Characteristics of Kamma and Its Consequences
According to the Lord Buddha, Kamma has four characteristics as well as four types of consequences as follows:
1. Black Kamma and Black Consequences: This is the situation where an individual intentionally commits unwholesome Kamma through the body, the words, and the thoughts. The consequences of which is a rebirth in the States of Unhappiness where the individual experiences pure suffering. The majority of individuals in this category are reborn as hell beings.
2. White Kamma and White Consequences: This is the situation where an individual intentionally performs wholesome Kamma through the body, the words, and the thoughts. The consequences of which is a rebirth in the States of Happiness where the individual experiences pure ecstasy. The majority of individuals in this category are reborn as Brahma beings.
3. Black and White Kamma with Black and White Consequences: An individual intentionally performs a mixture of wholesome and unwholesome Kamma, the results of which are the vicissitudes of life. When wholesome Kamma yields its fruits, the individual will be reborn in the States of Happiness. Likewise, when unwholesome Kamma yields its fruits, the individual will be reborn in the States of Unhappiness. Individuals in this category are reborn as human beings, some types of celestial beings, animals, etc.
4. Neither Black nor White Kamma with neither Black nor White Consequences: This category applies to Arahats who have risen above all conditions which give rise to wholesome and unwholesome deeds as well as merit and demerit. They are destined for Nibbana only.
It can be seen that the type of Kamma affects the characteristics of the consciousness in that a wholesome deed leads to a clear and bright mind. Therefore, a wholesome deed can be compared to white Kamma because it makes the consciousness clean and white. On the contrary, an unwholesome deed makes the mind sad and gloomy. An unwholesome deed can be compared to black Kamma because it makes the consciousness dark and black. Black Kamma gives rise to demerit and causes the individual to be reborn in the Hell Realm. White Kamma gives rise to merit and causes the individual to be reborn in the Celestial Realm. A mixture of white and black Kamma gives rise to a mixture of merit and demerit and causes the individual to be reborn as a human being, a celestial being, or an animal. Individuals that rise above both merit and demerit can attain Nibbana and will never undergo the round of rebirth again.
