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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 13

ripen. One kamma can even be It can bring its results even after conduces to the good of oneself, to the
destroyed by another kamma. So it hundreds and thousands of aeons good of others or to the good of both
is important to understand that our in the future. This time lag help us is wholesome kamma.
present way of life, our attitudes to understand what might seem to
and conduct, can influence the way be a discrepency in the working of Roots
our past kammas mature. Some kamma. Often we see good people The other criterion is the roots of
past kammas are so powerful that who meet with much suffering and action. All action arises from certain
they have to come to fruition. We bad people who meet with great mental factors called roots. These
cannot escape them no matter what success and good fortune. This is are the causal factors underlying
we do. But the greatest number of due to the time lag. The good man is action or the sources of action. All
our past kammas are conditioned reaping the results of a bad kamma unwholesome actions come from
by the way we live now. If we of the past. But he will eventually three unwholesome roots, greed,
live heedlessly, unwisely, we will gain the pleasant results from the aversion and delusion. Greed is
give our past bad kammas the good kammas he is performing selfish desire aimed at personal
opportunity to ripen and this will now. In the same way, the bad man gratification, expressed as grasping,
either hinder the good kammas is enjoying the results of his good craving and attachment. Aversion
from producing their effects or else kammas of the past. But in the is ill will, hatred, resentment,
cancel out their good effects. On the future he will meet with the fruition anger and a negative evaluation of
other hand, if we live wisely now, of his bad kammas and must the object. Delusion is ignorance,
we will give our good kammas the undergo suffering. mental unclarity and confusion.
opportunity to mature and bar out
our bad kammas or weaken them, Types of Kamma based on Ethical We also find the roots in the
destroy them or prevent them from Grounds wholesome side: non-greed,
coming to fruition. Wholesome and Unwholesome non-aversion and non-delusion.
Kamma Non-greed becomes manifest as
Types of Kamma based on the The Buddha divides kamma detachment and generosity. Non-
time of fruition ethically right down the middle into aversion is expressed positively

Kamma can produce results at two different classes, wholesome as good will, friendliness and
different times, even in different kamma (“kusala kamma”) and loving kindness. Non-delusion
lives. The Buddha says that unwholesome kamma (“akusala is manifested as wisdom,
there are three types of kammas kamma”). Unwholesome kamma understanding and mental clarity.
distinguished by way of time of is action which is spiritually Due to these roots we have to be
ripening. There are kammas which harmful and morally blameworthy. very careful when we judge actions
ripen in this lifetime, kammas Wholesome kamma is action which of our own and of others. Often
which ripen in the next lifetime and is spiritually beneficial and morally there can be a sharp difference
kammas that ripen some lifetime praiseworthy. between the outer action and the
after the next. The last kind of state of mind from which the action
kamma is the strongest. Intention springs. We might be doing a lot of
There are two basic criteria for good work for others outwardly,
The first two kinds become defunct distinguishing wholesome and but the underlying motive behind
if they don’t find an opening. They unwholesome kammas. One is the our good work might be a desire
will never ripen if they don’t get intention behind the action. If an to gain fame and recognition, a
the opportunity to ripen either in action is intended to bring harm form of the unwholesome root
the present life or in the next life. to oneself, harm to others or harm greed and craving. Someone else
But the third type remains with us to both oneself and others, that is might be sitting quietly meditating,
as long as we continue in Samsara. unwholesome kamma. Kamma which seemingly aloof, but inwardly he