..續本文上一頁able rebirth. Fixed in bad results (micchatta niyataa) are the five crimes which find retribution in a miserable rebirth without delay i.e. immediately on the disintegration of the aggregates of existence (aanantarika kamma) namely matricide, parricide, murder of an Arahat, wounding of a Buddha, causing a schism in the Sangha. Sometimes we find also “wrong views” (micchaa-di.t.thi) mentioned as such a crime. In that case “wrong views” means the extreme perversity of opinion, disregard even of the law of causality and moral retribution, and not mere disbelief, resultant from lack of knowledge. Thus it will be seen that, only in rare occasions, kamma will be of such a nature that nothing else can influence it.
It is logically the very last thought of a life-span which decides the immediately following rebirth; therefore it is called death proximate (aasanna) kamma.
Thought giving rise to thought, as a flame sets all burning which it can lay hold of—and the last thought of a life-time being extremely weak owing to the failing physical conditions under which it arises—this last dying thought will lack the power to influence or modify for better or for worse and thus it will give rise to the re-linking consciousness (pa.tisandhi vi.t.taa.na) according to its own nature. And so it happens that this one single last thought determines a whole coming life. Usually, of course, it will be one”s habitual mode of thinking that will prevail, when in dying all resistance has been reduced to a minimum. This habitual (aaci.n.na) kamma is one”s tendency for good or bad, formed through numerous repeated actions during one”s life. It is extremely improbable—though not impossible—that in one”s dying hours one should be able to break the fetters of habit forged during a whole lifetime. But even if this would happen through force of external conditions, e.g. relations reminding the dying man of a certain good action done many years ago, this would not mean that all the other actions have become ineffective.
The kamma, which through force of circumstances cannot express itself, may do so at any time when conditions are more favourable. Till then it is said to be accumulated (ka.tattaa).
Take for example a miser. The energy of his whole life having been directed towards the hoarding of wealth, he has made avarice his habitual kamma (aaci.n.na). Thus most likely his last thought will be one of craving for, and attachment to, his possessions, and of regret to be unable to take his wealth with him. If he dies with such-like thoughts, no other rebirth can be expected but in the planes of ”unsatisfiable” desire (petayoni). But it may happen that through kindly influence of relations his last thoughts are directed towards nobler ideals, thus resulting in a happy rebirth owing to his good death-proximate (aasanna) kamma. As, however, the cause of this good effect was only his one last thought, the fruits thereof may very soon be exhausted, and then the habitual kamma of the miser which was temporarily suspended as accumulative (ka.tattaa) kamma will get the upper hand. This exhaustion of proximate kamma may be an explanation of the death of embryos and infants.
The reverse might happen equally well, in which case a last thought of worry, e g. temporarily suspends the natural consequences of a very virtuous life, as it is said to have happened in the case of Queen Mallikaa, whose subsequent life in a state of misery lasted only for seven days.
Other kammic thoughts can become effective only in the second birth, in which case they are called subsequently effective (upapajja vedaniiya kamma). If such a thought does not get the opportunity then, it becomes inoperative (ahosi kamma). Weaker even than this kind is the i…
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