..續本文上一頁 everything, mental or physical, arises in accordance with the laws and conditions. If it were not so, there would reign chaos and blind chance. Such a thing, however, is impossible, and if it would be otherwise, al1 laws of nature which modern science has discovered would be powerless.

　　The real, essential nature of action (Kamma) of man is mental. When a given thought has arisen in one”s mind a number of times, there is a definite tendency to recurrence of that thought. When a given act has been performed a number of times, there is a definite tendency to the repetition of the act. Thus, each act, mental or physical, tends to constantly produce its like, and be in turn produced. If a man thinks a good thought, speaks a good word, does a good deed, the effect upon him is to increase the tendencies to goodness present in him, is to make him a better man.

　　If, on the contrary, he does a bad deed in thought, in speech or in action, he has strengthened in himself his bad tendencies; he has made himself a worse man. Having become a worse man, he will gravitate to the company of worse men in the future, and incur all the unhappiness of varying kinds that attends life in such company. On the other hand, the man of a character that is continually growing better, will naturally tend to the companionship of the good, and enjoy all the pleasantness and comforts and freedom from the ruder shocks of human life which such society connotes.

　　In the case of a cultured man, even the effect of a greater evil may be minimized while the lesser evil of an uncultured man may produce its effect to the maximum according to the favorable and unfavorable conditions. The Buddha says:

　　"Here, O Bhikkhus, a certain person is not disciplined in body, is not disciplined in morality, is not disciplined in mind, is not disciplined in wisdom, is with little good and less virtue, and lives painfully in consequence of trifles. Even a trivial evil act committed by such a person will lead him to a state of misery."

　　"Here, O Bhikkhus, a certain person is disciplined in body, is disciplined in morality, is disciplined in mind, is disciplined in wisdom, is which much good, is a great being, and lives without limitation. A similar evil act committed by such a person expiates in this life itself and not even a small effect manifests itself (after death) to say nothing of a great one."

　　"It is as if, O Bhikkhus, a man were to put a lump of salt into a small cup of water. What do you think, O Bhikkhus

　　 Would now the small amount of water in this cup become saltish and undrinkable

　　" "Yes, Lord"; "And why

　　" "Because, Lord, there was very little water in the cup, and so it becomes saltish and undrinkable by this lump of salt."

　　"Suppose, O Bhikkhus, a man were to put a lump of salt into the river Ganges. What think you, O Bhikkhus

　　 Would now the river Ganges become saltish and undrinkable by the lump of salt

　　"

　　"Nay, indeed, Lord," "And why not

　　" "Because, Lord, the mass of water in the river Ganges is great, and so it would not become saltish and undrinkable."

　　"In exactly the same way, O Bhikkhus, we may have the case of a person who does some slight evil deed which brings him to a state of misery; or again, O Bhikkhus, we may have the case of another person who does the same trivial misdeed, and expiates it in the present life. Not even a small effect manifests itself (after death), to say nothing of a great one.

　　"We may have, O Bhikkhus, the case of a person who is cast into a prison for a half penny, for a penny, or for a hundred pence; or again, O Bhikkhus, we may have the case of a person who is not cast into prison for a half penny, for a penny or for a hundred pence."

　　"Who, O Bhikkhus, is cast into prison for half penny, for a penny, or for a hundred pence

　　 Wheneve…

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