Kamma is Intention behind a mental, verbal or bodily action:
Kamma is intention to push and act and not the later resulting effects!
Buddha emphasized the core Law of Kamma: Moral Efficacy of any Action!
He said: Kamma should be known and understood:
The cause by which kamma comes into play should be known.
The diversity in kamma should be known.
The result of kamma should be known.
The ending of kamma should be known.
The way of practice for the ending of kamma should be known.
Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said?
Intention, I tell you, is kamma.
Intending, one makes kamma by way of body, speech, and mind.
And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play?
Contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play.
And what is the diversity in kamma?
There is kamma to be experienced in hell,
kamma to be experienced in the realm of the various animals,
kamma to be experienced in the realm of the hungry ghosts,
kamma to be experienced in this human world,
kamma to be experienced in the world of the divine devas.
This is called the diversity in kamma.
By intending something one plants an egg of future hatching resultants!
And what is the result of kamma?
The result of kamma is of three sorts, I tell you:
that which arises right here and now, or later in this very lifetime,
and that which arises in later lives. This is called the result of kamma.
And what is the ending of kamma?
The ending of contact thereby also ends kamma.
And what is the way of practice for the ending of kamma?
Just this Noble eightfold path:
right view,
right motivation,
right speech,
right action,
right livelihood,
right effort,
right mindfulness,
right concentration
This is the way of praxis leading to the end of kamma.
Now when a disciple of the Noble Ones comprehends kamma in this way,
the cause, the diversity, the result, the end, and the way of practice
leading to the ending of kamma in this way, then he sees the fulfillment
of the Noble life as the end of kamma.
Kamma should be known.
The cause by which kamma comes into play...
The diversity in kamma...
The result of kamma...
The ending of kamma...
The way of practice for the ending of kamma should be known.
Thus it has been said, and in reference to this was it said.
Reference: AN VI.63
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Reflecting on all one's actions:
Intention has in future entangled physical effects outside the individual!
The Buddha to his son:
How do you consider this, Rahula: What is a mirror for?
Rahula: For reflection, Sir.
The Buddha: In the same way, Rahula, bodily acts, verbal acts, and mental
acts are to be done with constant reflection. Whenever you want to do a
bodily act, then you should reflect: This bodily act I want to do, would it
lead to misery to myself, to the misery of others, or to both?
Is it a detrimental bodily act, with painful consequences, painful results?
If, on reflection, you come to know that it would lead to your own misery,
to the misery of others, or to both, and it would be an harming bodily act
with painful consequences, painful results, then any bodily act whatsoever
of that sort is absolutely unacceptable for you to do! But if on reflection
you know that it would not cause misery. That it would be an advantageous
bodily action with happy consequences, & pleasant results, then any bodily
act of that sort is proper for you to do.
Any intention produces a ladder into the future upon which one climbs!
While you are doing a bodily act, you should reflect: This bodily act I am
doing now does it lead to self-misery, to the misery of others, or to both?
Is it an detrimental bodily act, with painful consequences, painful results?
If, on reflection, you come to know that it is leading to self-misery, or to
the misery of others, or to both, then you should instantly stop doing it!
But if on reflection you know that it is not disadvantageous to anybody,
then you may continue with it.
Having done a bodily act, you should again reflect .... If, on reflection,
you come to know that it led to self-misery, to the misery of others, or to
both; that it was an detrimental bodily act with painful consequences,
painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it, and lay it open to the
teacher or to a knowledgeable friend in the holy life. Having confessed it,
you should exercise restraint and self-control in the future.
But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to misery, that it was a
advantageous bodily action with happy consequences, happy results, then
you should stay mentally elated and joyful, training day & night in all the
advantageous mental qualities.
...[similarly for verbal and mental acts]...
Intention is a choice, which reduces entropy, thus rolling out the future!
Rahula, all past bhikkhus and recluses who purified their bodily, verbal, &
mental acts, did it through repeated reflection on their bodily, verbal, and
mental acts in exactly this way. All the future bhikkhus and recluses & all
the bhikkhus and recluses who at present purify their bodily, verbal, and
mental acts, do it by repeated reflection on their bodily, verbal, & mental
acts in exactly this way. Therefore, Rahula, you should train yourself:
I will purify my bodily acts by repeated reflection.
I will purify my verbal acts by repeated reflection.
I will purify my mental acts by repeated reflection.
Thus should you train yourself!
reference MN 61
For details on the mechanics of Kamma = Intentional Action see:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Buddha_on_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_dilutes_Evil_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_short_&_long_life.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Health_&_Sickness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Low_or_High_Birth.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Wealth_or_Poverty.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Beauty_&_Ugliness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Effect_of_Action_(kamma)_is_Delayed.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Power_or_Disrespect.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evil_Kamma_enhances_other_Evil_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_enhances_other_Good_Kamma.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Stupidity_or_Intelligence.htm
