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From the Penetrative Sutta, Nibbedhika Sutta, AN 6:63, translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu: “And what is the result of kamma? The result of kamma is of three sorts, I tell you: that which arises right here & now, that which arises later (in this lifetime), and that which arises following that. This is called the result of kamma."

The translator seems to be trying to help the reader here when he adds (in this lifetime), but these are not the Buddha's words. I'm wondering if the three sorts are mentioned elsewhere in the teachings, possibly less ambiguously than here.

stick-in-hand
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    Hi. The word in question is upapajjati (as you can see here, Ven. Sujato translates that line as, "in this very life, on rebirth in the next life, or at some later time"). If I search this site for that word I find 20+ posts. – ChrisW Jul 19 '22 at 16:25
  • Deane, perhaps you can explain here what you really intended to ask or maybe change the question so that it isn't a duplicate? – ruben2020 Jul 20 '22 at 00:53
  • @ChrisW Perhaps the question is about the three types of karma and not the translation of upapajjati. – ruben2020 Jul 20 '22 at 01:58
  • It looks like OP did not understand the relationship between his question and the term upapajjati. ChrisW thinks it sufficiently explains the passage but OP is still not clear and so insists on the original question staying open. – Andriy Volkov Jul 20 '22 at 03:08
  • Ok so the question isn't, "How to translate this passage, which contains (i.e. depends on the meaning of) the word upapajjati?" -- and instead the question is, "Are there other places in the teachings where the Buddha uses other (less 'ambiguous') words to describe 'the three sorts'?" – ChrisW Jul 20 '22 at 04:33
  • I just re-read the Penetrative Nibbedhika Sutta, and I find it odd that of all the sections only the section on kamma uses a non-English word, i.e., kamma – blue_ego Jul 22 '22 at 01:25
  • I find it interesting that nobody has commented on the obvious: These two translations point to different understandings of the passage I quoted. One offers "in this lifetime" (in parenthesis), the other states "in the next life" (although the word "rebirth" is included, which can be applied with differing scope). – stick-in-hand Jul 24 '22 at 15:20
  • In any case, I wasn't looking so much for an explanation of the meaning of this passage from a forum user, more for references to other parts of the canon that might be helpful to my understanding. – stick-in-hand Jul 24 '22 at 15:28
  • @DeaneCameron Perhaps the idea that there is such a thing as rebirth is controversial, especially among westerners (even western monks). I don't know what Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu's view is but perhaps he's one. For more details or another view this answer for example and this answer. – ChrisW Jul 30 '22 at 07:10
  • @ChrisW Rebirth is controversial, as you stated. So I thought that it could be wrong speech (divisive), if I was to knowingly step into that minefield. I remember hearing Ajahn Jayasāro say, "It's important to make distinctions between what we know and what we believe." He went on to say that he couldn't prove rebirth, but that the concept appeals to him, and is useful. I was impressed with his integrity. – stick-in-hand Jul 30 '22 at 13:37
  • The first question I asked on this site was about rebirth (not trying to be divisive, but hoping for an explanation of the topic). There are now nearly 300 topics tagged [tag:rebirth]. And, "the concept is useful" reminds me of the "Existence & non-existence" section of the Apannaka Sutta: A Safe Bet (MN 60). – ChrisW Jul 31 '22 at 05:25
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    @ChrisW Apannaka, now there's a "useful" word! "The Pali title of this sutta is an adjective that has no exact equivalent in English. It is used in two different contexts. In the context of gambling, it describes a die that has not been loaded to favor one side or the other. In the context of an argument, it describes a position that is true regardless of which side of the argument is right. In other words, if there is an argument as to whether A or not-A is true, if C is true regardless of whether A is true or not, C is an apaṇṇaka position." – stick-in-hand Jul 31 '22 at 16:56

2 Answers2

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there is similar structure regarding the results in MN 136.

"Now there is the person who has killed living beings here... has had wrong view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, in the heavenly world. But (perhaps) the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him earlier, or the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him later, or right view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death. And that was why, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappeared in a happy destination, in the heavenly world. But since he has killed living beings here... has had wrong view, he will feel the result of that here and now, or in his next rebirth, or in some subsequent existence.

"Now there is the person who has abstained from killing living beings here... has had right view. And on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, in the heavenly world. But (perhaps) the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him earlier, or the good kamma producing his happiness was done by him later, or right view was undertaken and completed by him at the time of his death. And that was why, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappeared in a happy destination, in the heavenly world. But since he has abstained from killing living beings here... has had right view, he will feel the result of that here and now, or in his next rebirth, or in some subsequent existence.
MN 136

For more information about the mechanics of karma, I would investigate storehouse consciousness.

After reading an answer to another question - which references AN 4.77 - on this forum, I would perhaps advise with caution when investigating the precise workings of karma.

"The [precise working out of the] results of kamma is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it."
AN 4.77

ruben2020
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blue_ego
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This standard formula on divine eye appears frequently. Both karma, and rebirth are intertwined (both showing effects of right or wrong view and action), and the same phrase OP is questioning, reappearing in the next life (upapajjati), is used in this formula and indubitably means rebirth.

Dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāti: ‘ime vata bhonto sattā kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā vacīduccaritena samannāgatā manoduccaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṃ upavādakā micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, te kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapannā. Ime vā pana bhonto sattā kāyasucaritena samannāgatā vacīsucaritena samannāgatā manosucaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṃ anupavādakā sammādiṭṭhikā sammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, te kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā sugatiṃ saggaṃ lokaṃ upapannā’ti. Iti dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāti.

With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They spoke ill of the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they acted out of that wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never spoke ill of the noble ones; they had right view; and they acted out of that right view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds.

AN 3.58

ruben2020
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frankk
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