Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.34
“Bhikkhus, there are these three causes for the origination of kamma. What three? Greed is a cause for the origination of kamma; hatred is a cause for the origination of kamma; delusion is a cause for the origination of kamma.
(1) “Any kamma, bhikkhus, fashioned through greed, born of greed, caused by greed, originated by greed, ripens wherever the individual is reborn. Wherever that kamma ripens, it is there that one experiences its result, either in this very life, or in the next rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion. [372]
(2) “Any kamma fashioned through hatred, born of hatred, caused by hatred, originated by hatred, ripens wherever the individual is reborn. Wherever that kamma ripens, it is there that one experiences its result, either in this very life, or in the next rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion.
(3) “Any kamma fashioned through delusion, born of delusion, caused by delusion, originated by delusion, ripens wherever the individual is reborn. Wherever that kamma ripens, it is there that one experiences its result, either in this very life, or in the next rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion.
“Suppose, bhikkhus, seeds that are intact, unspoiled, not damaged by wind and the sun’s heat, fecund, well preserved, were deposited in well-prepared ground in a good field and receive proper rainfall: in this way, those seeds would grow, increase, and mature. So too, any kamma that is fashioned through greed … hatred … delusion, born of delusion, caused by delusion, originated by delusion, ripens wherever the individual is reborn. Wherever that kamma ripens, it is there that one experiences its result, either in this very life, or in the next rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion.
“These are the three causes for the origination of kamma.
“Bhikkhus, there are these three other causes for the origination of kamma. What three? Non-greed is a cause for the origination of kamma; non-hatred is a cause for the origination of kamma; non-delusion is a cause for the origination of kamma.
(1) “Any kamma, bhikkhus, fashioned through non-greed, born of non-greed, caused by non-greed, originated by non-greed, is abandoned when greed has vanished; it is cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising. [373]
(2) “Any kamma fashioned through non-hatred, born of non-hatred, caused by non-hatred, originated by non-hatred, is abandoned when hatred has vanished; it is cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising.
(3) “Any kamma fashioned through non-delusion, born of non-delusion, caused by non-delusion, originated by non-delusion, is abandoned when delusion has vanished; it is cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising.
“Suppose, bhikkhus, there are seeds that are intact, unspoiled, not damaged by wind and the sun’s heat, fecund, well preserved. Then a man would burn them in a fire, reduce them to ashes, and winnow the ashes in a strong wind or let them be carried away by the swift current of a river. In this way, those seeds would be cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that they are no more subject to future arising. So too, any kamma that is fashioned through non-greed … non-hatred … non-delusion, born of non-delusion, caused by non-delusion, originated by non-delusion, is abandoned when delusion has vanished; it is cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising.”
“These, bhikkhus, are the three causes for the origination of kamma.”
- Whatever kamma an ignorant person has done
born of greed, hatred, and delusion,
whether what was fashioned by him be little or much,
it is to be experienced right here:
there exists no other site for it. [374]
Therefore a wise person should abandon
any deed born of greed, hatred, and delusion.
A bhikkhu, giving rise to knowledge,
should abandon all bad destinations. [375]
[372] There are some differences in the readings: Ce diṭṭhe vā dhamme,
upapajje vā, apare vā pariyāye; Be diṭṭhe vā dhamme upapajja vā apare
vā pariyāye; Ee diṭṭh’ eva dhamme upapajje vā apare vā pariyāye. Mp
says: “This is stated to show that the kamma is [of the type] either
to be experienced in this present life, or to be experienced follow-
ing rebirth, or to be experienced in some subsequent existence.”
For an Abhidhamma explanation of this triad, see CMA 205. [See next post.]
Some scholars have argued from the variant readings that
only two alternatives are involved: either in this life or upon
rebirth. However, I translate in accordance with the commen-
tarial understanding. While the commentaries may be impos-
ing a later interpretation on more archaic texts that asserted
only two ways in which kamma can ripen, as a translator I feel
responsible to the text that has been transmitted rather than
to theories about a more archaic original. The recognition of a
threefold ripening of kamma is not exclusive to the Theravāda
school but is also found in the treatises of the Sarvāstivāda
Abhidharma system. Definitions of the three types—for example, in
the Abhidharma Mahāvibhāṣā Śāstra at T XXVII 592a 22 –593b 8 ,
and in the Abhidharmakośa at T XXIX 81c 10–16 —are exactly the
same as in the Pāli tradition and thus likely precede the division
of the schools.
[373] This statement has to be carefully interpreted. For an arahant—
who has abandoned greed, hatred, and delusion—kamma cre-
ated earlier, whether good or bad, is still capable of ripening
during the final life. But because there is no more rebirth, with his
passing all accumulated kamma from the past becomes defunct.
Thus the intention of this statement is not that an arahant’s past
kamma cannot ripen while the arahant lives, but that it becomes
defunct with the arahant’s passing; for there will be no further
continuum of existence within which its fruits might arise.
Brahmāli writes: “There must be a distinction here between
‘non-greed’ (alobha) and the situation when ‘greed has vanished’
(lobhe vigata). The former must refer to the motivation behind a
particular action, the latter to the full uprooting of greed, attained
only by the non-returner or even the arahant. Only in the light
of this distinction does this statement make sense.”
[374] I read with Ce and Be mohajañ cāpaviddasu, as against Ee’s mohajañ
cāpi ’viddasu. Mp (both Ce and Be) also reads mohajañ cāpaviddasu,
which it resolves into mohajañcāpi aviddasu. It paraphrases the
meaning thus: “Whatever kamma the blind, ignorant worldling
creates born of greed, hatred, and delusion—whether the kamma
so fashioned be little or much—it is to be experienced right here
(idh’eva taṃ vedaniyaṃ), that is, it is to be experienced by the fool
here in his very own being (idha sake attabhāveyeva); this means
that it ripens in his own individual being. There exists no other
site [for it] (vatthuṃ aññaṃ na vijjati): there is no other site for the
ripening of that kamma; for the kamma done by one person does
not ripen in another’s being.”
[375] Tasmā lobhaṃ ca dosaṃ ca, mohajaṃ cāpi viddasu. Ee reads the
last pāda mohañ cāpi ‘viddasu, which is missing a syllable. The
text does lack a verb and direct object qualifed by mohajaṃ. Mp
supplies these in its paraphrase: “Therefore a wise person does
not do that kamma born of greed and so forth” (yo vidū . . . taṃ
lobhajādibhedaṃ kammaṃ na karoti). It will be noted that Mp con-
siders lobhaṃ and dosaṃ to be truncated forms of lobhajaṃ and
dosajaṃ, and I translate accordingly. For the verb, I see jahe of
pāda d to implicitly extend up into pādas a and b, thus doing a
dual service.
