In the Buddha's Words - Bhikkhu Bodhi [233]
14 Ps: If the kamma of killing directly determines the mode of rebirth, it will produce rebirth in a bad destination. But if a wholesome kamma brings about a human rebirth—and rebirth as a human being is always the result of wholesome kamma—the kamma of killing will operate in a manner contrary to that of the rebirth-generative kamma by causing various adversities that may culminate in a premature death. The same principle holds for the subsequent cases in which unwholesome kamma matures in a human existence: in each instance, the unwholesome kamma counteracts the wholesome kamma responsible for the human rebirth by causing a particular type of misfortune specific to itself.
15 In this case the wholesome kamma of abstaining from killing is directly responsible for either the heavenly rebirth or longevity in a human existence. The same principle applies in all the passages on the maturation of wholesome kamma.
16 This means that the act of giving is not sufficient to obtain the desired result. It must be supported by pure moral conduct. For one of persistent immoral conduct, generosity would not suffice to bring a favorable rebirth.
17 This is said because rebirth into the brahma world—and into other planes in the form realm—is achieved through attainment of the jhānas, which requires the suppression of sensual lust.
18 On the uposatha, see p. 153.
19 The “proper time” for meals, according to the monastic and uposatha precepts, is between daybreak and noon. From noon on, solid foods as well as certain nourishing liquids (such as milk) cannot be consumed. Fruit juices, soft drinks, tea, herbal teas, and other light drinks are allowed.
20 These are the states of the Indian subcontinent and the adjacent regions.
21 Ps explains limiting action (pamāṇakataṃ kammaṃ) as kamma pertaining to the sense sphere (kāmāvacara). It is opposed by a limitless or immeasurable action, namely, the jhānas and formless attainments. In this case, the brahmavihāras developed to the level of jhāna are intended. When a jhāna or formless attainment is mastered, a kamma pertaining to the sense sphere cannot find the opportunity to yield its own result. Rather, the kamma pertaining to the form realm or the formless realm overpowers the sense-sphere kamma and produces its results. A brahmavihāra that has been mastered leads to rebirth in the brahma world.
22 A “person possessed of right view” (diṭṭhisampanna puggala) is a stream-enterer. The stream-enterer and those who reach higher attainments will be discussed in chapter X.
23 A paccekabuddha is one who, like a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha, attains enlightenment without the guidance of a teacher, but unlike a Buddha is unable to guide others to enlightenment. According to commentarial tradition, paccekabuddhas do not arise while the teaching of a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha exists in the world but only in the periods between the arising of Buddhas.
CHAPTER VI: DEEPENING ONE’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD
1 Ps: “Full understanding” (pariññā) here means overcoming (samatikkama) or abandoning (pahāna). The wanderers of other sects identify the full understanding of sensual pleasures with the first jhāna, the full understanding of form with formless existence [the formless planes corresponding to the formless meditative attainments], and the full understanding of feelings with nonpercipient existence [a plane of existence in which perception is temporarily suspended]. The Buddha, on the other hand, describes the full understanding of sensual pleasures as the path to the stage of nonreturner, and the full understanding of both form and feelings as the path to