How the Law of Kamma Causes Us to Be
Uniquely Different
The Culakammavibhanga Sutta: The Sutta which deals with the Kamma Principle. Lord Buddha said:
"Behold, young man, all beings possess their own Kamma. They are heirs to their Kamma. Their Kamma determines their birth and their race. They have Kamma as their refuge. Kamma divides beings into crudeness and refinement."
It can be concluded from this saying that what causes the differences among all living beings is each living being's unique overall Kamma. The Lord Buddha's saying can be further explained as follows:
We are heirs to our Kamma: It means that each being is the owner of his own Kamma. Extraneous objects such as money and material wealth are for our temporary use only. When we die, none of these things can go with us. The only thing that follows our consciousness or soul is our good and bad Kamma. It follows us throughout our endless lifetimes wherever our rebirth may take us. Our real possession then is the good and bad Kamma that we have performed and not our material wealth.
What we will receive as inheritance from our parents and grandparents is not certain, but we will most certainly receive the consequences of our Kamma. Our Kamma is our own and cannot be passed on to anybody else or shared with others. For example, when an individual has an accident and is injured, he alone experiences the pain and suffering of his injury. His relatives can come and visit but cannot possibly share any pain and suffering with him. It is the same way with Kamma and its consequences.
Our Kamma determines our birth: It means that we are reborn because we still possess Kamma and its consequences. That is, we still possess defilements. Our past overall Kamma, which is branded on our consciousness, determines the realm and the circumstances of our rebirth. An individual that is completely devoid of Kamma such as an Arahat will not undergo anymore rebirth. Parents are the path by which a living being that still possesses Kamma can be reborn into the Human Realm. Some individuals have been parents and children for many consecutive lifetimes. Some individuals do not share their parents' characteristics. Individual characteristics are the result of each individual's overall Kamma. In the case where parents and children share similar characteristics, it means that they share similar overall Kamma.
Children of virtuous parents owe their parents a great debt of gratitude because they have selflessly devoted themselves to the upbringing of their children. But not all parents can bring their children up to be good and decent. A child with past accumulated good Kamma which causes him to be well-behaved knows not to imitate his parents' bad deeds because they went contrary to his nature. Soon enough he will find a more suitable place of his own. Such is the meaning of "their Kamma determines their birth.”
Our Kamma determines our race: It means that our Kamma is our race in that it is constantly with us. It protects us when we are asleep and when we are awake. It helps us to prosper. Or it can trip us up, degrade us, and destroy us. Our clan and our siblings may be able to help us sometimes. At times they may turn against us. When we grow up, we may move to live in a different country, in a different continent. It is not so easy then to help each other out in times of need. Siblings may differ widely in terms of their intelligence, level of education, level of success in life, etc. Therefore, our clan, our race, and our siblings are not where we truly belong, but our Kamma is.
We have Kamma as our refuge: It means that our accumulated good Kamma alone is our true refuge for always not only in this lifetime but in future lifetimes as well. In life, we may be able to depend on our parents, our siblings, and our friends from time to time, but not always or forever. Lord Buddha further elaborated on the subject as follows:
The 1st Pair: A short lifespan is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual had taken another being's life on a regular basis. He was violent and cruel and did not feel any compassion for other living beings. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Hell Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Hell Realm but in the Human Realm, he would have a short lifespan.
A long lifespan is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual had abstained from taking another being's life. He was ashamed of misdeeds and fearful of their ill consequences. He showed compassion toward other living beings and helped them out as they could. After he/she died, he would have a rebirth in the Celestial Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Celestial Realm but in the Human Realm, he would have a long lifespan.
The 2nd Pair: Being plagued by many illnesses is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual had routinely abused other beings by using his hand, clumps of dirt, a club or some other types of implements. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Hell Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Hell Realm but in the Human Realm, he would be sickly.
Health is caused by the fact that one past existence or more, the individual did not abuse other beings by using his hand, clumps of dirt, a club or some other types of implements. After he died, he had a rebirth in the Celestial Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Celestial Realm but in the Human Realm, he would be healthy.
The 3rd Pair: A poor complexion is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual was easily angered, malicious, filled with vengeful anger, filled with ill will and vengefulness. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Hell Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Hell Realm but in the Human Realm, he would have a poor complexion.
A good complexion is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual was not easily angered, was not malicious, was not filled with vengeful anger and was not filled with ill will and vengefulness. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Celestial Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Celestial Realm but in the Human Realm, he would have a good complexion.
The 4th Pair: A low level of authority is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual had harbored envy and jealousy when other people received accolade, respect, and admiration. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Hell Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Hell Realm but in the Human Realm, he would have a low level of authority.
A high level of authority is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more the individual did not harbor envy and jealousy when other people received accolade, respect, and admiration. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Celestial Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Celestial Realm but in the Human Realm, he would have a high level of authority.
The 5th Pair: Poverty is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual did not give alms in terms of food, water, cloths, means of transportation, scented articles, mattresses, shelter, and sources of light to monks who practiced chastity. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Hell Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Hell Realm but in the Human Realm, he would be poor.
Wealth is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual regularly gave alms in terms of food, water, cloths, means of transportation, scented articles, mattresses, shelter, and sources of light to monks who practiced chastity. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Celestial Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Celestial Realm but in the Human Realm, he would
be wealthy.
The 6th Pair: A low birth is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual was rude and arrogant. He refused to pay homage to those that were worthy of respect. He did not rise to welcome virtuous guests. He did not defer to virtuous individuals. He was disrespectful and irreverent. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Hell Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Hell Realm but in the Human Realm, he would have a low birth.
A high birth is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual was polite and humble. He paid homage to those that were worthy of respect. He was hospitable, respectful, and deferential. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Celestial Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Celestial Realm but in the Human Realm, he would have a high birth.
The 7th Pair: A low intelligence is caused by the fact that one past existence or more, the individual did not approach learned monks to find out from them about what was wholesome and unwholesome; what was harmful and what was not; what should be consumed and what should not be; what deeds did not give advantages but led to eternal suffering; what deeds were beneficial and conducive to eternal happiness. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Hell Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Hell Realm but in the Human Realm, he would possess a low intelligence.
A high intelligence is caused by the fact that in one past existence or more, the individual regularly visited learned monks to find out from them about what was wholesome and unwholesome; what was harmful and what was not; what should be consumed and what should not be; what deeds did not give advantages but led to eternal suffering; what deeds were beneficial and conducive to eternal happiness. After he died, he would have a rebirth in the Celestial Realm. If for some Kammic reasons, he was not reborn in the Celestial Realm but in the Human Realm, he would possess a high intelligence.
