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Example text

Such lofty states, how ever, are ach iev ed sim p ly through the inten­ sification of consciousness, n ot th ro u g h the deep insight that cuts off the bonds of rep eated e x iste n ce . The superior states of concentration generate p ow erfu l w h o leso m e kam m a, which can lead to rebirth in the form or form less realm — the realm s of super-divine stature— d ep en d in g on the attainm ents reached during the m editator's h u m an existen ce. W ith ou t the deep dis­ cern m en t of w isdom , this k am m a w ill eventu ally be exhausted, and the divine being will pass a w a y an d take rebirth elsewhere, p erh ap s even in the bad d estin ation s (3:116, 4:123—26).

The one thing that is certain is that as long as w e trav el on in the cycle of rebirths, o u r stockpile of kam m a is cap ab le of rip enin g and yielding its due results. Thus the B u d d h a tea ch e s, again and again, that "beings are the owners of their k a m m a , the heirs of their kam m a; th e y h av e kam m a as their origin , k am m a as their relative, kam m a as their resort; w hatever k am m a they do, good or bad, they are its h eirs" (10:216; see too 5 :5 7 ,1 0 :4 8 ). The differences in k am m a accou n t for the w ide d iv ersity in the fortunes of p eo p le, w h o are constantly revolving in the cycle of existence, rising an d falling, som etim es heading fro m d ark ­ ness to light, so m etim es fro m light to darkness (4:85).

A m on g the four Nikayas, A N is the one that insists m ost often on the need to properly p reserve the D h am m a and thereby p ro te ct it from decay and d isappearance. S u ttas th at dw ell on this them e are found th ro u g h o u t the w ork. A series of short texts in the Ones d elineates the factors th at cau se the good Dham m a to vanish and, con versely, the fac­ tors th at su stain its vitality (1:30-69). The latter can be su m m ed up as n ot confusing w hat is the D ham m a w ith w h at is n ot the D h am m a; n o t confusing the discipline w ith w h at is co n trary to the d iscipline; quoting the Buddha accu rately , d escrib in g his co n d u ct co rrectly , and not confounding different categories of d iscip lin ary rules.

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