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Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies, Online ISSN 2278-8808, SJIF 2019 = 6.380, www.srjis.com PEER REVIEWED & REFEREED JOURNAL, JAN-FEB, 2021, VOL- 8/63 AN APPROACH TO VARIOUS TYPES OF KAMMA IN THERAVA ABHIDHAMMA Yutheingi Ph.D. Research scholar, Samrat Ashok Subharti School of Buddist Studies, Swami Vivekananda Subharti University, Meerut, UP, India. Email. jeyyasingi@gmail.com

Paper Received On: 21 FEB 2021 Peer Reviewed On: 28 FEB 2021 Published On: 1 MAR 2021 Content Originality & Unique: 100% Scholarly Research Journal's is licensed Based on a work at www.srjis.com

Etymologically, kramma means “work” or “action.” But in the context of the Buddha’s teaching it is defined more specifically as “action based on intention” or “deeds willfully done.” Actions that are without intention are not considered to be kamma in the Buddha’s teaching. One instance of intention is one instance of kramma. When there is kramma there is immediate result. “All kramma, whether good or evil, bears fruit. There is no kramma, no matter how small, which is void of fruit.”1 Kramma is classified into four types according to the time at which results are produced, kalavasena.1 1. Immediately effective kramma, ditthadhammavedaniya, 2. Subsequently effective kramma, upapajjavedaniya, 3. Indefinitely effective kramma, aparāpariyavedaniya and 4. Defunct kamma, ahosi. Now I will explain the meaning of these Kramma in detail. There are Kramma that readys in the same lifetime (ditthadhammavedaniya), Kramma that readys in the next life (upapajjavedaniya), and Kramma that readys in realization sive births (aparāpariyavedaniya). There are three types of Kramma to outcome 1

Abhi S, 33

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results, as a particle is to grow. But for a partical to grow, real auxiliary explanation such as soil, rain, etc., are necessityed. In the same way for a kramma to produce an effect, different or several auxiliary causes such as detail or circumstances, surroundings, etc., are required. Sometimes it happens that the auxiliary causes do not produce any result. Such Kramma is called action , ‘Kramma that is ineffective’. In Dhammapada commentary, it illustrates the result of a good Kamma that reaped in this life. A husband and his wife possessed only one upper garment to wear when they went out-of-doors. One day the husband heard the Dhamma from the Buddha and was so pleased with the Doctrine that he wished to offer his only upper garment, but his innate greed would not permit him to do so. He combated with his mind and, ultimately overcoming his greed, offered the garment to the Buddha and exclaimed- “ I have won, I have won.” The king was delighted to hear his story and in appreciation of his generosity presented him thirty- two robes. The devout husband kept one for himself and another for his wife and offered the rest to the Buddha.2 The evil effect of bad Kamma that ripens in this very life also could be seen in DhammapadaAthakatha. A hunter who went hunting to the forest, followed by his dogs, met by the wayside a bhikkhu who was proceeding on his alms round. As the hunter could not procure any game he thought it was due to the unfortunate meeting of the Bhikkhu. While returning home he met the same Bhikkhu and was deeply enraged at this second encounter. In spite of the entreaties of the innocent Bhikkhu the hunter set the dogs on him. Finding no escape there from, the Bhikkhu climbed a tree. The wicked hunter ran up to the tree, and pierced the soles of Bhikkhu’s feet with the point of an arrow. The pain was so excruciation that the robe, the Bhikkhu was wearing fell upon the hunter completely covering him. The dogs, thinking that the Bhikkhu had fallen from the tree, devoured their own master.3 Kamma ripens in the next life is called Upapajjavedaniya and it illustrates in Dhammapadaatthakathā. A millionaire’s servant returned home in the evening after working in the paddy field. He comes to know that all were observing the Eight Precepts, as it was the full moon day. Learning that he also could observe them even for half a day, he took the

2 3

Dha A I, 447 Dha A. II, 22

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precepts and fasted at night. Unluckily he died on the following morning and as a result of his good action he was born as a Deva.4 Ajātasatthu, son of King Bimbisāra, after his death, was born in a state of misery as the result of killing his father. No one is exempt from experiencing the result of indefinitely effective Kamma, aparāpariyavedaniya. Even the Buddhas and Arahants may reap the effects of their past Kamma. In the remote past, the ArahantMoggallāna instigated by his wicked wife, attempted to kill his parents. As a result of this he suffered long in a woeful state, and in his last birth was beaten to death by bandits.5 The Buddha’s foot was slightly injured when Devadatta made a futile attempt to kill Him. This was due to His killing a stepbrother of his in previous birth with the object of appropriating his property. The following English terms have been translated for the behavior kamma as action, volitional action, intentional action, deed or doing .Specifically Buddhahism is called destiny. Some definitions of Buddhist terms are necessary to grasp and kamma is as the product of the mind. The active principle of action is manifested itself in three ways and it is going through three doors of action; these are body, verbal of speech and mind. And everyone’s action has aim and objective as deeds of unwholesome and wholesome on many other conditions, therefore, everyone’s life will receive results which correspond to its unwholesome and wholesome. Inbeing-life, some results are immediately effective or remotely effective; however we see on the object these results of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and toughing, which might arise later in the passive, said of their life. It is important to remember that seeing and hearing arise alternately at different impressions, even when they seem to occur at the same time. The seeing involves sensitive eye-organ and consciousness; similarly, the hearing involves sensitive ear-organ and consciousness. Moreover, everybody receives ear-sense before they are born; this is also known as a result. There are many situations, the results of actions and other types of consciousness arise alternately. When seeing and hearing, the results of action are impossible to find out whether the object is pleasant or unpleasant. Because the moment of resultant –mind are very short, it 4 5

Ibid. II, 278 Ibid 348

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falls away immediately, But when we feel pleasure or pain on this occasion we can be findout that there are results of action. There in, the unwholesome action is associated with three psychological roots of greed, hatred and delusion; and the opposite type of wholesome is associated with three psychological roots of non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion. The unwholesome and wholesome action inhibits the result of other action and makes the opportunity for its own result. The behavioral action discuss the notion of immediate effect ;when one such action is done, another action is not able, by ejecting it to find opportunity for its own result as killing one’s mother, patricide or killing one’s father, the murder of an Arahant. Conclusion The more we understand about the Kamma, the more we see how careful we must be of our acts, words and thoughts, and how responsible we are to our fellow beings. Living in the light of this knowledge, we learn certain lessons from the doctrine of Kamma such as patience, confidence, self-reliance, restraint and power. May all beings be happy, healthy, and peaceful! Bibliography Pali Sources The Abhidhamatthasanghaha The AnguttaraNikaya, The Dhammapada, The DhammapadaAtthakatha, The Dhammasangani, The DhammasanganiAtthakatha,

English Sources NaradaThera, A Manual of Abhidhamma, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Yangon, 1996. NaradaThera, The Buddha and His Teaching, Publication of Buddhist Missionary, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 1964. PeMaung Tin (trans.) &Davids, Mrs. Rhys (ed.), The Expositor, The Pali Text Society, London, 1976. Bhikkhu Bodhi, General Editor,A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma,Buddhist Publication society,Kandy, Srilanka1993