Ajahn Sujato (trans.) MN 41 (suttacentral.org) edited by Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly
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| Shakyamuni Buddha, the Scythian Sage, was not just fully but supremely enlightened. |
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| Karma is an essential part of Buddhism |
The Brahmins and householders of Sālā heard, “It seems the ascetic Gautama — a Sakyan [Scythian], gone forth from a Sakyan family — while wandering in the land of the Kosalans has arrived here at Sālā together with a large company.
“He has this good reputation: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a supremely awakened teacher, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of devas and humans, enlightened, blessed.’ He has realized with his own insight this world — with its devas, māras, and brahmās, this generation with its wandering ascetics and Brahmin priests, devas and humans — and he makes it known to others.
“He proclaims a teaching that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing. He reveals an entirely full and pure spiritual life. It’s good to see such perfected ones.”
Then the Brahmins and householders of Sālā went to the Buddha. Before respectfully sitting down to one side, some bowed, some exchanged greetings and polite conversation, some held up their joined palms toward the Buddha, some announced their name and clan, while some kept silent. Seated to one side they said to the Buddha:
Question
“What is the cause, Master Gautama, what is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, [even in a] hell? And what is the cause, Master Gautama, what is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, [even in] a heavenly realm?”
Answer
“Unprincipled and immoral conduct (karma) is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, [even in a] hell.
“Principled and moral conduct is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, [even in] a heavenly realm.”
“We don’t understand the detailed meaning of Master Gautama’s brief statement. Master Gautama, please teach us this matter in detail so we can understand the meaning.”
“Well then, householders, listen, pay close attention, and I will speak.”
“Yes, sir,” they replied. Then the Buddha said:
KARMA is key
“Householders, unprincipled and immoral conduct (karma) is:
- threefold by way of body
- fourfold by way of speech, and
- threefold by way of mind.
Body
“And how is unprincipled and immoral conduct threefold by way of body? It’s when a certain person kills living creatures, violent, bloody-handed, a hardened killer, merciless to living beings.
“One steals. With the intention to commit theft, one takes the wealth or belongings of others whether in a village or wilderness.
[Sexual misconduct defined]
“One engages in sexual misconduct: One has sexual relations with [these ten kinds of] women who:
- have their mother,
- father,
- both mother and father,
- brother,
- sister,
- relatives or clan as guardian.
- One has sexual relations with a woman who is protected on principle [by her religious community], or
- who has a husband, or
- whose violation is punishable by law, or
- even one who has been garlanded as a token of betrothal.
“This is how unprincipled and immoral conduct is threefold by way of body.
Speech
“And how is unprincipled and immoral conduct fourfold by way of speech? It’s when a certain person lies. That is to say, when summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, good person, say what you know.’ Not knowing, one says, ‘I know.’ Knowing, one says, ‘I do not know.’
“Not seeing, one says, ‘I see.’ And seeing, one says, ‘I do not see.’ So one deliberately lies [perjures oneself] for one’s own sake or another’s, or for some trivial worldly reason [reward].
“One speaks divisively: repeats in one place what one has heard in another place so as to divide united people against each other. And so one divides those who are in harmony, supporting division, delighting in division, loving division, speaking words that promote division.
“One speaks harshly: One uses the kinds of words that are cruel, nasty, hurtful, offensive, bordering on anger, not leading to [meditative] immersion.
“One speaks nonsense: speech that is untimely, that is neither factual nor beneficial. It has nothing to do with the Teaching or the Training (this Dharma and Discipline). One’s words have no value, and are untimely, unreasonable, rambling, and pointless. This is how unprincipled and immoral conduct is fourfold by way of speech.
Mind
“And how is unprincipled and immoral conduct threefold by way of mind? It's when a certain person is covetous. One covets the wealth and belongings of others: ‘Oh, if only their belongings were mine!’
“One has ill will and hateful intentions: ‘May these sentient beings be killed, slaughtered, slain, destroyed, or annihilated altogether!’
“One clings to wrong views. One’s perspective is distorted: ‘There’s no meaning [effect, significance] in giving, in sacrifice, or in making offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds (karma). There’s no afterlife. There’s no obligation to mother and father. No beings are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no wandering ascetic or Brahmin who has attained and practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own direct insight.’ This is how unprincipled and immoral conduct is threefold by way of mind.
“That’s how unprincipled and immoral conduct is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
Good karma
“Householders, principled and moral conduct (karma) is threefold by way of body, fourfold by way of speech, and threefold by way of mind.
“And how is principled and moral conduct threefold by way of body? It’s when a certain person gives up killing living creatures. One renounces rod and sword. One is scrupulous and kind, living full of compassion for all living beings.
“One gives up stealing. One does not, with intention to commit theft, take the wealth or belongings of others from village or wilderness.
[Sexual misconduct defined]
“One gives up sexual misconduct. One does not have sexual relations with women who have their mother, father, both mother and father, brother, sister, relatives, or clan as guardian. One does not have sexual relations with a woman who is protected on principle, or who has a husband, or whose violation is punishable by law, or even one who has been garlanded as a token of betrothal. This is how principled and moral conduct is threefold by way of body.
Speech
“And how is principled and moral conduct fourfold by way of speech?
“It’s when a certain person gives up lying: wne summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, good person, say what you know.’ Not knowing, one says, ‘I do not know.’ Knowing, one says, ‘I know.’ Not seeing, one says, ‘I do not see.’ And seeing, one says, ‘I see.’ So one refrains from deliberately lying for the sake of oneself or another, or for some trivial worldly reason.
“One gives up divisive speech. One does not repeat in one place what one has heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, one reconciles those who are divided, supporting unity, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony.
“One gives up harsh speech. One speaks in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, lovely, going to the heart, polite, likable, and agreeable to people.
“One gives up talking nonsense. One’s words are timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the Teaching and Training. One says things at the right time, things that are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial. This is how principled and moral conduct is fourfold by way of speech.
Mind
“And how is principled and moral conduct threefold by way of mind? It's when a certain person is not covetous. One does not covet the wealth and belongings of others: ‘Oh, if only their belongings were mine!’
“One has a kind heart and loving intentions: ‘May these sentient beings live free of enmity and ill will, untroubled and happy!’
“One holds right views, an undistorted perspective: ‘There is meaning [effect, significance] in giving, sacrifice, and making offerings. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds (karma). There is an afterlife. There is obligation to mother and father. There are beings reborn spontaneously. And there are wandering ascetics and Brahmins who are attained and practiced, who describe the afterlife after realizing it with their own direct insight.’ This is how principled and moral conduct is threefold by way of mind.
“This is how principled and moral conduct is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, [even in] a heavenly realm.
Rebirth
“A person of principled and moral conduct might wish: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of well-to-do nobles!’ It’s possible that this might happen. Why is that? It’s because one has principled and moral conduct.
“A person of principled and moral conduct might wish: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of
- well-to-do Brahmins…
- well-to-do householders…
- the Devas of the [Realm of the] Four Great Kings…
- the Devas of the Thirty-Three…
- the Devas of Yama…
- the Joyful Devas…
- the Devas Who Love to Create…
- the Devas Who Control the Creations of Others…
- the Devas of Brahmā’s Host…
- the Radiant Devas…
- the Devas of Limited Radiance…
- the Devas of Limitless Radiance…
- the Devas of Streaming Radiance…
- the Devas of Limited Glory…
- the Devas of Limitless Glory…
- the Devas Replete with Glory…
- the Devas of Abundant Fruit…
- the Devas of Aviha…
- the Devas of Atappa…
- the Devas Fair to See…
- the Fair Seeing Devas…
- the Devas of Akaniṭṭha…
- the devas of the dimension of boundless space…
- the devas of the dimension of boundless consciousness…
- the devas of the dimension of nothingness…
- the devas of the dimension of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.’
“It’s possible that this might happen. Why is that? It’s because one has principled and moral conduct.
Enlightenment and Nirvana
“A person of principled and moral conduct might wish: ‘If only I might realize the undefiled freedom of heart (nirvana) and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of the defilements.’ It’s possible that this might happen. Why is that? It’s because one has principled and moral conduct.”
Reaction
When the Buddha had spoken, the Brahmins and householders of Sālā said to him:
“Excellent, Master Gautama, excellent! As if one were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes might see what’s there, Master Gautama has made the teaching clear in many ways.
“We go for guidance to Master Gautama, to the Teaching (Dharma), and to the [noble] Sangha. From this day forth, may Master Gautama remember us as lay followers who have gone for guidance for life.”
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