Hi All,
I have joined this group recently; let me introduce myself .

I am Siddhartha Annapureddy, and I have been reading about Buddhism since
last November/December. I have read most of the dIgha nikAya, and some parts
of the majjhima nikAya, and have been listening to the lectures by bhikkhu
bOdhi on the majjhima nikAya.

I have a question on the anantariya kammas (that arose in a discussion with
some of my friends). In the case of matricide/parricide (or any of the other
3 kammas),

-- What is the exact reason for a person, who commits such an act, being
unable to become an arahant? aN^gulImAla became an arahant even though he
killed 999 people. So, why is it that parents are so special? Is it because
they are the reason the satta (sentient being) has a body to practise the
spiritual path?

-- Or, is it because a person killing a parent would be committing a pApa
against someone who has done so much for him. The usual reference is about
the Buddha teaching how great is the good that parents do unto a child. If
this is the case, then what about the case of foster parents who raise an
abandoned child? If such a child kills a foster parent, would the child's
pApa prevent him from becoming an arahant?

-- Or, is it because a person who kills a parent is beset by uddhachCha
(remorse), and this prevents him from becoming an arahant? This does not
seem right (IMHO), because a person could realize the futility of remorse,
and attain samAdhi by exerting effort.

-- Also, it seems that the commentary mentions that if a person kills A
(with full intention), and A turns out to be his parent (like in the case of
Oedipus), he would still incur the pApa of an anantariya kamma? I read this
a while ago on a website, but could not trace it now. Could one of you let
me know if this is the position of the commentary.

-- An ethical situation we were discussing was, why cannot a son become an
arahant if he kills his father (say) who happens to be a mass murderer (an
imaginary situation would be Hitler and his son)?

Thanks so much.

A.Siddhartha.


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