Two other classifications of Karma
From TheBuddhism.Net
Apart from ‘the function’ and ‘The priority of Effect’, there are two other classifications of Karma.
1. According to the time it takes to give the effects.
2. According to the plane in which the effects take place.
1. According to the time it takes to give the effects
a) Immediately Effective Karma (Dittadhammavedaniya karma)
b) Subsequently Effective Karma (Uppapajjavedaniya karma)
c) Indefinitely Effective Karma (Aparapariyavedaniya karma)
d) Defunct or Ineffective Karma (Ahosi karma)
a) Immediately Effective Karma (Dittadhammavedaniya karma)
The moral and immoral actions of a person which produce their due effect in this very life. if these are not operated in this life, they become Defunct or Ineffective Karma (Ahosi karma).
b) Subsequently Effective Karma (Uppapajjavedaniya karma)
The moral and immoral actions of a person which produce their due effect in their next birth. These too, if not operated in this life, become Defunct or Ineffective Karma (Ahosi karma).
c) Indefinitely Effective Karma (Aparapariyavedaniya karma)
The moral and immoral actions of a person which produce their due effect in all the lives until they attain Nirvana. Even a Buddha or an Arahant cannot evade this class of Karma.
d) Defunct or Ineffective Karma (Ahosi karma)
The moral and immoral actions of a person which do not produce their due effect in this birth or in the subsequent birth become defunct.
2. According to the plane in which the effects take place –
Our every action, be it of body, speech or mind, which is called “Kamma” determines our destination. The consequences of those actions, which is called “Vipaka” takes us through this eternal ‘samsara’ whether we like it or not. It is those “Kamma Vipaka” which decide, on which realm (plane of existence) we should be born.
According to Buddha, there are three ‘planes of existence’ in which there are thirty one realms a ‘being’ can be born.
The Three ‘Planes of Existence’ and the number of realms in them :
Kamaloka – (World of Desire) / (Sensuous World)
Characterized by sensual pleasures. There are eleven realms. 4 are woeful realms and 7 are happy realms. The animal world, ghost (Pretha) world, demon(Asura) world and hell are the 4 woeful realms. Human realm is a happy realm because it is in this realm that one can learn Dhamma and end suffering. Rest of the six are Heavens.
Rupaloka – (World of Form) / (Fine Material World)
Those who see the disadvantages of sense-impressions may cultivate jhana ; they can be reborn in higher heavenly planes which are not sensuous planes. Those who attain rupa-jhana can be reborn in rupa-brahma planes where there are less sense-impressions. There are sixteen rupa-brahma planes in all. One of them is the asanna-satta plane where there is only rupa, not nama. Those who have attained the highest stage of rupa- jhana and who wish to have no consciousness at all, can be reborn without citta; for them there is only a body. These beings have seen the disadvantages of consciousness; even happiness is a disadvantage, since it does not last.
Arupaloka – (World of Formlessness) / (Immaterial World)
Those who see the disadvantages of rupa cultivate arupa-jhana. Those who attain arupa-jhana can be reborn in arupa-brahma planes where there are no rupas. There are four arupa-brahma planes. Beings born in these planes have only nama, not rupa. People may wonder how there can be beings which only have rupa or beings which only have nama. If we can experience different characteristics of nama-elements and rupa- elements as they appear one at a time and if we have realized that they are only elements which arise because of conditions, not a being or a person, not self, we will have no doubt that, when there are the appropriate conditions, there can be rupa without nama and nama without rupa.
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Knowing karma is really helps us to conduct our lives even much much better.