Defunct Kamma (Ahosi-kamma)
1. The Meaning of Defunct Kamma
Defunct Kamma means unwholesome or wholesome Kamma which has already given its consequences or Kamma which is waiting to give its consequences when it becomes defunct. Therefore, Defunct Kamma is Kamma which will never give its consequences.
2. Characteristics of Defunct Kamma
Defunct Kamma can be compared to seeds that have been stored for too long or seeds that have been roasted. When the seeds are sown, they cannot grow in spite of rich soil and adequate water. The Tripitaka under the subject of 'The Way of Mutta-sangaha-vibhaga' had the following to say about Defunct Kamma.
1.) Ahosi-kamman nahosi-kamma-vipako: Kamma which has already given its consequences by causing the individual to meet with suffering in the Hell Realm or utter happiness in the Celestial Realm. The Kamma then becomes defunct. Or after a more powerful Kamma has already given its consequences, it then causes the less powerful Kamma to be defunct. For example, when an individual has attained the third Jhana, then the first and the second Jhanas will not give their consequences and become defunct.
2.) Ahosi-kamman natthi-kamma-vipako: Kamma which will no longer give its consequences. It can be unwholesome or wholesome Kamma which is performed in the current lifetime but cannot give any consequences by causing the individual who performs the Kamma to experience suffering or happiness. One example is Kiriya-citta or functional consciousness which yields defunct Kamma. Another example is when an individual's past wholesome Kamma stops sending its consequences because it is overpowered by a much weightier unwholesome Kamma. In this case, this particular past wholesome Kamma will become defunct. In the same manner, an individual's unwholesome Kamma can stop sending its consequences because it is overpowered by a much weightier wholesome Kamma. Therefore, this particular past unwholesome Kamma will become defunct.
3.) Ahosi-kamman nabha-vissti-kamma-vipako: Kamma which has no consequences as in the case of Phra Ongulimala. His unwholesome Kamma of killing so many people could not give its consequences as soon as he was able to attain Arahatship, which caused the round of rebirth to be terminated. His unwholesome Kamma turned into Defunct Kamma. It is like a person who runs away from a chasing dog. Once he crosses to the other side, the dog can no longer reach him. Since the person does not return, the dog can only watch him until it dies.
The Sammoha-vino-dani Scripture has the following to teach about Defunct Kamma.
"Of all the various types of Kamma including Dittha-dhamma-veda-niya-kamma, once one Dittha-dhamma-veda-niya-kamma gives its consequences in the current existence, the rest of Dittha-dhamma-veda-niya-kamma will not give its consequences atall. When Upa-pajja-veda-niya-kamma has been performed, the rest of the Upa-pajja-veda-niya-kamma will not give its consequences at all. Once one type of Ananta-riya-kamma causes an individual to be reborn in the Hell Realm, the rest of the Ananta-riya-kamma will not give its consequences at all. When Jhana attainments cause an individual to be reborn in the Brahma Realm, the rest of the same type of Kamma will not give its consequences at all."
The three types of Defunct Kamma which includes Ahosi-kamman nahosi-kamma-vipako, Ahosi-kamman natthi-kamma-vipako, and Ahosi-kamman nabha-vissati-kamma-vipako, will become defunct once it is past the time for it to give its consequences. In the situation where the individual attains Nibbana, every single one of his Kamma will become defunct. There are two types of Defunct Kamma: Unwholesome and wholesome Defunct Kamma.
3. Unwholesome Defunct Kamma: It means unwholesome deeds which will not give their consequences because they are overdue as in a case recorded in the Tripitaka:
The Story about Phra Malaka-tissa.
Phra Malaka-tissa was born into a family of hunters. The Buddhist monks Buddhist monks from the Gamena-davasi Temple in the suburb of Rohana had to pass by the hunter's family home when they went on their alms-round. After Malaka-tissa grew up, he earned a living by being a hunter just like his father and grandfather before him. He trapped animals using different methods and accumulated many unwholesome deeds. One day, he carried a torch and some salt out of the house and headed toward the forest. There he killed a deer which had been caught in his trap. He subsequently cooked some of the meat and ate it. On the way back he felt very thirsty and stopped by the Gamena-davasi Temple to look for some water to drink. In spite of the fact that the temple had ten large water vessels, he could not find anything to drink. He was angry and criticized the temple which had many Buddhist monks but could not be bothered to provide any water to quench the thirst of the thirsty. The senior monk Phra Cula-pinda-patika-tissa heard the hunter and went to him right away. He noticed that the water vessels were filled to the brim with water, so he concluded that the being in front of him had to be a Jiva-mana Peta. The senior monk said, "Layman, you can quench your thirst now." He picked up the water vessel and poured some water onto the hunter's hands. However, the hunter's accumulated unwholesome Kamma caused his thirst to be unquenchable even after he had drunk the entire vessel of water. The senior monk said to him, "Layman, what evil deeds have you committed that turn you into a Peta in this very lifetime?"
The words of the senior monk caused the hunter's sense of right and wrong to be awakened. He paid homage to the senior monk and threw away his hunting gear. He went home to check on his wife and children. He destroyed his spear, left the torch and all the trapped game in the forest. After all was said and done, he returned to the senior monk and requested to be ordained a Buddhist monk. After he became a monk, he was eager to learn the Buddha's Sayings. One day he heard the sermon on the Devadut Sutta which taught about punishment in the Hell Realm. He was seized with fear and asked the senior monk about the prescribed duties of a Buddhist monk. The senior monk told him that a Buddhist monk had two main duties namely Vipassana-dhura (the duty of contemplation) and Gantha-dhura (the duty of studying the Scriptures). The new monks felt that Gantha-dhura was for those with abilities and talents. Since his faith came out of his suffering, he opted for Vipassana-dhura by practicing meditation.
The senior monk taught Phra Malaka-tissa how to practice meditation. Later, Phra Malaka-tissa went to practice meditation at the Cittala-panpata Temple one day, at the Gamena-davasi Temple the next day, and at the Gocaragam Temple the following day. When Thina-middha (sloth and torpor) overtook him, he would put wet leaves on his head and put his feet in the water in order to stay awake. One day, he had been meditating all night at the Cittala-panpatabecame a monk, he was eager to learn the Buddha's Sayings. One day he heard the sermon on the Devadut Sutta which taught about punishment in the Hell Realm. He was seized with fear and asked the senior monk about the prescribed duties of a Buddhist monk. The senior monk told him that a Buddhist monk had two main duties namely Vipassana-dhura (the duty of contemplation) and Gantha-dhura (the duty of studying the Scriptures). The new monks felt that Gantha-dhura was for those with abilities and talents. Since his faith came out of his suffering, he opted for Vipassana-dhura by practicing meditation. The senior monk taught Phra Malaka-tissa how to practice meditation. Later, Phra Malaka-tissa went to practice meditation at the Cittala-panpata Temple one day, at the Gamena-davasi Temple the next day, and at the Gocaragam Temple the following day. When Thina-middha (sloth and torpor) overtook him, he would put wet leaves on his head and put his feet in the water in order to stay awake. One day, he had been meditating all night at the Cittala-panpata Temple. Near dawn, he began to feel sleepy so he put wet leaves on his head. At the time, the novice monks were chanting the Aruna-vati Sutta but all he heard was "Be diligent, endeavor and persevere in the practice of the Dhamma. Destroy death like an elephant which destroys the house of reed. Whoever is not reckless in the Dhamma-Discipline will leave the round of rebirth and end suffering." Phra Malaka-tissa was overjoyed and felt the Lord Buddha's words to be directed at him especially. In his delight, he continued to meditate until he attained the Fruit of Never-Returning (Ana-gami-phla). He continued with his endeavor until he finally attained Arahatship.
All the misdeeds that Phra Malaka-tissa had committed as a hunter became Ahosi-kamma and would never give its consequences the instant he attained Arahatship.
Wholesome Defunct Kamma
It means wholesome deeds which are overdue, hence can no longer give their consequences. Wholesome Ahosi-kamma can be exemplified in the following story as recorded in the Tripitaka:
'Yogi Kala-devila'
The Yogi Kala-devila had attained the eighth level of meditative absorption. He was one of the teachers of King Suddho-dana, Prince Siddhattha's father. The Yogi's level of meditative absorption caused him to be reborn in the Brahma Realm to enjoy the bliss there for a very long time. His meditative absorption is considered to be Garuka-kamma.
Although the Yogi attained respectively the first to the seventh level of meditative absorption, which are considered to be Upa-pajja-veda-niya-kamma, it became defunct as soon as the Yogi was able to attain the eighth level of meditative absorption. It was his eighth level of meditative absorption alone which caused him to be reborn in the Brahma Realm. The scenario can be compared to a person dining on eight tablespoons of rice. By the time he gets to the eighth spoonful, he is already full. The first to the seventh spoonfuls have a supporting role but the decisive role is the eighth spoonful.
The types of Kamma and the way they give its consequences as a function of time and the third category of Kamma can be summarized, as follows:
1. Effective Kamma (Dittha-dhamma-veda-niya-kamma): It gives its consequences in the present lifetime and can be compared to an annual plant. It possesses a weak force and can only give its consequences within one lifetime. Any unwholesome or wholesome Effective Kamma which an individual performs will result in suffering or happiness right here in the present lifetime.
2. Subsequently Effective Kamma (Upa-pajja-veda-niya-kamma): It gives its consequences in the next lifetime and can be compared to a biennial plant. It possesses a stronger force than Effective Kamma. It will only give its consequences in the next lifetime and its job is finished. Any unwholesome or wholesome Subsequently Effective Kamma which an individual performs will cause him/her to be reborn in the States of Unhappiness or in the States of Happiness after he dies.
3. Indefinitely Effective Kamma (Apara-pariyaya-veda-niya-kamma): It gives its consequences starting from the third lifetime from now and can be compared to a perennial plant. It possesses more force than Effective Kamma and Subsequently Effective Kamma. When it is time for Indefinitely Effective Kamma to give its consequences, it can continue to do so endlessly until such time as all defilements are removed and Arahatship is attained. Any unwholesome or wholesome Indefinitely Effective Kamma which an individual performs will cause him to experience suffering or happiness starting from
the third lifetime onward.
4. Defunct Kamma (Ahosi-kamma): It does not give its consequences in the past, in the present or in the future. It can be compared to seeds which have been stored for too long or which have been roasted. When these seeds are sown, they cannot grow regardless of how fertile the soil may be or how much water may be available. Defunct Kamma is Kamma which is overridden by more powerful Kamma and applies to both unwholesome and wholesome Defunct Kamma.
The above contents allow us to better appreciate the complexity of the consequences of Kamma and how it is difficult for most people to understand the complex workings of the Law of Kamma. This lack of understanding causes many people to disbelieve in the Law of Kamma or in the Kamma Principle which states that one reaps what one sows. Such disbelief is very harmful and dangerous because it leads to recklessness. Every single one of our action waits for its time to give its consequences, it is only a matter of when and how it will give its consequences.
No one can escape the consequences of his Kamma as the Lord Buddha once said,
"Once a person has performed an unwholesome deed, he can try to escape by air, to the middle of the ocean, to a gorge or to a far away land but he can never escape the consequences of his unwholesome deed."
