November 5, 2024 at 8:08 am
#52642
Keymaster
Dosakkhayo wrote: “So, kamma vinnana is the cause of kamma bija.”
1. That is correct.
- Vinnana is a state of the mind, specifically a “defiled state of mind.” One does abhisankhara and accumulates kammic energy with vinnana.
2. Those kammic energies remain in kamma bhava and can bring results (vipaka.)
- ALL records of past actions are preserved in nama loka, i.e., those that created kammic energies and those that did not create kammic energies. That is why we can recall all types of memories. Those with kammic energies are said to be in kamma bhava. Thus, kamma bhava is associated with (or is a subset of) nama loka (i.e., only some memories have associated kammic energy.)
- Of course, our ability to recall everything (even in this life) is limited. However, those with abhinna powers can recall their past lives. A Buddha can recall as many past lives as he wishes in great detail. They are in nama loka.
- A few people have the exceptional ability to recall memories from this life in great detail: “Recent Evidence for Unbroken Memory Records (HSAM).” Those memories are recalled from the nama loka. Some of them may have kammic energies associated with them.
3. Kamma bija refers to a specific “packet of kammic energy” that brings a particular vipaka. Some strong anantariya kamma (like killing a parent) can create a kamma bija by itself.
- However, a kamma bija of a specific kind usually grows with time as one accumulates kamma of the same type. For example, a hunter keeps adding to a “kamma bija” generated by killing animals.
4. There are some exceptions, though. In one sutta, the Buddha refers to “vinnana descending into a womb.” That refers to a gandhabba (which is sort of a kamma bija created by kammic energy) descending to a womb. But that is an exception. A gandhabba is made by a kamma bija in the strict sense.
- So, one needs to get a general idea and not try to enforce a specific “definition.”