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I have read various mythological and histories about curse where it has destroyed kingdoms and kings. Does curse have that power? If so, how it can be explained in relation to karma? What is Buddhism's view on curse?

user5256
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  • Can you provide specific examples? – michau Nov 06 '15 at 11:43
  • troy, moses vs pharoah, kurushetra – user5256 Nov 06 '15 at 12:46
  • Did these curses involve Buddhists? – michau Nov 06 '15 at 13:31
  • No. It is about human frailty and suffering. This is extreme emotion displayed in distress and I want to know whether it has power to affect people not associated with it and how does Buddhism deal with curse and events that follow because of it. – user5256 Nov 06 '15 at 15:02
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    I'm afraid there is no Buddhist view on curse, just like there is no Buddhist view on sin, for example. They are simply concepts from different religions/mythologies, and they are not applicable to Buddhism. – michau Nov 06 '15 at 15:08
  • I have seen a meme labeled "The Buddhist Curse" "May you have everything you have always wanted" Seems legit... – Troy Burns Aug 08 '21 at 23:23

2 Answers2

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The Buddha quite clearly implies that an "act of hate" (i.e, a curse) can destroy forests. It is of course a matter of opinion whether the Buddha "really" believed this, or was simply using it as a didactic device - but that is what the text says. See the Upali Sutta (MN 56).

  • This is clearly not an answer – L.K. Apr 15 '21 at 05:41
  • Actually, the Upali Sutta talks about the opposite. A sage's defiled mind turned some land into forests, not destroyed them. :) https://tipitaka.fandom.com/wiki/Upali_Sutta – Chozang Feb 24 '23 at 00:41
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Curse is utterance of hatred to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something. I think the mind is like a double-edged sword. Besides mind precedes everything. The powerful mind could be used for both good and the bad. So contrary to popular belief I found the following instance in Vimanavattu.


Ujjaṅgalaṃ tattamivaṃ kapālaṃ,
Anāyasaṃ paralokena tulyaṃ;
Luddāna­māvāsa­midaṃ purāṇaṃ,
Bhūmippadeso abhisattarūpo.

KN Vv -10 Serīsaka­vi­mānavat­thu

I could not find an "official" English translation online but based of Buddha Jayanthi Edition, translation goes like this;

There is only dust and scorching sand. This rough soil is like a scorched iron pot. It is like hell, without any happiness. This place has been haunted by ghosts for a long time. It seems that this land is under a curse of rishis.

Sajeewa Welendagoda
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