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Volume 7, Issue 3, March 2020

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Research Article / Survey Paper / Case Study Published By: SK Publisher (www.skpublisher.com)

‘Kamma’ Theory: Theravada Buddhist Perspective Ashin Candavara

Research Scholar

Department of Philosophy, Panjab University

U.T Chandigarh, India

Abstract: In Buddhism, ‘Kamma’ theory is the most essential and fundamental concepts. In a word, ‘Kamma’ translated into

English as ‘action’ in a Buddhist Pāḷi literature. There are three types of activities such as bodily actions, verbal actions, and

mental actions. All types of actions are base on the mind and every action reproduces an effect. Almost actions come out, the

result immediately and some actions produce the result for later or next lives. Believing actions and its results or cause and

effect are called 'Kamma’ theory in Buddhism. There are two different types of action; good action or wholesome deed

(kusala) and bad action or unwholesome deed (akusala). The mind is the most important play in a role in the entire action.

Therefore, all of the sentient beings are rotating in the circulation of rebirth (saṃsāra) depend on their actions. Some are

reborn in the four woeful states (apāya) such as in hells, animals, spirits, and ghosts. Some are reborn in a beautiful world

as a human in this world, as a deity in six deities worlds and as a Brahmas in twenty Brahmas worlds. Buddhism believe that

sentient beings are circulating in the thirty-one planes by their actions ‘Kamma’. They were born in woeful states or

beautiful states according to their good or bad actions. Every life has expired after reborn in one life whether long life

unaccountable years or not. In the Buddhist concept, suffering (dukkha) is dissolution (Vaya) after appearing (uppāda). The

main purpose of Buddhism is free from the circulation of birth and death in the thirty-one planes is called ‘Nibbāna’. The

Buddha taught the ways to lead to 'Nibbāna' or the cessation of circulation of rebirth.

Keywords: bodily action; verbal action; mental action; kusala; akusala; reborn; Nibbāna.

I. INTRODUCTION

In the cittasutta,1the Buddha taught that the mind was leading in all and attracted to the world, and all things are following

the mind. There are two kinds of minds rooted in evil, such as greedy, anger and delusion, and a good mind rooted in non-

greedy, loving-kindness, and wisdom. Because of an evil mind produce evil actions and similarly, a good mind produces a good

action. In sammāditthisutta2 the cause of unwholesome is greedy (lobha), anger (dosa), and delusion (moha). Greedy (lobha),

Anger (dosa), Delusion (moha), Conceit (māna), Wrong views (diṭ ṭ hi), Doubt (vicikiccā), Sloth (thina), Restlessness (midda),

Shamelessness of wrongdoing (ahirika), Fearlessness of wrongdoing (anuttappa).These ten kinds of defilements are following

their respected leader. These ten kinds of defilement (kilesa) are influencing and driving to all the sentient beings to the woeful

plane (apāya) from one life to another life depend on their bad actions (kamma) such as body action (kāyakamma), verbal action

(vacikamma) and mental action (manokamma). These actions come from ten kinds of defilements (kilesa). Therefore, ten kinds

1S.i.36

2M.i. 47

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of defilements are a force to drive to reborn in woeful planes; hell (niraya), animals (tiricchāna), ghosts (peta) and titan (asūrā)

in the circulation of rebirth (Saṃsāra).

On the other hand, there are also ten kinds of wholesome deeds. The causes of wholesome are base on the not attachment

(Alobha), not anger (Adosa), and non-delusion (Amoha) are the causes of wholesome. These ten kinds of actions are the

opposite of ten kinds of bad actions. If a person following the practices ten kinds of wholesome in the present time, its results

will come out in this life and after pass away, they can get reborn into good planes such as the Human world, Deity worlds, and

Brahma worlds.

There are thirty-one planes to have a chance reborn according to their action (Kamma) for the sentient beings in the

Buddhist concept. In the thirty-one planes, there are four woeful planes mentioned above concern with unwholesome actions.

There are twenty-seven planes, one human world, six Deity worlds, and twenty Brahma worlds, to be reborn for the sentient

beings that had done wholesome deeds.

II. ACTION ‘KAMMA’ AND IT RULES

In Buddhism, there are thirty-one planes that beings are circulation reborn here and there according to their actions

(kamma). The four planes are reborn for the person of doing bad actions or unwholesome deeds. Buddhism believes that

whoever does the ten kinds of unwholesome deeds because of these actions after pass away, they will be reborn in these four

woeful planes. The Buddha taught in the Nakhasikhasutta,3 from the Samyuttanikāya, the four planes is a home for the sentient

beings. The Buddha compared with the ground that put on his nails and the whole earth of ground. Most of the sentient beings

are reborn in the woeful planes after passed away in this life because most of the peoples are full of defilements and

unwholesome deeds. A few amounts of sentient beings are reborn in sensuous blissful planes.

There are seven sensuous blissful planes (kāmasugatibhūmi); “The human realm (manussā), The realm of the Four Great

Kings (cātummahārājikā), The realm of the Thirty-three Gods (tāvatiṃsā), The realm of the Yāma Gods (yāmā), The Delightful

Realm (tusitā), The realm of the Gods who rejoice in (their own) Creations (nimmānarati), The realm of the Gods who lord over

the Creations of Others (paranimmitavassavattī).”4These seven planes are reborn for the results of who have done good deeds or

wholesome actions. Here, the human life that we have already owned is included the blissful planes, and we must care about the

value of human beings. Moreover, human life is central to the gateway that can go any planes and can liberate from the out of

thirty-one planes; it means 'Nibbāna,' which is the highest destination of Buddhism. There need to do good deeds or wholesome

actions by the donation of properties, preserve the precept to reborn in these seven blissful realms. Four woeful planes and

seven plane sensuous blissful planes, totally eleven planes are call sense-sphere plane (kāmāvacara).

The last realm is twenty-Brahma realms. In the twenty realms, there are two different planes; sixteen Brahmas realms are

staying Brahma with mind and matter, and the other four Brahma realms are staying Brahma with only mentalities. Those

Brahma are staying long life until eighty-four thousand worlds. They become Brahma because of meditation powers. Different

levels of meditation (jhāna) can divide to reborn in different realms.

The Buddha explained that “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. It is the action that distinguishes beings as inferior and superior.”5 This

statement is the fundamental principle of adherence to Buddhist and Buddhism. Buddhism is mainly concreted base on

Kamma's theory. In the Culakammasutta mentioned about the relationship of Kamma action and reaction. Every action has

3 S.i.454

4Bhikkhu Bodhi, „A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma,‟ Buddhist Publication of Society, Kandy, Srilanka, 1999, p.189

5 ibid

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effects, but some actions are immediately coming out, and some are later, but the effect is never will stop. The resultant not

existing as a substance, but it follows as a power that can reproduce in a suitable time.

In the Kammanirodhasutta6 from the Samyuttanikaya, the Buddha taught that Internal six senses; eye, ear, nose, nose,

tongue, and body are the Old kamma. The new Kamma is action with bodily, verbal, and mentality in this present time. The

place that cessation of Kamma is „Nibbāna.' Moreover, the way to „Nibbāna‟ is „Eightfold Noble Paths‟.” In this sutta, the

Buddha meant the internal six senses are resultant of previous Kamma.

In Buddhism, Nibbāna is the highest destination. A concern with 'Nibbāna,' the Buddha taught in „Sarasutta‟ from the

Samyuttanikāya, in the „Nibbāna‟ there is no exist earth (pathavī), water (āpo), heat (Tejo) and air (vāyo) and also mind (nāma)

or matter (rūpa). „Nibbāna‟ is the total extinction of four elements and mind and matter. The Buddha and his ariya disciples

were already reached „Nibbāna.‟ In that sutta, the Buddha pointed out that the way leading to „Nibbāna‟ is practicing the

„Eightfold Noble Paths. The Eightfold Noble Paths is― Right views (sammādiṭ ṭ hi), Right though (sammāsaṅ kappa), Right

speech (sammāvācā), Right action (sammākammanta), Right livelihood (sammāājīva), Right effort (sammāvāyama), Right

mindfulness (sammāsati), Right concentration (sammāsamādhi).

III. CONCLUSION

Whoever wants to a cessation of circulation of Kamma (samsāra) must be following the 'Eightfold Noble Truths.' The

practice of the „Eightfold Noble Truths‟ is the practice of 'meditation.' In the practical way of practicing 'Eightfold Noble Paths,'

right speech, right action, and right livelihood are basic of morality groups, and it should be fulfilled before the practice

meditation. The other five, such as right view, right thought, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration, are working

together when practicing meditation. That is called 'kārakamagganga‟. When we practice the meditation, the precept such as

speaking, the action of body and livelihood are auto controlled, because meditation is sitting quietly. Therefore there is no

chance to do any kind of bodily action and verbal action. That is stopping to do a new Kamma action.

Moreover, the mind is aware and notes it on the body or feeling or thinking about whatever happening every second. In the

awareness, mindfulness, effort, concentration, though and views are working together at the same time. Therefore, these five

factors are called 'kārakamagganga.' Following the way of practice, meditation can attain enlightenment that knowledge to

realize the „Nibbāna‟ that is also called the cessation of „Kamma‟. Therefore, the Eightfold Noble Paths is the way leading to

„Nibbāna‟ or the way to reach „Nibbāna‟ or to realize enlightenment or the way to cease 'Kamma‟ that rotates the „samsāra.‟

References

1. CSCD- Chattha Sangayana CD, version 3.0, Vipassana Research Institute, Dhammagiri, Igatpuri, Nashik, India, 1999.

2. Sammāditthisutta , Mijjhimanikāya.

3. Cūlakammavibinga sutta, Mijjhimanikāya.

4. Nakhasikhasutta, Saṃyuttanikāya.

5. Kammanirodhasutta, Saṃyuttanikaya.

6. Sarasutta, Saṃyuttanikāya.

7. Bhikkhu Bodhi, „A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma,‟ Buddhist Publication of Society, Kandy, Srilanka, 1999.

6S.ii.135