How to be beautiful: KARMA (sutra)

Popcornews.com; Ashley Wells, Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.) based on Ven. Thanissaro/Geoffrey DeGraff (trans.), Ittha Sutra: "What is Welcome" (AN 5.43, accesstoinsight.org), Wisdom Quarterly

These two Instagram models were once voted the "most beautiful twins in the world" (PNC).*

The Clements kids have karma coming to fruition (phala) to be beautiful (popcornews.com).

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I wish there were a website to explain karma.

Thus have I heard... Then Anathapindika the rich householder went to the Blessed One, bowed, and sat respectfully to one side. Sitting there the Blessed One (the Buddha) said to him:

"Five things, householder, are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, yet hard to gain in the world. What five things?

1. "Long life...
2. beauty...
3. happiness...
4. status (social influence)...
5. rebirth in a superior world [are] welcome, agreeable, pleasant, yet hard to gain in the world.

I just want to be hot. That's my power.

"Now, I make known, these five things are not gained by wishful prayers or bargaining [making vows in exchange for them]. If they were gained in this way, who would not have them?

"So it is not fitting for a disciple of the noble ones (arya = enlightened ones) who desires long life... beauty... happiness... status... or rebirth in a superior world to pray for it or delight in [merely] praying.

I'm Bean. I'm tall and look like Elvis.

"Instead, a disciple of the noble ones who wants [these things] follows a path of practice (karma = intentional actions) leading to [these things]. In so doing, one attains [them], human and/or divine.

Long life, beauty, status, honor,

a superior world, high rebirth:

Those who delight in wishing

for these things in abundance,

continuously, the wise

praise heedfulness in making

merit (good karma).

The wise person, heedful,

acquires two-fold well-being --

in this life and well-being

in the next. By breaking through

to this well-being,

one is called skillful and wise.

What's the "path of practice" for beauty?

Beauty comes from beautifying.

In general terms the path being practiced is one of calm and insight, samadhi and vipassana. It is adhering to the Noble Eightfold Path and more specifically to the Five Precepts, Eight Precepts, or monastic precepts numbering 227 and more or just one, being kind (cultivating the "Four Divine Abidings" or Brahma Viharas of loving-friendliness, active compassion, happiness in others' happiness, and equanimity or an unbiased attitude toward everyone rather than favoring some at the expense of others).

Even more specifically, it is not succumbing to angry thoughts, speech, or physical actions but instead developing the meditative absorptions, which brighten the complexion.

Native American beauty is awesome.

Also important is providing dana or requisites of healthy, nourishing foods, medicinals, clothing, and advice that benefits others' long life, beauty, happiness, status (good reputation), and rebirth in a fortunate destination. Even the offering flowers to enlightened beings or to Buddha statues has the result, because of their awesome store of merit, to bring about the result of beauty. Beauty attracts beauty, here and in worlds beyond, in this lifetime to a small degrees and in many future lifetimes to come.

*Twin beauty queens at birth

The Clements twins have a karma-brother.

As all parents will confirm, having a newborn is challenging. Each new bundle of joy represents one of life’s most magical moments. So parents Jaqi and Kevin Clements, who are not rich, couldn’t have been happier when they discovered they did not have one baby girl but two. In 2010 they welcomed these identical twins sooner than scheduled, beautiful and healthy, and named them Ava Marie and Leah Rose. Their striking looks were noticed. In fact, their unparalleled beauty catapulted them to fame. Dubbed the "world’s most beautiful twins," the Clements girl are taking the modeling world by storm. They’ve already won the hearts of one million followers on Instagram for social media stardom. More