ABHIDHAMMA IN DAILY LIFE - Abhidhamma.com

Such beings, being reborn in higher planes are protected from the effects of their past misdeeds.
Their bad kamma of the past will not give much opportunity to produce their evil effects.
Although the human world is not free from suffering it is still a higher plane compared with the
four woeful planes, it is far more comfortable. The human world gives opportunity to avoid evil
sense-object and meet with pleasurable sense-objects.
7.2.12.2 Lower Planes – Hell, Animal worlds - Gati Vipatti
Lower planes means - hell, animal kingdom, the world of hungry ghosts and the plane of
demons. Being in hell and miserable ghosts suffer great pain and hunger all the time. Therefore
they are constantly exposed to the bad effects of their bad kamma. Their lives are always
miserable with opportunity for all past actions to bear unwholesome fruits. In the animal
kingdom which is not as woeful as the above two abodes, creatures suffer from hunger and thirst;
they are constantly weather-beaten and live in constant fear of hunters and predators. These
sufferings show how beings are liable to suffer when opportunities arise from evil kamma to
produce evil results. Small insects are crushed or trodden to death by human beings and vehicles
everyday. Although these beings had done wholesome deeds in their past lives, their wholesome
deeds can save them because they are in the lower woeful abodes when opportunity are more
favorable for their past misdeeds to come to fruition.
7.2.12.3 Pleasant Physical Feature - Upadhi Sampatti
For beings reborn in the human world it is important that they also have pleasant physical feature
or good personality. A human being with ugly physical features may not achieve success or
popularity while those with pleasant looks, though born in low class or in poverty, may receive
help from others and achieve success in life. Good results of past kamma have opportunity to
take effect. A pleasant look is a great asset. The poor lass Samavati became the chief Queen of
King Utena because of their pleasant physical feature. .
Some creatures with pleasant features, even in animal world, receive protection, food and shelter
Beautiful birds, lovely dogs and colorful fishes are kept as pets by rich people in their houses.
Thus good deeds can come to fruition because of their pleasant feature. .
7.2.12.4 Unpleasant Feature - Upadhi Vipatti
Being in the lower planes there is no chance for their past good deeds to bear fruit in such
conditions. Human beings, although in higher planes, if they are ugly or deformed, cannot enjoy
the effects of their wholesome kamma. People would not admire an ugly rich person, because of
his ugly feature.
Example - For instance, the beautiful princess Pabavati refused to see or speak to King Kusa,
the ugly. Physical feature paves the way for bad kamma to produce bad results. King Kusa the
ugly had to work as a cook, as a potter and as a mat-weaver in order to win the sympathy and
love of the beautiful princess. If one partner of a couple is ugly, he or she will look like a servant,
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