​MN 135 Cula Kamma Vibhanga Sutta

​Thus have i heard.

On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Savatthl in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. Then the brahmin student Subha, Todeyya's son, went to the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him.He asked the Blessed One: "Master Gotama, what is the cause and condition why human beings are seen to be inferior and superior? For people are seen to be short-lived and long-lived, sickly and healthy, ugly and beautiful, un-influential and influential, poor and wealthy, low-born and high-born, stupid and wise. What is the cause and condition, Master Gotama, why human beings are seen to be inferior and superior?"

Buddha: "Student, beings are owners of their actions, heirs of their actions; they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge. It is action that distinguishes beings as inferior and superior."
Subha: "I do not understand in detail the meaning of Master Gotama's statement, which he spoke in brief without expounding the meaning in detail. It would be good if Master Gotama would teach me the Dhamma so that I might understand in detail the meaning of Master Gotama's statement."
Buddha: "Then, student, listen and attend closely to what I shall say."
"Yes, sir," the brahmin student Subha replied.

The Blessed One said this: "Here, student, some man or woman kills living beings and is murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings. Because of performing and undertaking such action, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. But if on the dissolution of the body, after death, he does not reappear in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell, but instead comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is shortlived. This is the way, student, that leads to short life, namely, one kills living being and is murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings."

"But here, student, some man or woman, abandoning the killing of living beings, abstains from killing living beings; with rod and weapon laid aside, gentle and kindly, he abides compassionate to all living beings. Because of performing and undertaking such action, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, even in the heavenly world. But if on the dissolution of the body, after death, he does not reappear in a happy destination, in the heavenly world, but instead comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is long-lived. This is the way, student, that leads to long life, namely, abandoning the killing of living beings, one abstains from killing living beings; with rod and weapon laid aside, gentle and kindly, one abides compassionate to all living beings. "

"Here, student, some man or woman injuries and hurt beings with the hand and with weapons. Because of performing and undertaking such action, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation...But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is sickly. This is the way, student, that leads to sickness, namely, one who injures beings with the hand and with weapons."

"But here, student, some man or woman does not injures or harms beings with the hand or with weapons. Because of performing and undertaking such action, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination...But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is healthy. This is the way, student, that leads to health, namely, one who does not injure or harm beings with the hand or with weapon."

"Here, student, some man or woman is of an angry and irritable character; even when criticized a little, he is offended, becomes angry, hostile, and resentful, and displays anger, hate, and bitterness. Because of performing and undertaking such action.. .he reappears in a state of deprivation.. .But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is ugly. This is the way, student, that leads to ugliness, namely, one is of an angry and irritable character...and displays anger, hate, and bitterness."

"But here, student, some man or woman is not of an angry and irritable character; even when criticized a little, he is not offended, does not become angry, hostile, and resentful, and does not display anger, hate, and bitterness. Because of performing and undertaking such action.. .he reappears in a happy destination.. .But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is beautiful. This is the way, student, that leads to being beautiful, namely, one is not of an angry and irritable character...and does not display anger, hate, and bitterness."

"Here, student, some man or woman is envious, one who envies, resents, and begrudges the gains, honor, respect, reverence, salutations, and veneration received by others. Because of performing and undertaking such action...he reappears in a state of deprivation...But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is un-influential. This is the way, student, that leads to being un-influential, namely, one is envious...towards the gains, honor, respect, reverence, salutations, and veneration received by others."

"But here, student, some man or woman is not envious, one who does not envy, resent, and begrudge the gains, honor, respect, reverence, salutations, and veneration received by others. Because of performing and undertaking such action.. .he reappears in a happy destination...But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is influential. This is the way, student, that leads to being influential, namely, one is not envious...towards the gains, honor, respect, reverence, salutations, and veneration received by others. "
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"Here, student, some man or woman does not give food, drink, clothing, carriages, garlands, scents, unguents, beds, dwelling, and lamps to recluses or brahmins. Because of performing and undertaking such action.. .he reappears in a state of deprivation.. .But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is poor. This is the way, student, that leads to poverty, namely, one does not give food...and lamps to recluses or brahmins. "

​ "But here, student, some man or woman gives food...and lamps to recluses or brahmins. Because of performing and undertaking such action...he reappears in a happy destination... But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is wealthy. This is the way, student, that leads to wealth, namely, one gives food...and lamps to recluses or brahmins. "

"Here, student, some man or woman is obstinate and arrogant; he does not pay homage to one who should receive homage, does not rise up for one in whose presence he should rise up, does not offer a seat to one who deserves a seat, does not make way for one for whom he should make way, and does not honor, respect, revere, and venerate one who should be honored, respected, revered, and venerated. Because of performing and undertaking such action.. .he reappears in a state of deprivation...But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is low-born. This is the way, student, that leads to low birth, namely, one is obstinate and arrogant... and does not honor, respect, revere, and venerate one who should be honored, respected, revered, and venerated."

"But here, student, some man or woman is not obstinate and arrogant; he pays homage to one who should receive homage, rises up for one in whose presence he should rise up, offers a seat to one who deserves a seat, makes way for one for whom he should make way, and honors, respects, reveres, and venerates one who should be honored, respected, revered, and venerated. Because of performing and undertaking such action...he reappears in a happy destination...But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is high-born. This is the way, student, that leads to high birth, namely, one is not obstinate and arrogant...and honors, respects, reveres, and venerates one who should be honored, respected, revered, and venerated."

"Here, student, some man or woman does not visit a recluse or a brahmin and ask: 'Venerable sir, what is wholesome? What is unwholesome? What is blameable? What is blameless? What should be cultivated? What should not be cultivated? What kind of action will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time? What kind of action will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?' Because of performing and undertaking such action.. .he reappears in a state of deprivation.. .But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is stupid. This is the way, student, that leads to stupidity, namely, one does not visit a recluse or brahmin and ask such questions. "

​"But here, student, some man or woman visits a recluse or a brahmin and asks: 'Venerable sir, what is wholesome?...What kind of action will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?' Because of performing and undertaking such action.. .he reappears in a happy destination...But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn he is wise. This is the way, student, that leads to wisdom, namely, one visits a recluse or brahmin and asks such questions."

"Thus, student, the way that leads to short life makes people short-lived, the way that leads to long life makes people long-lived; the way that leads to sickness makes people sickly, the way that leads to health makes people healthy; the way that leads to ugliness makes people ugly, the way that leads to being beautiful makes people beautiful; the way that leads to being un-influential makes people un-influential, the way that leads to being influential makes people influential; the way that leads to poverty makes people poor, the way that leads to wealth makes people wealthy; the way that leads to low birth makes people low-born, the way that leads to high birth makes people highborn; the way that leads to stupidity makes people stupid, the way that leads to wisdom makes people wise. "

"Beings are owners of their actions, student, heirs of their actions; they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge. It is action that distinguishes beings as inferior and superior."

When this was said, the brahmin student Subha, Todeyya's son, said to the Blessed One: "Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama! Master Gotama has made the Dhamma clear in many ways, as though he were turning upright what had been overturned, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the dark for those with eyesight to see forms. I go to Master Gotama for refuge and to the Dhamma and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. Let Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge for life." 

In summary this sutta is also called Subha sutta which was given to Subha by the Buddha. Subha asked Buddha what differentiates beings:

• Short lived and long lived
• Diseased and healthy
• Ugly and beautiful
• Powerless and powerful
• Poor and rich
• Low-born and high born
• Ignorant and wise

This sutta gives specific examples of the fruits of kamma, good and evil, based on the layman notion of good begets good, evil begets evil.

Buddha told Subha: “Beings are owners of kammas, heirs to kamma, born in kamma, bound by kamma, have kamma as their refuge. It is kamma that differentiates beings into low and high state.”

1. Life expectancy  

• If a man kills, is cruel, tortures, get violent with other living beings, he will be born short-life.
• If a man abstains from killing, being violent, torturing and is merciful and compassionate to other living beings, he will be born long-life.

2. Health  

• If a man habitually injures and harms other being, he will be born sickly with various diseases.
• If a man abstains from injuring and harming other beings and is compassionate to all living beings, he will be born healthy.

  3. Ugliness  

• If a man is always angry, often irritable even over trivial remark, stubborn, shows temper, he will be born ugly.
• If a man is not angry, not irritable over strong word, not stubborn, does now show temper, he will be born beautiful.

  4. Power  

• If a man has a jealous heart, envies others, is vengeful and hold grudges, he will be born powerless or lack of influence.
• If a man has magnanimous heart, not envious of others, not vengeful and does not hold grudges, he will be born powerful or with great influence.

  5. Wealth  

• If a man is greedy and does not give to charity and does not provide requisites to sangha, he will be born poor.
• If a man is generous and gives to charity and provide requisites for sangha, he will be born rich.

  6. Reputation  

• If a man is insensitive, proud and arrogant, does not pay homage, does not rise up to the worthy, does not honour and give seat up to the worthy, does not respect to the worthy, he will be born in a low family.
• If a man is sensitive, modest and not arrogant, pays homage, rise up to the worthy, honour and give seat up to the worthy, shows respect to the worthy, he will be born in the high family.

  7. Intelligence  

• If a man does not approach the learned and virtuous one to enquire what is good and evil, what is right and wrong, what should be practiced and what not, what should be done and what shouldn’t, what conduces to one’s welfare and what causes one’s ruin, he will be born ignorant and lack of wisdom.
• If a man approaches the learned and virtuous one to enquire what is good and evil, what is right and wrong, what should be practiced and what not, what should be done and what shouldn’t, what conduces to one’s welfare and what causes one’s ruin, he will be born intelligent.​

At the end of the discourse, Subha praised Buddha for his excellent teaching on how kamma accounts for the fortune and misfortune of beings.

References: 
1. www.accesstoinsight.org
2. https://suttacentral.net/
3. The Middle discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)