Thanks Akvan. I know that at the moment i am not sure anymore about what kamma-vipaka means:-)
Is it really meant by the Budddha that any consequence or result of a decision, or intentional act, or volitional activity, is kamma-vipaka?
(is speech and bodily activity in itself kamma-vipaka?)
Or, does kamma-vipaka refer to that specific kind of result that arises due to the presence and ripening of a kamma-beeja?
Anyway, Kamma is mentioned as 1 of the 8 possible causes due to which sufferings arise (milindapanha). In other sutta’s those causes are mentioned too and are listed as causes for unpleasant feeling, discomfort and illnesses.
When it is listed in those sutta’s that kamma is a cause for suffering, what does this mean?
I belief it means that suffering can arise due to a kamma-beeja present within our mindstream. That beeja found an oppertunity to ripen. This is a very specific kind of cause and effect relationship. It is about something we accumulated, which is with us in someway and can ripen.
Next to this cause for suffering which is related to ripening of a bad kamma-beeja there are 7 other causes. The arahant Nagasena says in Milindapanha (Book IV, chapter I, §63, Rhys Davids):
“So what arises as the fruit of Karma is much less than that which arises from other causes”.
In other words, a lot of sufferings arise due to other mechanism than the ripening of a kamma-beeja.
I belief this is what the sutta’s transfer.
Siebe