The Exposition of Prevalence (Ussada Kittana)

In  some  beings  greed  is  prevalent,  in  others  hatred  or  delusion; and  again  in  others,  non-greed,  non-hatred  or  non-delusion  is prevalent.  What  is  it  that  governs  this  prevalence?  It  is  the  rootcause  in  the  previous  life  that  governs  the  prevalence  of  roots  in the present life. ere is differentiation at the very moment of the accumulating of  kamma.  In  one  person,  at  the  moment  of  (rebirth-producing) kamma-accumulation,  greed  is  strong  and  non-greed  is  weak, non-hatred  and  non-delusion  are  strong  and  hatred  and  delusion are  weak;  then  his  weak  non-greed  is  unable  to  prevail  over his  greed,  but  non-hatred  and  non-delusion  being  strong,  can prevail  over  his  hatred  and  delusion.  Hence  when  a  being  is  born through  rebirth-linking  caused  by  that  kamma,  he  will  be  greedy, good-natured,  not  irascible,  intelligent  and  having  knowledge that can be likened to a lightning flash. In  another  case,  at  the  moment  of  kamma-accumulation, greed  and  hatred  are  strong,  and  non-greed  and  non-hatred  are weak,  but  non-delusion  is  strong  and  delusion  weak;  then,  in  the way  stated,  that  person  will  have  both  greed  and  hatred,  but  he will  be  intelligent  and  have  flash-like-knowledge  like  the  Elder Datta-Abhaya. When,  at  the  moment  of  kamma-accumulation,  greed,  nonhatred  and  delusion  are  strong  and  the  other  roots  are  weak,  then, in  the  way  stated,  that  person  will  be  greedy  and  dull-witted,  but he will be good-natured and not irascible. When,  at  the  moment  of  kamma-accumulation,  the  three roots,  greed,  hatred  and  delusion  are  strong  and  non-greed,  etc. are  weak,  then,  in  the  way  stated,  that  person  will  be  greedy,
given to hatred and given to delusion. When,  at  the  moment  of  kamma-accumulation,  non-greed, hatred and delusion are strong and the others are weak, then, in the  way  stated,  that  person  will  have  few  (lustful)  defilements, being  unmoved  even  when  seeing  a  heavenly  sense-object;  but  he will be given to hatred and his understanding will be slow. When,  at  the  moment  of  kamma-accumulation,  non-greed, non-hatred  and  delusion  are  strong,  and  the  others  weak,  then, in  the  way  stated,  that  person  will  not  be  greedy  and  will  be good-natured, but he will be slow of understanding. When,  at  the  moment  of  kamma-accumulation,  non-greed, hatred  and  non-delusion  are  strong,  and  the  others  weak,  then, in  the  way  stated,  that  person  will  not  be  greedy;  he  will  be intelligent, but given to hatred and irascibility. But  when,  at  the  moment  of  kamma-accumulation,  the  three (wholesome  roots),  non-greed,  non-hatred  and  non-delusion are  strong,  and  greed  etc.,  are  weak,  then,  in  the  way  stated, he  has  no  greed  and  no  hate  and  he  is  wise,  like  the  Elder Sangharakkhita.


                 From the         
AṬṬASILANI, pp.267f.

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