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It probably was not an anantariya kamma.
- It is likely that Matthakundali was at the end of his human bhava.
- Just because he died at an early age, that does not rule out kammic energy being exhausted. Even though human bhava usually lasts many thousands of years, it is not possible to know when it will end.
- I know of a young person who was in good health and fell dead while playing. He just fell dead instantly. I also had an aunt who also fell dead while opening a fridge! In both cases, they died before hitting the ground.
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These questions can be answered only by a Buddha.
- The bottom line is that the physical body of even an Arahant is subject to any kind of kamma vipaka. In the ulmate sense, there is no “permanent identity” attached to any physical body. A physical body (and the mental body) evolves according to Paticca Samuppada.
- As we know, Ven. Moggallana was beaten to death, and the Buddha suffered from backaches and had an injury, too.
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Yes. There are various types of kamma vipaka. Some are very rare:
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1. While it is good to have a general understanding of kamma vipāka, that is a subject fully amenable to the mind of a Buddha.
- The Buddha mentioned four things that are fully amenable only to the mind of a Buddha. They should not be thought about incessantly; anyone who tries to think about them in detail will only get frustrated.”
- See “Acinteyya Sutta (AN 4.77)“: “Kamma vipāko, bhikkhave, acinteyyo, na cintetabbo.”
2. Another point is the following. While the generic meaning of “kamma” is an “action/deed,” in Buddha Dhamma, it specifically means a “deed done with a defiled mind.”
- Walking to the kitchen to get a glass of water is a kamma in the generic sense, but that is not a kamma discussed by the Buddha.
- There is nothing to worry about the first, generic kind. We need to worry about the types of kamma done with lobha, dosa, and moha in mind.
- It is pretty apparent what types of kamma need to be avoided. We also have a good idea about which types of kamma are stronger than others. That is enough to avoid “getting into trouble.”
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1. Those steps describe the prevalent mindset. That is how most people think.
- However, there is a better approach described by the Buddha.
2. In Buddha’s perspective, the goal is to “cool the mind” (preventing it from getting “heated” via lobha, dosa, and moha.)
- The approach is not only to ignore insults but also to have genuine “mettā” for that person.
- Think about this: 99.9999% of people today do not understand how suffering arises. The only way they know of responding to insults is to “pay back the same way.”
- But we know such responses will only take our minds away from Nibbāna and toward more suffering.
- Many concepts that need to be contemplated are embedded in the third chart from the current post, “Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation.” (I could not get the chart to appear here. But you should carefully examine it. a mind tends to move away from Nibbāna (represented by the diamond in the chart.) It takes a real effort to resist “going with the flow,” but the benefits are enormous.)
3. If one lives that mindset, many of these issues will go away over time. It is not going to happen in a day or two. It may take a few months, at least.
- But I have personally verified/experienced it over the past ten years.
- “Dhamma will guide and protect one who lives by Dhamma” (”Dhammo ha ve rakkhati Dhammacāri.”)
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1. The point is that the proposed theory of a “Big Bang” is just a theory. Recent data from the new telescope launched last year indicates possible contradictions with that theory.
- Did you read the first few posts at the beginning of this thread?
2. According to the Buddha, there was no “Big Bang” beginning.
- See “Buddhism and Evolution – Aggañña Sutta (DN 27).”
- Bullet #7 from that post:
“7. The Solar system will last another 5 billion or so. Thus the total time in the existence of the current Sun (and Earth) is about 10 billion years, according to modern science. That is the existence phase lasting 20 kappā, assuming that the current scientific estimate is correct.
- The other three kappā take 10 billion years each, which is how the time for a complete cycle takes 40 billion years.
- The Earth (and the whole Solar system) continues through this cyclic process that takes roughly 40 billion years per cycle, i.e., for a mahā kappa (with the above assumption.)
- This cycle will keep repeating. There was no “Big Bang” beginning.”
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Everything is fine.
- It takes time to sort out specific, deeper, issues.
- Things become clear as we progress. That has been true for me.
- Since we don’t have the Buddha or any Arahants, we need to figure out things as we proceed. Many concepts have been distorted over many centuries.
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This forum may be fine.
- But it depends on what you mean by ” internal monologue.”
- Can you be more specific? Give an example so we can see what you refer to.
Dosakkhayo wrote: “The rebirth process runs only by Akusala mula PS. So kusala kamma can not be the hetu.”
1. Any birth in this world (including any Brahma or Anagami) is due to avijja.
- Only an Arahant is free of all akusala. That is another way of saying only Arahants are entirely free of avijja.
2. The Buddha described only Paticca Samuppada (PS.) In the Sutta Pitaka there is no mention of “kusala-mula” or “akusala-mula” PS.
- PS leads to “temporary existences” within a life (one can act like an animal under some conditions.) Births (uppatti) in other realms can also be described within the same PS.
3. If anyone can find any reference to “kusala-mula” or “akusala-mula” PS within the Sutta Pitaka, please let me know.
- The only place within the Tipitaka that mentions those words is the “Vibhanga Pakarana,” a Commentary. That also does not explain in detail.
- Even though I wrote about “kusala-mula” or “akusala-mula” PS in the early years, especially in the past year, I realized that breaking PS into various categories is unnecessary.
- As we have seen in the recent posts (see, for example, #15 of “Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation”), even the separation as Avyākata Paṭicca Samuppāda and Akusala-Mula Paṭicca Samuppāda processes is just one process that is broken into two parts as purāna and nava kamma stages.
- The main sutta that describes PS is “Mahānidāna Sutta (DN 15).” Then, there is a series of suttas starting with the “Paṭiccasamuppāda Sutta (SN 12.1).”
- While other suttas refer to PS, I have seen no mention of “kusala-mula” or “akusala-mula” PS in any of those suttas either. That is because all rebirths can be explained with PS (see #1).
4. Any Brahma is born in a Brahma realm because he had cultivated abhisankhara corresponding to that realm.
- An Anagami is born in a Suddhāvāsā Brahma realm because he still has avijja left to that extent.
- All rebirths are due to PS starting with “avijjā paccayā saṅkhāra.”
- An Arahant is not reborn in any realm because he has removed all avijja/anusaya/samyojana.
- I will rewrite/revise some relevant posts when I get the time.
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Thank you for your comments and insights.
- Yes. Many people have the impression that Buddhism has mystical aspects.
- Certain aspects of Buddha Dhamma are not amenable to “mundane views of this world.”
- See “Buddha Dhamma – A Scientific Approach.”
- An introduction to the subject in “Dhamma and Science – Introduction.”
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1. The reasoning at the top (#1 through #3 are correct).
However, regarding #3: A Brahma birth (birth of the manomaya kaya of the anariya Brahma) happens at the patisandhi moment based on the conditions at that moment.
- Once that sankhata (manomaya kaya of the anariya Brahma) is formed, it will exist until the kammic energy that led to it is exhausted. The exception is if the Brahma attains Arahanthood. Then that manomaya kaya will “burn,” i.e., the Brahma attains Parinibbana.
- The same goes for the Anagami. If the Anagami attains Arahanthood, Parinibbana will result, i.e., that existence will be terminated.
2. I hope that helps clarify the issue. Feel free to ask questions if it is not clear.
- There is no “left-over” kammic energy (in that Brahma bhava) for a Brahma once his lifetime ends.
- He will be reborn human, and if he needs to get back to the Brahma realm, he will have to cultivate jhana again.
- “Brahma kammic energy” falls under ” ānantarika,” meaning energy is NOT held in reserve. Any energy existing MUST bring vipaka without delay.
- Of course, the human physical body can withstand an ānantarika kamma. That is why a yogi with a jhana will not be reborn right away in a Brahma realm. But when the physical body dies, he will be instantly born a Brahma.
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Dawson is correct in pointing out those aspects.
- ‘Mettā’ or “compassion for other beings” must come from within oneself.
- All living beings suffer at different levels at different times. But any given being suffers tremendously over long time spans because rebirth in the apāyās is unavoidable until the Sotapanna stage is reached.
- While we cannot see the suffering in three of the apāyās, we can see the suffering in the animal realm. Of course, many humans undergo much suffering. Even those with wealth have to suffer when they get sick or get to old age.
“Seeing and contemplating suffering” is a big part of the practice. It gives the motivation to live a moral life first. But that is not enough to “end the suffering in Sansāra.”
- The deeper one comprehends the issue of suffering, the deeper the ‘Mettā’ one can generate for all beings, as Dawson pointed out.
- Of course, that understanding helps avoid many akusala kamma too. One would not have the mindset to kill, steal, lie, etc., to hurt others when this concept is understood.
- Furthermore, as one contemplates further, one can see that the rebirth process (Sansāra) must hold to explain the “nature of this world.” That helps get rid of various wrong views.
Cultivating wisdom (paññā) is the basis of Buddhist practice. Not rituals or mere chanting.
- Chanting with understanding helps get to samādhi, but mere chanting does not do much.
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Sammasambhodhi Gami has recorded my trial session with him on Jan. 13th. Following is the audio:
“Dhamma discussions – Pure Dhamma- Trial Session-Jan 13 2024“
- It has additional information that could be useful.
P.S. By the way, Seng Kiat posted some viewgraphs that I presented at the 2-hour session in his comment above. Those could help in understanding that audio recording.
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In the above audio session, we discussed how the brain and the hadaya vatthu (seat of the mind) work together for the mind to “see” an external object. The following two posts could be helpful.
“Vision Is a Series of “Snapshots” – Movie Analogy“
“Seeing Is a Series of ‘Snapshots’“
P.S. Another post I mentioned: “Aniccaṁ Vipariṇāmi Aññathābhāvi – A Critical Verse.”
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