Today's teaching on Karma is based on the Cūlakamma-bhanga Sutta in the Majjhima Nikāya. This is the discourse that the Buddha gave to the young Brahmin Subha.
1.Why do some people die young while others live long lives?Answer: 2:032.
Why do some people frequently fall ill while others enjoy robust health?Answer: 2:36
3.Why are some people unattractive in appearance while others are beautiful?Answer: 3:11
4.Why are some people powerless while others hold authority and influence?Answer: 3:47
5.Why are some people poor and suffering while others are wealthy and prosperous?Answer: 4:01
6.Why are some people born into lowly, humble families while others are born into noble, high-ranking families?Answer: 4:06
7.Why are some people ignorant or lacking in wisdom while others are intelligent?Answer: 4:11
4:21 - The real meaning of Karma
5:17 - How Karma works?
6:21 - Karma: Your heritage
The Buddha gave Subha a brief answer regarding the fourteen types of people. The Buddha said:
"Young man, beings have karma as their own possession. Beings are the heirs of their karma. Beings have their origin in their karma. Beings are born from their karma, or they are connected to the karma they have created. Beings have karma as their refuge. It is due to karma that there are differences among beings, or karma has created differences between beings; karma has created differences between one person and another."
The Buddha thus answered Subha briefly.
Subha replied to the Buddha that he did not fully understand the Buddha’s concise explanation. He said:
"Lord, I do not fully understand your brief explanation. Please elaborate and explain in more detail."
Then the Buddha gave Subha a more detailed explanation. The reason the Buddha initially answered Subha briefly was that He knew Subha was a very proud man.
Subha thought that, being intelligent and sharp, he could understand everything the Buddha taught even in a brief statement.
The Buddha wished to humble Subha’s proud mind so that he could listen with humility to the detailed teachings. Therefore, the Buddha first gave only a brief answer.
When Subha requested a detailed explanation, the Buddha then elaborated for him.Although these questions were asked by Subha, they are questions that people commonly wonder about and seek answers to, because they have encountered such issues in human life.
Some people, even though born into the same family, with the same father and mother, and raised under the same conditions and circumstances, are different: some are intelligent, some are dull; some live long, some die young; some are wealthy, some are poor, and so on.
These are questions people often ask and want satisfactory answers to.If you ask these questions to those who believe in God, the Lord, or a Creator, you will often hear:"Because God created it this way."
This answer is hardly satisfying. Many more questions arise when one hears such a response. Only the Buddha’s answers can truly satisfy people because His explanations are not unreasonable.
The Buddha addressed each question asked by the young man Subha.Even when born to the same parents and raised under the same circumstances, we cannot attribute their differences merely to these conditions, nor can we say that having the same father and mother makes heredity the cause. Being raised in the same circumstances yet turning out differently shows that the reason for differences among people in the same family must lie beyond heredity and environment.
The Buddha clearly shows us that something in the past has shaped us and made our lives different. He explained each question to Subha one by one.
