Cūḷakammavibhaṅga Sutta

Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Then Subha the student, Todeyya's son, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One.

After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, he sat down to one side.

Seated to one side, Subha the student, Todeyya's son, said to the Blessed One: What, Master Gotama, is the cause and condition why among human beings there are seen low and high states?

For, Master Gotama, among human beings are seen those who are short-lived and those who are long-lived; those who suffer from various diseases and those who are free from diseases; those who are ugly and those who are beautiful; those who are insignificant and those who are influential; those who are poor and those who are wealthy; those who are of low-family and those who are of high-family; those who are unintelligent and those who are wise.

What, Master Gotama, is the cause and condition why among human beings there are seen low and high states?

Beings are owners of their actions, student, heirs of their actions; they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge.

It is action that distinguishes beings as inferior and superior.

I do not know in detail the meaning of what was spoken by Master Gotama in brief without expounding in detail.

It would be good if Master Gotama would teach me the Dhamma so that I might know in detail the meaning of what was spoken by Master Gotama in brief without expounding in detail.

Then, student, listen and attend closely, I will speak.

Yes, sir, Subha the student, Todeyya's son, replied to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said: Here, student, some woman or man is a killer of living beings, cruel, bloody-handed, given to violence and killing, showing no mercy to living beings.

By performing such actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he is reborn in a realm of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower worlds, in hell.

If he does not go to a bad destination, if he comes to the human state, wherever he is reborn, he is short-lived.

This is the way, student, that leads to short life, namely, one is a killer of living beings...

Here, student, some woman or man abstains from killing living beings, lays aside the rod and the sword, conscientious, merciful, he dwells compassionate and kind to all living beings. By performing such actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he is reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.

If he does not go to a good destination, if he comes to the human state, wherever he is reborn, he is long-lived.

This is the way, student, that leads to long life, namely, one abstains from killing living beings...

Here, student, some woman or man is one who harms beings with the hand, with clods, with sticks, or with knives.

By performing such actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he is reborn in a realm of misery... If he comes to the human state, wherever he is reborn, he is sickly.

This is the way, student, that leads to being sickly, namely, one harms beings with the hand, with clods, with sticks, or with knives...

Here, student, some woman or man does not harm beings with the hand, with clods, with sticks, or with knives.

By performing such actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he is reborn in a good destination... If he comes to the human state, wherever he is reborn, he is healthy.

This is the way, student, that leads to health, namely, one does not harm beings with the hand, with clods, with sticks, or with knives...

Here, student, some woman or man is irritable and easily angered, even when criticized slightly he loses his temper, becomes irritated, hostile, and displays anger, hate, and bitterness.

By performing such actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he is reborn in a realm of misery...

If he comes to the human state, wherever he is reborn, he is ugly. This is the way, student, that leads to ugliness, namely, one is irritable and easily angered...

Here, student, some woman or man is not irritable or easily angered, even when criticized much he does not lose his temper, does not become irritated, hostile, or display anger, hate, and bitterness.

By performing such actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he is reborn in a good destination...

If he comes to the human state, wherever he is reborn, he is beautiful.

This is the way, student, that leads to beauty, namely, one is not irritable or easily angered...

Wherever the mind is reborn, it becomes unattractive.

This, human, is the path leading to unattractiveness: being angry, prone to irritation; even when slightly admonished, one reacts aggressively, gets angry, hostile, and resentful, and displays anger, hatred, and blame.

Here, however, human, someone, whether a woman or a man, is not angry, not prone to irritation; even when heavily admonished, does not react aggressively, get angry, hostile, or resentful, nor displays anger, hatred, and blame.

By such action, by such conduct, upon the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.

If they are not reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world, after death, but return to a human state, wherever they are reborn, they become beautiful.

This, human, is the path leading to beauty: being not angry, not prone to irritation; even when heavily admonished, does not react aggressively, get angry, hostile, or resentful, nor displays anger, hatred, and blame.

Here, human, someone, whether a woman or a man, is envious; they envy, resent, and hold onto jealousy over others gains, honor, respect, reverence, salutations, and veneration.

By such action, by such conduct, upon the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, in hell.

If they are not reborn in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, in hell, after death, but return to a human state, wherever they are reborn, they become insignificant.

This, human, is the path leading to insignificance: being envious; they envy, resent, and hold onto jealousy over others gains, honor, respect, reverence, salutations, and veneration.

Here, however, human, someone, whether a woman or a man, is not envious; they do not envy, resent, or hold onto jealousy over others gains, honor, respect, reverence, salutations, and veneration.

By such action, by such conduct, upon the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.

If they are not reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world, after death, but return to a human state, wherever they are reborn, they become influential.

This, human, is the path leading to influence: being not envious; they do not envy, resent, or hold onto jealousy over others gains, honor, respect, reverence, salutations, and veneration.

Here, human, someone, whether a woman or a man, does not give food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, bedding, lodging, and lighting to ascetics or brahmins.

By such action, by such conduct, upon the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, in hell.

If they are not reborn in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, in hell, after death, but return to a human state, wherever they are reborn, they become poor.

This, human, is the path leading to poverty: not giving food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, bedding, lodging, and lighting to ascetics or brahmins.

Here, however, human, someone, whether a woman or a man, gives food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, bedding, lodging, and lighting to ascetics or brahmins.

By such action, by such conduct, upon the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.

If they are not reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world, after death, but return to a human state, wherever they are reborn, they become wealthy.

This, human, is the path leading to wealth: giving food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, bedding, lodging, and lighting to ascetics or brahmins.

Here, human, someone, whether a woman or a man, is haughty and conceited: they do not pay homage where it is due, do not rise up where they should, do not give a seat to those deserving, do not make way where it is needed, do not honor those worthy of honor, do not respect those deserving respect, do not revere those worthy of reverence, do not venerate those deserving veneration.

By such action, by such conduct, upon the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, in hell.

If they are not reborn in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, in hell, after death, but return to a human state, wherever they are reborn, they become low-born.

This, human, is the path leading to low birth: being haughty and conceited; they do not pay homage where it is due, do not rise up where they should, do not give a seat to those deserving, do not make way where it is needed, do not honor those worthy of honor, do not respect those deserving respect, do not revere those worthy of reverence, do not venerate those deserving veneration.

Here, student, whether a woman or a man is humble and not arrogant; pays respects where they should, rises in greeting where they should, offers a seat to those deserving of a seat, gives way to those deserving of passage, honors those deserving of honor, respects those deserving of respect, esteems those deserving of esteem, and worships those deserving of worship.

By this action, so completed, so undertaken, upon the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a fortunate realm, in heaven.

If they do not attain a fortunate realm, heaven, after death, and if they return to a human state, wherever they are reborn, they are of high family.

This, student, is the path leading to high family, that is: being humble and not arrogant; paying respects, rising in greeting, offering a seat, giving way, honoring, respecting, esteeming, and worshipping.

Here, student, whether a woman or a man, a disciple or a brahmin, approaches and does not ask: What, sir, is wholesome, what is unwholesome; what is blameworthy, what is blameless; what should be cultivated, what should not be cultivated; what kind of action will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time, and what kind of action will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?

By this action, so completed, so undertaken, upon the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, in hell.

If they do not attain a state of deprivation, a bad destination, perdition, hell, after death, and if they return to a human state, wherever they are reborn, they are unwise.

This, student, is the path leading to being unwise, that is: approaching a disciple or a brahmin and not asking about what is wholesome, unwholesome, blameworthy, blameless, what should be cultivated, and what should not be cultivated, and what kind of action leads to harm and suffering or welfare and happiness for a long time.

Here, however, student, whether a woman or a man, a disciple or a brahmin, approaches and asks: What, sir, is wholesome, what is unwholesome; what is blameworthy, what is blameless; what should be cultivated, what should not be cultivated; what kind of action will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time, and what kind of action will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?

By this action, so completed, so undertaken, upon the breakup of the body, after death, they are reborn in a fortunate realm, in heaven.

If they do not attain a fortunate realm, heaven, after death, and if they return to a human state, wherever they are reborn, they are very wise.

This, student, is the path leading to great wisdom, that is: approaching a disciple or a brahmin and asking about what is wholesome, unwholesome, blameworthy, blameless, what should be cultivated, and what should not be cultivated, and what kind of action leads to harm and suffering or welfare and happiness for a long time.

Thus, student, the path leading to a short life leads to short-livedness, the path leading to a long life leads to longevity; the path leading to many illnesses leads to being frequently ill, the path leading to few illnesses leads to being seldom ill; the path leading to ugliness leads to being unattractive, the path leading to beauty leads to being attractive; the path leading to being insignificant leads to insignificance, the path leading to being influential leads to influence; the path leading to poverty leads to being poor, the path leading to wealth leads to being wealthy; the path leading to low birth leads to being of low family, the path leading to high birth leads to being of high family; the path leading to being unwise leads to being unwise, the path leading to great wisdom leads to being very wise.

Beings are owners of their actions, heirs of their actions, they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge.

Actions distinguish beings as inferior and superior.

When this was said, Subha the student, Todeyya's son, said to the Blessed One: Magnificent, Master Gotama, magnificent, Master Gotama!

Just as if one were to set upright what had been overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way, Master Gotama has made the Dhamma clear in many ways.

I go to Master Gotama for refuge, and to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of disciples.

May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life.

I go to the refuge of the one who is endowed with the jatagge virtue.

The Cūḷakammavibhaṅga Sutta is finished.