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- Anguttara Nikaya III.101
- Lonaphala Sutta
- The Salt Crystal
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
Translator's note: For a discussion of this discourse in the general context of
the Buddha's teaching on kamma (karma), see "Kamma & the Ending of Kamma" in The
Wings to Awakening.
"Monks, for anyone who says, 'In whatever way a person makes kamma, that is how it
is experienced,' there is no living of the holy life, there is no opportunity for the
right ending of stress. But for anyone who says, 'When a person makes kamma to be felt in
such & such a way, that is how its result is experienced,' there is the living of the
holy life, there is the opportunity for the right ending of stress.
"There is the case where a trifling evil deed done by a certain individual takes
him to hell. There is the case where the very same sort of trifling deed done by another
individual is experienced in the here & now, and for the most part barely appears for
a moment.
"Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual takes him to hell?
There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped in [contemplating] the body,
undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment: restricted,
small-hearted, dwelling with suffering. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of
individual takes him to hell.
"Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is experienced in the
here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment? There is the case where
a certain individual is developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue,
developed in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted, dwelling with
the unlimited. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual is experienced in the
here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.
"Suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into a small
amount of water in a cup. What do you think? Would the water in the cup become salty
because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?"
"Yes, lord. Why is that? There being only a small amount of water in the cup, it
would become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink."
"Now suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into the River
Ganges. What do you think? Would the water in the River Ganges become salty because of
the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?"
"No, lord. Why is that? There being a great mass of water in the River Ganges, it
would not become salty because of the salt crystal or unfit to drink."
"In the same way, there is the case where a trifling evil deed done by one
individual [the first] takes him to hell; and there is the case where the very same sort
of trifling deed done by the other individual is experienced in the here & now, and
for the most part barely appears for a moment.
"Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual takes him to hell?
There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped in [contemplating] the body,
undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment: restricted,
small-hearted, dwelling with suffering. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of
individual takes him to hell.
"Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is experienced in the
here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment? There is the case where
a certain individual is developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue,
developed in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted, dwelling with
the unlimited. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual is experienced in the
here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.
"There is the case where a certain person is thrown into jail
for half a dollar (kahapana), is thrown into jail for a dollar, is thrown into jail
for one hundred dollars. And there is the case where another person is not thrown into
jail for half a dollar, is not thrown into jail for a dollar, is not thrown into jail for
one hundred dollars. Now what sort of person is thrown into jail for half a dollar ... for
a dollar ... for one hundred dollars? There is the case where a person is poor, of little
wealth, of few possessions. This is the sort of person who is thrown into jail for half a
dollar ... for a dollar ... for one hundred dollars. And what sort of person is not thrown
into jail for half a dollar ... for a dollar ... for one hundred dollars? There is the
case where a person is wealthy, with many belongings, many possessions. This is the sort
of person who is not thrown into jail for half a dollar ... for a dollar ... for one
hundred dollars.
"In the same way, there is the case where a trifling evil deed done by one
individual takes him to hell; and there is the case where the very same sort of trifling
deed done by the other individual is experienced in the here & now, and for the most
part barely appears for a moment.
"Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual takes him to hell?
There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped in [contemplating] the body,
undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment: restricted,
small-hearted, dwelling with suffering. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of
individual takes him to hell.
"Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is experienced in the
here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment? There is the case where
a certain individual is developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue,
developed in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted, dwelling with
the unlimited. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual is experienced in the
here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.
"It's just as when a goat butcher is empowered to beat or
bind or slay or treat as he likes a certain person who steals a goat, but is not empowered
to beat or bind or slay or treat as he likes another person who steals a goat. Now, when
what sort of person has stolen a goat is the goat butcher empowered to beat him or bind
him or slay him or treat him as he likes? There is the case where a person is poor, of
little wealth, of few possessions. This is the sort of person who, when he has stolen a
goat, the goat butcher is empowered to beat or bind or slay or treat as he likes. And when
what sort of person has stolen a goat is the goat butcher not empowered to beat him or
bind him or slay him or treat him as he likes? There is the case where a person is
wealthy, with many belongings, many possessions; a king or a king's minister. This is the
sort of person who, when he has stolen a goat, the goat butcher is not empowered to beat
or bind or slay or treat as he likes. All he can do is go with his hands clasped before
his heart and beg: 'Please, dear sir, give me a goat or the price of a goat.'
"In the same way, there is the case where a trifling evil deed done by one
individual takes him to hell; and there is the case where the very same sort of trifling
deed done by the other individual is experienced in the here & now, and for the most
part barely appears for a moment.
"Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual takes him to hell?
There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped in [contemplating] the body,
undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in discernment: restricted,
small-hearted, dwelling with suffering. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of
individual takes him to hell.
"Now, a trifling evil deed done by what sort of individual is experienced in the
here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment? There is the case where
a certain individual is developed in [contemplating] the body, developed in virtue,
developed in mind, developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted, dwelling with
the unlimited. A trifling evil deed done by this sort of individual is experienced in the
here & now, and for the most part barely appears for a moment.
"Monks, for anyone who says, 'In whatever way a person makes kamma, that is how it
is experienced,' there is no living of the holy life, there is no opportunity for the
right ending of stress. But for anyone who says, 'When a person makes kamma to be felt in
such & such a way, that is how its result is experienced,' there is the living of the
holy life, there is the opportunity for the right ending of stress."