Kamma and result

As we have seen, three cetasikas are unwholesome roots, akusala hetus: attachment (lobha), aversion (dosa) and ignorance (moha). Three cetasikas are beautiful roots, sobhana hetus: non-attachment,(alobha), non-aversion, (adosa) and wisdom (paññā). Unwholesome roots, akusala hetus, can motivate ill deeds through body, speech or mind. Ill deeds are called in Pāli: akusala kamma. Kamma is the cetasika (mental factor arising with the citta) which is intention or volition, in Pali: cetanā. However, the word “kamma” is also used in a more general sense for the deeds which are intended by cetanā. The term kamma-patha (literally “course of action”) is used as well in this sense. There are akusala kamma-pathas and kusala kamma-pathas, ill deeds and good deeds, accomplished through body, speech and mind. As regards akusala kamma-patha, there are ten akusala kamma-pathas and these are conditioned by lobha, dosa and moha. They are: killing, stealing, sexual misbehaviour, lying, slandering, rude speech, frivolous talk, covetousness, ill-will and wrong view (diṭṭhi). Beautiful roots, sobhana hetus, motivate good deeds such as generosity, abstention from ill deeds, mental development which includes samatha and vipassanā. Whatever conduct we follow in daily life is conditioned by the wholesome or unwholesome roots accumulated from life to life. There is no self who can determine to do wrong or to do what is right, it is conditioned by the roots and many other factors. Each moment, whatever we do, is conditioned. When we are generous, helping others or paying respect, we may believe that there are only kusala cittas. However, what we take for wholesome may be motivated by akusala, such as conceit or being intent on some advantage for ourselves. Kusala cittas and akusala cittas alternate in our life. This shows how deeply rooted defilements are. Kamma is a mental activity which can be accumulated. Since cittas that arise and fall away succeed one another in an unbroken series, the force of kamma is carried on from one moment of citta to the next moment of citta, from one life to the next life. In this way kamma is capable to produce its result later on. A good deed, kusala kamma, can produce a pleasant result, and an evil deed can produce an unpleasant result. Kamma produces result at the first moment of life: it produces rebirth-consciousness in a happy plane of existence such as the human plane or a heavenly plane, or in an unhappy plane of existence such as a hell plane or the animal world. Throughout our life kamma produces seeing, hearing and the other sense-impressions that are vipākacittas, cittas that are results. Vipā kacittas are neither kusala cittas nor akusala cittas. Seeing a pleasant object is the result of kusala kamma and seeing an unpleasant object is the result of akusala kamma. If there is right understanding of the citta that is cause and the citta that is result we shall know the meaning of anattā. We shall come to understand that there is no self who can cause the arising of pleasant or unpleasant experiences through the senses. Due to kamma gain and loss, praise and blame alternate in our life.