ACTION AND THEIR RESULTS

"SOWING AND REAPING"

Mrs C. W. Iggleden

Tisarana Newsletter, April 1999

      There are ten bad actions killing, stealing, unchastely, lying, slandering, harsh language, frivolous talk, covetousness, ill will, false view.

           1. The result of killing is: Short life, being subject to disease, constant grief caused by separation from loved ones, and constant fear

2. The result of stealing is Poverty, wretchedness, unfulfilled desires, dependent livelihood

           3. The result of unchastely is: Having many enemies, getting undesirable wives or husbands, birth as a female or an eunuch

          4. The result of lying is: Being tormented by abusive speech, having the quality of being incredible, and a stinking mouth.

          5. The result of slandering is: Dissolution of friendship without sufficient cause, and being ignored by friends.

           6. The result of harsh language is: Being detested by others although blameless, and having a harsh voice.

           7. The result of frivolous talk is: Disorderliness of the bodily organs, awkward or crooked limbs, and unacceptable speech.

      8. The result of covetousness is: Unfulfillment of one's wishes,

           9. The result of ill will is: Ugliness, various diseases, and having a detestable nature.

           10. The result of false view is: Base attachment, lack of wisdom, dull wit, chronic diseases, and blameworthy ideas.

      There are ten good actions: generosity, morality, meditation, reverence, service, transference of merit, rejoicing in others' meritorious deeds, hearing the Doctrine, expounding the Doctrine, forming correct views.

           1. The result of generosity is: Rebirth in wealthy conditions, or whatever one does one will be successful in the way of wealth.

           2. The result of morality is: Rebirth in noble families in states of happiness, and can be the cause of good health and/or having a handsome or beautiful appearance.

           3, The result of meditation is: Rebirth in the plane of Form or the Formless Plane, also help in the gaining of higher knowledge and emancipation

           4. The result of reverence is: Being born of noble parentage. Those who do not practise reverence, due to conceit, can be reborn in lower states as tiny creatures.

           5. The result of service is: Being attended by a large retinue, and having plenty of friends ready to help.

           6. The result of transference of merit is: Being able to give in abundance in future births.

           7. The result of rejoicing in others' meritorious deeds is: Productive of joy wherever one is reborn.

           8/9. The result of hearing and expounding the Doctrine is: Conducive to wisdom.

           10. The result of forming correct views is: Making one's views straight or firm (ditthijjukamma) and even when very young being bright and intelligent.

     Although we use the expression " by chance", there is no such thing as chance because of cause; although sometimes the cause is so remote that it cannot be traced. Rather in the same way as people invest money in order to get "interest", so by our good or bad actions we invest on kamma, and will indeed receive "interest" in just proportion!