[540] "Bhikkhus, if anyone should say thus: 'Just as this person does an action (kamma), just so does he experience it,' this being so, bhikkhus, there is no living of the holy life (brahmacariya), and no opportunity is discerned for rightly making an end of suffering (dukkha). But if anyone should say thus: 'Just as this person does an action whose result is to be experienced in a particular way, just so does he experience its result (vipāka),' this being so, bhikkhus, there is the living of the holy life, and an opportunity is discerned for rightly making an end of suffering.
"Here, bhikkhus, a trifling bad action done by a certain person leads him to hell (niraya). But here, bhikkhus, exactly the same trifling bad action done by a certain person is to be experienced in this very life, and not even a little of it appears — let alone much.
"For what kind of person, bhikkhus, does even a trifling bad action done lead him to hell? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue (sīla), undeveloped in mind (citta), undeveloped in wisdom; he is limited, of small character, one who dwells in suffering even over a trifle. For a person such as this, bhikkhus, even a trifling bad action done leads him to hell.
"For what kind of person, bhikkhus, is exactly the same trifling bad action done to be experienced in this very life, so that not even a little of it appears — let alone much? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is developed in body, developed in virtue, developed in mind, developed in wisdom; he is unlimited, of great character, one who dwells in the measureless. For a person such as this, bhikkhus, exactly the same trifling bad action done is to be experienced in this very life, and not even a little of it appears — let alone much.
"Suppose, bhikkhus, a man were to drop a lump of salt into a small cup of water. What do you think, bhikkhus: would that small quantity of water in the cup become salty and undrinkable because of that lump of salt?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Why is that?"
"Because, venerable sir, that water in the water-cup is small; therefore it would become salty and undrinkable because of that lump of salt."
"Suppose, bhikkhus, a man were to drop a lump of salt into the river Gaṅgā. What do you think, bhikkhus: would the river Gaṅgā become salty and undrinkable because of that lump of salt?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Why is that?"
"Because, venerable sir, the river Gaṅgā possesses a great mass of water; it would not become salty and undrinkable because of that lump of salt."
"Even so, bhikkhus, here a trifling bad action done by a certain person leads him to hell. But here, bhikkhus, exactly the same trifling bad action done by a certain person is to be experienced in this very life, and not even a little of it appears — let alone much. For what kind of person, bhikkhus, does even a trifling bad action done lead him to hell? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is undeveloped in body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind, undeveloped in wisdom; he is limited, of small character, one who dwells in suffering even over a trifle. For a person such as this, bhikkhus, even a trifling bad action done leads him to hell. For what kind of person, bhikkhus, is exactly the same trifling bad action done to be experienced in this very life, so that not even a little of it appears — let alone much? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is developed in body, developed in virtue, developed in mind, developed in wisdom; he is unlimited, of great character, one who dwells in the measureless. For a person such as this, bhikkhus, exactly the same trifling bad action done is to be experienced in this very life, and not even a little of it appears — let alone much.
"Here, bhikkhus, a certain person goes to prison for half a kahāpaṇa, goes to prison for a kahāpaṇa, goes to prison for a hundred kahāpaṇas. But here, bhikkhus, a certain person does not go to prison even for half a kahāpaṇa, does not go to prison even for a kahāpaṇa, does not go to prison even for a hundred kahāpaṇas. What kind of person, bhikkhus, goes to prison for half a kahāpaṇa, goes to prison for a kahāpaṇa, goes to prison for a hundred kahāpaṇas? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is poor, of little possessions, of little wealth: such a one, bhikkhus, goes to prison for half a kahāpaṇa, goes to prison for a kahāpaṇa, goes to prison for a hundred kahāpaṇas. What kind of person, bhikkhus, does not go to prison even for half a kahāpaṇa, does not go to prison even for a kahāpaṇa, does not go to prison even for a hundred kahāpaṇas? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions: such a one, bhikkhus, does not go to prison even for half a kahāpaṇa, does not go to prison even for a kahāpaṇa, does not go to prison even for a hundred kahāpaṇas. Even so, bhikkhus, here a trifling bad action done by a certain person leads him to hell. But here, bhikkhus, exactly the same trifling bad action done by a certain person is to be experienced in this very life, and not even a little of it appears — let alone much. …
"Suppose, bhikkhus, a sheep-dealer or a sheep-butcher is able to kill, or bind, or burn, or do as he pleases with a certain person who takes a sheep that was not given, but is not able to kill, or bind, or burn, or do as he pleases with a certain [other] person who takes a sheep that was not given. With what sort of person taking a sheep not given, bhikkhus, is the sheep-dealer or sheep-butcher able to kill him, or bind him, or burn him, or do with him as he pleases? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is poor, of little possessions, of little wealth: with such a one taking a sheep not given, bhikkhus, the sheep-dealer or sheep-butcher is able to kill him, or bind him, or burn him, or do with him as he pleases. With what sort of person taking a sheep not given, bhikkhus, is the sheep-dealer or sheep-butcher not able to kill him, or bind him, or burn him, or do with him as he pleases? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions — a king or a king's chief minister: with such a one taking a sheep not given, bhikkhus, the sheep-dealer or sheep-butcher is not able to kill him, or bind him, or burn him, or do with him as he pleases. Rather, he can only beg him with joined palms: 'Give me, dear sir, the sheep, or the price of the sheep.' Even so, bhikkhus, here a trifling bad action done by a certain person leads him to hell. But here, bhikkhus, exactly the same trifling bad action done by a certain person is to be experienced in this very life, and not even a little of it appears — let alone much. …
"Bhikkhus, if anyone should say thus: 'Just as this person does an action, just so does he experience it,' this being so, bhikkhus, there is no living of the holy life, and no opportunity is discerned for rightly making an end of suffering. But if anyone should say thus: 'Just as this person does an action whose result is to be experienced in a particular way, just so does he experience its result,' this being so, bhikkhus, there is the living of the holy life, and an opportunity is discerned for rightly making an end of suffering."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.