many instances may be found of the operation of obstructive kamma. In the human realm, such kamma will obstruct the good results produced by wholesome kamma, facilitating the maturation of unwholesome kamma that results in suffering and causing failures with regard to property and wealth, or family and friends. In the lower realms, obstructive kamma may counteract the unwholesome rebirthproducing kamma, contributing to occasions of ease and happiness.
1.4 Destructive (upaghàñaka) kamma is wholesome or unwholesome kamma which supplants another weaker kamma, prevents it from ripening, and produces instead its own result. For example, somebody born as a human being may, through his or her productive kamma, have been originally destined for a long life-span, but a destructive kamma may arise and bring about a premature death. At the time of death, at first a sign of a bad destination may appear by the power of an evil kamma, heralding a bad rebirth, but then a good kamma may emerge, expel the bad kamma and having caused the sign of a good destination to appear, produce rebirth in a heavenly world (see “Dying Perceptions,” , for an explanation of sign of destiny). On the other hand, a bad kamma may suddenly arise, cut off the productive potential of a good kamma, and generate rebirth in a woeful realm.
According to Ledi Sayadaw (a renowned Abhidhamma Master of Burma who lived from 1846 to 1923), destructive kamma can also be responsible for cutting off the efficacy of any of the sense faculties—the eye, ear, etc.—causing blindness or deafness, sexual mutation, etc.
The Vibhàvinã òãkà (the sub-commentary to Abhidhammatthasaïgaha, The Manual of Abhidhamma) distinguishes between productive kamma and destructive kamma on the ground that productive kamma produces its result without cutting off the result of some other kamma, while destructive kamma does so after first cutting off another kamma’s result. But other teachers cited by the Vibhàvinã hold that destructive kamma does not produce its own result at all; it completely cuts off the result of the other
kamma, giving still a third kamma the opportunity to ripen. Ledi Sayadaw gives the example of intentional killing to illustrate how one kamma may exercise all four functions. When a person takes another’s life, as long as the volition of killing does not have the opportunity to ripen, it exercises any of the other three functions: it may support the ripening of other unwholesome kamma; or obstruct the ripening of other wholesome kamma; or cut off entirely the efficacy of wholesome kamma. When the act of killing secures the opportunity to ripen, then each volition involved in the act has the power to produce one rebirth in the woeful planes; thereafter, such volition has no further power to produce rebirth-linking. However, such kamma can continue to exercise the other three functions, as well as the function of producing results during the course of existence, even for a hundred thousand aeons or more into the future (see pp. 9-10 for the kammic potential created by volition).
IN ORDER TO gain a clearer understanding of the role of kammain dying and rebirth, a holistic introduction to the nature ofkamma and some of its various aspects would be helpful. As thesubject of kamma is both profound and complex, a ratheracademic approach has been adopted here which, I hope, willnot deter or discourage the general reader. However, if the following discussion is too dry, technical or boring, this chaptercould be set aside and returned to subsequently.
THE NATURE OF KAMMA
The word kamma means literally action or deed, but in the Buddha’s teaching it refers exclusively to volitional action. From a technical standpoint, kamma denotes wholesome or unwholesome volition (cetanà), volition being the factor responsible for action. Thus the Buddha declares: “It is volition, monks, that I call kamma, for having willed, one performs an action through body, speech or mind.” All volitional action, except that of a Buddha or an arahant, constitutes kamma. As mentioned in the last chapter, although volition arises and passes away together with its citta, the kammic potential created by it does not dissipate until it has given its appropriate effect or becomes defunct. Buddhas and arahants are bound to experience the ripening of their past kamma as long as their psycho-physical personalities persist, that is, until they pass away. The law of kamma (kammaniyàma) is self-subsistent in its
operation, ensuring that willed deeds produce their effects in accordance with their ethical quality just as surely as seeds bear fruit in accordance with their species. The direct products of kamma are the resultant cittas that arise when kamma finds the right conditions to bear fruit. Kamma also produces a distinct type of matter in the organic bodies of living beings, called kammaborn matter, which was briefly explained in the preceding chapter.
SOME ASPECTS OF KAMMA
By applying four different methods of analysis, kamma can be classified into four fourfold divisions, making sixteen types of kamma in all. A summary of this is given in Diagram 3, and followed by a detailed explanation.
1 BY WAY OF FUNCTION
Kammas perform different functions (kicca), of which four arementioned here. Any kamma, under different circumstances,can perform any or several of these functions.
1.1 Productive (janaka) kamma is wholesome or unwholesomevolition which produces resultant cittas and kamma-born matter, both at the moment of rebirth-linking and during the course of existence. At the moment of conception, productive kamma generates the rebirth-linking citta and the kamma-born types of matter constituting the physical body of the new being. During the course of existence, it produces other resultant cittas and kammaborn matter, such as the sense faculties, gender, and the heart-base (the seat of consciousness, which is different from the anatomical heart). Only a kamma that has attained the status of a full course of action can perform the function of producing rebirth-linking, but all wholesome and unwholesome kammas without exception can produce results during the course of existence.
1.2 Supportive (upatthambhaka) kamma is kamma which does not gain an opportunity to produce its own result, but which, when some other kamma is exercising a productive function, supports it, either by enabling it to produce its pleasant or painful results over an extended time without obstruction, or by reinforcing the results produced by another kamma. For example, when through the productive function of wholesome kamma one is reborn as a human being, supportive kamma may contribute to the extension of one’s life-span and ensure that one is healthy and well provided with the necessities of life. When an unwholesome kamma has exercised its productive function by causing a painful disease, other unwholesome kammas may support it by preventing medicines from working effectively, thereby prolonging the disease. When a being has been reborn as an animal through the productive force of unwholesome kamma, supportive kamma may facilitate the ripening of more unwholesome kamma productive of painful results, and may also lead to an extension of the life-span so that the continuity of unwholesome resultants will long endure.
1.3 Obstructive (upapãëaka) kamma is kamma which cannot produce its own result but nevertheless obstructs and frustrates some other kamma, countering its efficacy or shortening the duration of its pleasant or painful results. Even though a productive kamma may be strong at the time it is accumulated, an obstructive kamma directly opposed to it may counteract it so that it becomes impaired when producing its results. For example, a wholesome kamma tending to produce rebirth in a superior plane of
existence may be impeded by an obstructive kamma so that it generates rebirth in a lower plane. A kamma tending to produce rebirth among high families may produce rebirth among low families; kamma tending to produce beauty may produce a plain appearance, etc. In the opposite way, an unwholesome kamma tending to
produce rebirth in the great hells may be counteracted by an obstructive wholesome kamma and produce rebirth in the minor hell or among the petas [departed ones]. During the course of existence, many instances may be found of the operation of obstructive kamma. In the human realm, such kamma will obstruct the good results produced by wholesome kamma, facilitating the maturation of unwholesome kamma that results in suffering and causing failures with regard to property and wealth, or family and friends. In the lower realms, obstructive kamma may counteract the unwholesome rebirthproducing kamma, contributing to occasions of ease and happiness.
1.4 Destructive (upaghàñaka) kamma is wholesome or unwholesome kamma which supplants another weaker kamma, prevents it from ripening, and produces instead its own result. For example, somebody born as a human being may, through his or her productive kamma, have been originally destined for a long life-span, but a destructive kamma may arise and bring about a premature death. At the time of death, at first a sign of a bad destination may appear by the power of an evil kamma, heralding a bad rebirth, but then a good kamma may emerge, expel the bad kamma and having caused the sign of a good destination to appear, produce rebirth in a heavenly world (see “Dying Perceptions,” , for an explanation of sign of destiny). On the other hand, a bad kamma may suddenly arise, cut off the productive potential of a good kamma, and generate rebirth in a woeful realm.
According to Ledi Sayadaw (a renowned Abhidhamma Master of Burma who lived from 1846 to 1923), destructive kamma can also be responsible for cutting off the efficacy of any of the sense faculties—the eye, ear, etc.—causing blindness or deafness, sexual mutation, etc.
The Vibhàvinã òãkà (the sub-commentary to Abhidhammatthasaïgaha, The Manual of Abhidhamma) distinguishes between productive kamma and destructive kamma on the ground that productive kamma produces its result without cutting off the result of some other kamma, while destructive kamma does so after first cutting off another kamma’s result. But other teachers cited by the Vibhàvinã hold that destructive kamma does not produce its own result at all; it completely cuts off the result of the other
kamma, giving still a third kamma the opportunity to ripen. Ledi Sayadaw gives the example of intentional killing to illustrate how one kamma may exercise all four functions. When a person takes another’s life, as long as the volition of killing does not have the opportunity to ripen, it exercises any of the other three functions: it may support the ripening of other unwholesome kamma; or obstruct the ripening of other wholesome kamma; or cut off entirely the efficacy of wholesome kamma. When the act of killing secures the opportunity to ripen, then each volition involved in the act has the power to produce one rebirth in the woeful planes; thereafter, such volition has no further power to produce rebirth-linking. However, such kamma can continue to exercise the other three functions, as well as the function of producing results during the course of existence, even for a hundred thousand aeons or more into the future (see pp. 9-10 for the kammic potential created by volition).
