This sutta has drawn some attention by Buddhist<\/a> ethicists in recent years, starting with Peter Harvey\u2019s\u00a0An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics<\/a>\u00a0(2000), and more recently in a 2005 article in the Journal of Buddhist Ethics by Martin Adam<\/a>.<\/p>\n The sutta is interesting to those authors (and me) for two reasons. First, because it presents the Buddha giving something appearing to be a character consequentialist reading of kamma<\/i>. Character consequentialism holds that what is morally important is the result of our actions and that our habits or personality is the place we should focus on in deciding the goodness of actions. \u00a0That is, we don\u2019t look so much at the results of our actions, but at the kind of person<\/i>\u00a0we will be\/become through those actions. And second because the Buddha gives a fourfold breakdown of kamma <\/i>based on the act and its results.<\/p>\n As a bit of a history lesson, the sutta is interesting as well. It features two ascetics, Punna and Seniya, described as an Ox-duty ascetic and a Dog-duty ascetic respectively. These were ascetics in the Buddha\u2019s time, and Bhikkhu Bodhi verifies that the tradition continues to this day in some places, who emulated the behavior of certain animals with the belief that this would burn off karma \u2013 thus leading to a higher rebirth (or liberation?). I don\u2019t know much about the specifics of their reasoning or history, so if anyone can point me to more info, I\u2019d much appreciate it.<\/p>\n From the dictionary of Pali Proper Names, we find:<\/p>\n 5. Punna Koliyaputta<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n A naked ascetic (Acela) who visited the Buddha at Haliddavasana, together with Seniya Kukkuravatika. Punna questioned the Buddha regarding the practices of Seniya, while Seniya did likewise regarding those of Punna. The discussion is recorded in the Kukkuravatika Sutta (q.v.). At the end of the discussion, Punna declared himself a follower of the Buddha. He is called Govatika (one who behaved like a cow) (M.i.387 ff). Buddhaghosa says (MA.ii.624) that, in order to support his bovine character, he wore horns and a tail and browsed on the grass in the company of cattle.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n 1. Seniya.<\/a>\u00a0A naked ascetic who practised the \u201cCanine vow,\u201d behaving like a dog. After his visit to the Buddha, as recorded in the Kukkuravatika Sutta (q.v.), he joined the Order and, in due course, became an arahant. M.i.387ff.\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In the discourse, Punna points out Seniya and asks the Buddha what will become of him (in future births). The Buddha, at first reluctant, finally says that someone acting like a dog in this life will be reborn as a do<\/i><\/b>g<\/b><\/i>. And if that person does the dog-activity for spiritual reasons, thinking it will lead to a higher rebirth, he is wrong (has wrong-view) and thus will wind up either in hell or in an animal rebirth. (*no form of birth is permanent in Buddhism, including hell\/heaven.)<\/p>\n Upon hearing this, poor old Seniya burst into tears and points at Punna (the ox-duty ascetic) and asks the Buddha what will become of him. Again hesitant, the Buddha finally states that his fate is the same: act like an ox and you\u2019ll be reborn an ox. The Buddha actually states that if Punna <\/b>perfects <\/b><\/i>his ox-duty, he\u2019ll be born as an ox and if not, then he\u2019ll be born in hell.<\/b> At this point Punna burst into tears too. A pretty emotional sutta, one must say. You can imagine these two men, who have literally devoted their entire lives to a practice that the Buddha, in whom they have great confidence, has deemed unprofitable. But, Punna goes on:<\/p>\n Eva\u1e43 pasanno aha\u1e43, bhante, bhagavati; pahoti bhagav\u0101 tath\u0101 dhamma\u1e43 desetu\u1e43 yath\u0101 aha\u1e43 cevima\u1e43 govata\u1e43 pajaheyya\u1e43, aya\u00f1ceva acelo seniyo kukkuravatiko ta\u1e43 kukkuravata\u1e43 pajaheyy\u0101\u2019\u2019ti.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n It is clear to me thus, Venerable One, Blessed One, that \u201cthe Blessed One may proceed thus in preaching the Dhamma such that I may abandon the activity of an ox, and even this naked Seniya the dog-behavior one (or Dog-duty ascetic) may abandon that dog-behavior.\u201d\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n This gives\u00a0occasion\u00a0for the Buddha to lay out his four-fold division of <\/b>kamma<\/b><\/i>:<\/p>\n Basically, good acts, bad acts, mixed, and a peculiar fourth category: acts that lead to the cessation of acts. Bhikkhu Bodhi draws from Buddhagosa\u2019s commentary and suggests that the last of these refer to either the cultivation of the Seven Factors of Awakening<\/a> or the Noble Eightfold Path<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
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