Dasa akusala kamma patha are listed in the “Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33)“: “pāṇātipāto, adinnādānaṁ, kāmesumicchācāro, musāvādo, pisuṇā vācā, pharusā vācā, samphappalāpo, abhijjhā, byāpādo, micchādiṭṭhi.”
Dosakkhayo asked:
“A sotapanna may not always be able to discern whether someone is an arahant.
So, what if a sotapanna tries to swat a tiny mosquito but accidentally strikes an arahant instead, causing the arahant to fall, hit their head on a rock, and die? In this case, what kind of kamma would the sotapanna generate?
As far as I know, a sotapanna cannot generate the kamma of killing an arahant.
If this is true, is such a situation karmically prevented?
In other words, is it absolutely impossible for such a situation to even exist, where a sotapanna accidentally kills an arahant while trying to swat a mosquito?”
- Yes. A Sotapanna will be “naturally protected” from such an accident.
With the other example, Dosakkhayo asked: “Does this mean that a sotapanna cannot commit panatipata at all?”
- Sotapanna is capable of committing a killing (not likely to kill a human unless under extreme conditions). He is prevented from killing an Arahant or a parent even accidentally.
- The bottom line is that a Sotapanna is prevented from doing an anantariya kamma. That is a law of Nature. We cannot explain how that works.
From the Acinteyya Sutta (AN 4.77):
“There are four things that are not to be conjectured about, that could make one go mad (become a mental patient). Which four?
“The Buddha-range (i.e., Buddha’s knowledge) is unconjecturable and not to be conjectured about.
“Details of jhana (including supernormal powers that one can attain).
“The precise workings of the results of kamma.”
“Origins of the world.”
– These are the four things that are not to be investigated (because they are discernible only to the mind of Buddha), that would bring madness and confusion to anyone who tries to find everything about them.”
