Brahmavihara Dhamma

Part VII by Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw

(96) Kammic cause of disease and good health

(2A) Mavana – O, Subha’, the lad! Idha – in this world, ekacco itthi va puriso va – some persons, whether female or male, sattanam – cause the living beings, vihethakajatiko – to suffer by ill-treating them with hands, with stone, with sticks or with other weapons, hoti – it is done so. So – such a person, tena kammena – for having committed that act of ill-treatment, param marana – after demise, Apayam duggatim vinipatam nirayam – the Apaya, the abode of suffering, upapajjati – will reach or reborn in. Sace manussattam agacchati – If again reborn in the human world, bahabadho hoti – he will be sick or have bad health in whatever existence he may happen to become. Manava – 0, Subha, the lad, esa patipada – this bad conduct or habit of ill-treating the living beings, bahabadhasamvattanika – is likely to cause much sickness, or rather, be stricken with many kinds of diseases.

By ill-treating the living beings to cause injury or harm with hands, or stones, or sticks or other weapons, one is likely to go down to Apaya – hell, for that evil action (akusala-kamma). If he were reborn in the human existence, he is likely to be sick. It means to say that the bad conduct of ill-treating others will cause to bring much illness or many diseases. To make it more evident, the story of Putigattatissa Thera will be cited.