XI.  TEN BASES OF MERITORIOUS ACTION (DASA PUNNA-KIRIYA VATTHU)

CONTENTS

1. Unwholesome and Wholesome Roots (Akusala Kusala Hetu)

Three roots of evil have been taught by the Buddha to be the basic causes of all suffering. They are:

·  Greed (Lobha),

·  Hate (Dosa) and

·  Delusion (Moha)

These three terms comprise the entire range of evil, whether of lesser or greater intensity: from a faint tendency to the coarsest manifestation.

There are also three roots of everything good:

·  Non-Greed (Alobha) = unselfishness, generosity, renunciation

·  Non-Hate (Adosa) = loving kindness, patience, compassion

·  Non-Delusion (Amoha) = knowledge, insight, wisdom.

2. Meritorious Action (Punna-kiriya)

All actions originate from the mind. The body and speech function merely as doors by which the mind expresses itself. The ancients defined punna or merit as: ‘that which purifies or cleanses the mind’. From the description of the roots of good and evil, it becomes clear that the good or wholesome roots are the causes of merit. Thus meritorious actions are volitional or mental actions accompanied by the 3 wholesome roots of non-greed, non-hate and non-delusion. Conversely, demeritorious actions are volitional actions accompanied by the 3 unwholesome roots of greed, hate and delusion. In simple language, they constitute wholesome and unwholesome kamma respectively.

In Abhidhamma, there are eight types of wholesome consciousness (sobhana citta) pertaining to the Sensual Sphere (Kamavacara). Four of them contain only two wholesome roots (non-greed, non-hate) while another four contain all three wholesome roots (non-greed, non-hate, non-delusion or understanding). Each group is further sub-divided according to whether they are prompted or unprompted and whether they are accompanied by joy or indifference. In the ultimate sense, these 8 types of wholesome consciousness comprise all the meritorious actions or wholesome kamma pertaining to the Sensual Sphere. These eight types of wholesome consciousness are shown below.

a)  Accompanied by joy, prompted, with understanding

b)  Accompanied by joy, prompted, without understanding

c)  Accompanied by joy, unprompted, with understanding

d)  Accompanied by joy, unprompted, without understanding

e)  Accompanied by indifference, prompted, with understanding

f)  Accompanied by indifference, prompted, without understanding

g)  Accompanied by indifference, unprompted, with understanding

h)  Accompanied by indifference, unprompted without understanding

3. Ten Bases of Meritorious Action (Dasa Punna-kiriya   Vatthu) 

If one wants to accumulate wholesome kamma in this life, there are ten bases or ways (Dasa vatthu) of meritorious action (Punna-kiriya) that produce good effects and which should be performed by all means.

The ten bases of meritorious action can be classified into 3 groups:

·  Dana or Generosity group: Dana, Sharing of merits and Rejoicing in others' merits.

·  Sila or Morality  group: Sila, Reverence and Service

·  Bhavana or Meditation group: Meditation, Listening to the Doctrine, Teaching the Doctrine and Straightening one's view

(a)  The Dana group represents ‘alobha’ which means generosity or renunciation. It opposes jealousy and stinginess or selfishness.

(b)  The Sila group represents ‘adosa’ which means good-will. It opposes attachment (lobha) and anger (dosa).

(c)  The Bhavana group represents ‘amoha’ which means wisdom or understanding. It opposes delusion and wrong views.

The ten bases of meritorious action are performed with the eight types of wholesome consciousness unless one attains Jhana (absorption) or Magga (Path consciousness) in meditation. So they generally give rise to wholesome kamma pertaining to the Sensual Sphere.

4. Types of Wholesome Kamma

(a) Two-Root and Three-Root Wholesome Kamma

If one performs a wholesome deed with the knowledge of Kamma and its effects, then the wholesome consciousness is associated with understanding. The volition will be accompanied with all three wholesome roots: non-greed, non-hate, non-delusion. So three-root (tihetuka) wholesome kamma is acquired. Better still, if during the performance of moral deeds, one can develop insight knowledge by reasoning that everything is impermanent, suffering and non-self. The wholesome kamma acquired is again accompanied by the three good roots.

On the other hand, if one performs a wholesome deed without any knowledge of Kamma and its effects, he is doing it without any understanding. Then the volition will not be accompanied by non-delusion, but only the two roots of non-greed and non-hate. So two-root (dvihetuka) kamma is acquired.

(b) Superior and Inferior Wholesome Kamma

In the performance of the ten bases of meritorious action, one's volition or intention before and after the moral action is very important. If one can develop wholesome consciousness before and after the moral action, then the moral volition behind the moral action is surrounded by other good volitions and consequently its potentiality is strengthened. The wholesome kamma acquired will be superior (ukkatha).

To acquire this type of superior kamma, one should think of the moral action in advance and feel glad for having the chance to do it. Again after performing the action, one should reflect on it and be full of joy thinking about the good aspects of the deed.

On the other hand, if one feels lazy or reluctant or jealous or stingy before a moral action such as giving charity, and regrets doing the moral action afterwards, then the moral volition of giving charity will be surrounded by other unwholesome volitions and consequently its potentiality will be weakened. The wholesome kamma acquired in this case is inferior (omaka).

Thus, four types of wholesome kamma are acquired in performing the ten bases of meritorious action, namely:

Each of the four types can be performed with joy or indifference making a total of eight types of wholesome consciousness. Of the four, (i) is best. If it conditions the rebirth consciousness, the person will be reborn with three wholesome roots (tihetuka) in the happy realms of humans and devas and will possess the ability to attain Jhana (Mental Absorption) and Magga (Path Consciousness).

(ii) and (iii) are somewhat equal. If it conditions the rebirth consciousness, the person will be reborn with two wholesome roots (dvihetuka) in the happy realms of humans and devas. But he will not possess the ability to attain Jhana and Magga.

(iv) is the poorest. If it conditions the rebirth consciousness, the person will be reborn in the happy course of existence (sugati) but without any good root (ahetuka) as a human being with deformities or as an earth-bound degraded deva in the lower realm of Catumaharajika or the Four Great Kings.

5. Classification of Individuals (Puggala-bheda)

Puggala means individual or person. In Abhidhamma, individuals are classified into twelve types, consisting of four types of puthujjana (world-lings) and eight types of ariya-puggala (noble individuals), namely:

6.      References

1)      The Roots of Good and Evil by the Venerable Nyanaponika Thera, The Wheel No. 251/253.
 

2)      The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma by Dr. Mehm Tin Mon.