Reason for differences in mankind

Our world is full of differences. When you think about the mankind, you can see there are many differences in them. Some are poor, some are rich. Some are healthy, some are sick. Some live long, some live short. Some are beautiful, some are ugly. What is the reason for this? The same question arose in the mind of Subha, the son of Todeyya Brahmin. He went to the Supreme Enlighten One and asked the reason for these differences in mankind. The Buddha discoursed Culla Kamma Vibhanga Sutta answering Subha's question.

The Blessed One said "Subha, beings are owners of kamma, heirs of kamma, they have kamma as their progenitor, kamma as their kin, kamma as their homing-place. It is kammas that differentiate beings."

Subha told that he can understand it and he asked Buddha for further explanation. The Blessed One then describe the reasons for the difference of beings.

Let's understand the reasons for the difference of mankind in brief.

1. If a man or a woman kills or murder living beings violently and without mercy, because of this evil kamma, he/ she will have to born in the hell after the death. If he/ she returns to the human world, then he/ she deserves short-lived birth.
2. But if man or a woman abstain from killing or murdering living beings and lives with merciful and compassionated heart, because of this good kamma (merit) he/ she will be born in heavenly world after the death. If he/ she returns to the human world, then he/ she deserves long-lived birth.
3. If a man or a woman harms beings with rods, sticks, sharp weapons, because of his/ her evil kamma, he/ she will be born in the hell. If he/ she returns to the human world, he/ she will deserve a sick life.
4. But if a man or a woman do not harm any living being, because of that good kamma, he/ she will born in heaven after the death. If he/ she returns human world, will deserve a healthy life.
5. If a man or a woman who gets angry quickly even for a little thing, hot tempered and furious, because of his/ her evil kamma he/ she will born in the hell. If he/ she returns to human world, then he/ she will be ugly.
6. But if a man or a woman who doesn't get angry quickly even he/ she was blamed or harmed, has a merciful and compassionate heart, because of this good kamma he/ she will born in heaven. If he/ she returns human world, he/ she will be beautiful.
7. If a man or a woman envies and harbors jealousy about other's gains, respect and honor, he/ she will born in hell. If he/ she returns human world, he/ she will be a insignificant person.
8. But if a man or a woman doesn't envy or harbor jealousy about other's gains, respect and honor, he/ she will born in heaven. If he/ she returns human world, he/ she will be a influential and a significant person.
9. If a man or a woman who doesn't donate food, drink, clothes, shelter etc to monks, brahmins or poor people, he/ she will born in a world of sufferings (Peta, Niraya, Asura or Yakka). If returns human world, he/ she will born poor.
10. But if a man or a woman donates food, drink, clothes, shelter etc to monks, brahmins or poor people, he/ she will born in heaven. If he/ she returns to human world, he/ she will born rich.
11. If a man or a woman doesn't respect, pay homage or worship monks or people who should be respected (parents, elders, teachers), after death he/ she will born in a world of sufferings. If he/ she returns human world, he/ she will deserve low birth.
12. But if a man or a woman respect, pay homage or worship monks or people who should be respected, he/ she will born in heaven after the death. If he/ she returns human world, he/ she will deserve high birth.
13. If a man or a women doesn't visit a monk or a brahmin and ask "Venerable sir, What is wholesome, venerable sir? What is unwholesome? What is blamable? What is blameless? What should be cultivated? What should not be cultivated? What, by my doing it, will be long for my harm and suffering? Or what, by my doing it, will be long for my welfare and happiness?", he/ she will born in a world of sufferings. If he/ she returns human world, he/ she will be a stupid or a unwise person.
14. But if a man or a woman visits a monk or a brahmin and ask "Venerable sir, What is wholesome, venerable sir? What is unwholesome? What is blamable? What is blameless? What should be cultivated? What should not be cultivated? What, by my doing it, will be long for my harm and suffering? Or what, by my doing it, will be long for my welfare and happiness?", he/ she will born in heaven. If he/ she returns to human world, he/ she will be wise person.

Briefly those are the reasons for the differences in mankind. According to the Buddha's teachings, you harvest what you cultivate. If you cultivate good, you will harvest good results. If you cultivate evil, you'll harvest evil results. So the wise should always do good things and abstain bad things. May you all have the courage to do good always. May triple gem bless you.

With Metta.