When we have understood the Realms of Mind and the Realms of Becoming as detailed above, then we must examine ourselves. We consist of body and mind; but, the body is not very important, whereas the mind is all important, because all states are preceded by mind.1 Having attained our bodies by means of mind, we know and speak of them as being human. But in which of the realms are our minds?
We must assess our own mental states, for the mind has many possible states, the chief divisions of which have already been described. How may we come to know the Citta and the Heart? We can come to know, not only our own Hearts, but also those of others by their actions of body and speech which arise in dependence on their Hearts which cause these actions.
If the actions of one who is confused are of an evil nature, then they neither lead to profit in this life, nor the next. These are false actions which do not in accord with the nature of human beings. They include such things as burglary and larceny. People who do such things are human in body, but with a mind in the state of an unhappy ghost (Peta).
Another type of man may be stubborn and difficult to teach. Like an animal, he does not know the difference between merit and demerit, and between virtue and vice.
Both these types are falsely human; they are people whose ways are evil (Duggati Puggala); they are like false gold. They will boast that they are true men, courageous and fearless: that they act and speak truly.
But their speech is false and their boasts are like the baseless chatter of inhuman beings. Such people are not truly human, because their behaviour is that of beings whose nature is less than human. If such people wish to speak to a Holy Man, then they will look for one who is said to have miraculous powers, and if they seek for Dhamma, then they look for evil ceremonies and muttered magic formulae to bring them what they desire. They are only happy with evil and bestial know ledge. One ought to know that the state of mind of such people is in the Sensual Realm of Mind with a tendency towards evil which is composed of greed, hate and delusion.
This unhealthy (Akusala) Kamma, manifests as actions of body and speech, which one’s actions of mind (Mano Kamma) make one perform. This is called “root condition or cause” (Hetu Paccaya),2 because roots are the condition or cause of one’s actions.
When there is a “root – cause” , as in the foregoing paragraph, then it is one’s “actions of mind” which direct or control one’s deeds.
When one acts, one becomes attached to the object (Arammana) of one’s actions. This is called “object condition” (Arammana Paccaya),1 because objects are the condition or cause of one’s actions.
When the mind accepts objects which are constantly associated with evil, then this is the nature of one’s “kamma which gives rise to becoming” (Kamma Bhava)2 When one’s “kamma which gives rise to becoming” has its origin in evil, then one’s “rebirth becoming” (Uppatti Bhava)3 which is one’s future state of birth, is sure to take place in one of the four realms of misfortune.
Because one has a continuity of existence (Santati), it is important to find out what one’s continuity of existence is leading to in the future. In other words, to know what happens when the “descending Citta” (Cuti Citta)4 closes this existence and the “re Linking (PatÚisandhi) Citta”5 gives rise to the next existence.
The Buddha understood the nature of the “descending Citta” of beings, and He taught that if one sows a cause, then one will reap the corresponding result. The results which we experience in the present time are of that sort.
In what direction will one who practices Dhamma want to go? If he wishes to turn to the ways of evil, then he should continue to do evil deeds, for both the evil and virtuous ways are given the name Dhamma.