Ānantarya Karma (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

) or Ānantarika Kamma (

Pāli Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or '' Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhi ...

) are the most serious offences in Buddhism that, at death, through the overwhelming karmic strength of any single one of them, bring immediate disaster. Both Buddhists and non-Buddhists must avoid them at all costs. Such offenses prevent perpetrators from attaining any of the stages of enlightenment and from ordaining into the Sangha. The offences are: # Killing one's mother # Killing one's father # Killing an

Arahant In Buddhism, an ''arhat'' (Sanskrit: अर्हत्) or ''arahant'' (Pali: अरहन्त्, 𑀅𑀭𑀳𑀦𑁆𑀢𑁆) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved ''Nirvana'' and liberated ...

# Wounding a Tathagata # Creating schism in the

Sangha Sangha is a Sanskrit word used in many Indian languages, including Pali meaning "association", "assembly", "company" or "community"; Sangha is often used as a surname across these languages. It was historically used in a political context t ...

Anguttara iii 440
Ānantarika Kamma is so serious that even Amitabha Buddha abandoned all hope. His Vow 18 reads: There are another five unlisted Ānantarika Kamma offences found in the scriptures: # Physically obstructing the Lord Buddha's path # Rejecting the Lord Buddha's claim to supernatural insight # Accusing the Lord Buddha or an Arhat of sexual misconduct # Wounding an Arhat # Raping ordained monastics

Physically obstructing the Lord Buddha's path

When Suppabuddha blocked the Lord Buddha's path, forcing him to turn back, he was reborn in hell.

Rejecting the Lord Buddha's claim to supernormal insight

Some people rejected the Buddha's claim to supernormal insight, saying: The Buddha said that unless such people abandon these assertions and relinquish such views, they would be cast into hell.
Majjhima i 71

Accusing the Lord Buddha or an Arahant of sexual misconduct

1) The Bodhisatta accused Paccekabuddhas Surabhi and Sabbābhibhu of sexual misconduct and was consigned to hell. 2) The bhikkhu Kokālika accused Sāriputta and Moggallāna of having unvirtuous desires and was consigned to hell. (Suttanipata p. 123). 3) Ciñcā Māṇavikā accused the Buddha of sleeping with her and was consigned to hell.

Wounding an Arahant

When

MahaMoggallana Maudgalyāyana ( pi, Moggallāna), also known as Mahāmaudgalyāyana or by his birth name Kolita, was one of the Buddha's closest disciples. Described as a contemporary of disciples such as Subhuti, Śāriputra ('), and Mahākāśyapa ( pi, M ...

was Mara Dusi, he made a young boy attack the chief disciple of a previous Buddha and split his head. For this, Dusi was cast into hell. Usually it is the killing of the Arahant that counts.

Raping ordained monastics

Raping nuns: Ānantarika Kamma

A group of nuns on the road to Savatthi were raped (''ekaccā bhikkhuṇiyo dusesuṃ''). The Buddha said those who rape nuns should not be ordained (''bhikkhuṇidusako na upasampādetabbo'') ( Vinaya i 089

. The danger of raping nuns is this: the man who raped (''dusesi'') the nun Uppalavanna was cast into hell. The rule against ordaining, and the descent into hell, are both signs of Ānantarika Kamma.

Raping monks: Ānantarika Kamma

The rape of monks and novices is likely Ānantarika Kamma, too. just as ordination confers special protection on women, it likely confers the same protection on men.

Other considerations

The different meanings of ''Dussati'': rape, fondle, molest, make love

A group of nuns on the road to Savatthi were raped ''(ekaccā bhikkhuṇiyo dusesuṃ''). But 'rape' is not the only meaning of ''dussati'': it can also mean 'fondle,' or 'molest'. * In the course of showing her round his new hut, Udayin fondled a visitor's wife 'limb by limb' and was accused of 'molesting her (''duseyyu ti'', Vinaya iii 119

. * A doctor treating a nun, lanced a boil 'in the area between her navel and knees,' then started to molest her (''dūsetuṃ upakkami'') ( Vinaya iv 316

. The following exchange shows that ''dussati'' also means 'make love': * Then the layman Sāḷha asked the nun Sundarīnandā : “What is wrong with you? Why are you lying down?” “Surely, it is this, sir: you do not want me.” “How could I not want you? But I never had a chance to make love with you” (''okāsaṃ na labhāmi taṃ dūsetun ti''). Then, filled with lust, Sāḷha touched the nun Sundarīnandā, who was also filled with lust (''avassuto avassutāya sundarīnandāya bhikkhuniyā kāyasaṃsaggaṃ samapajji'').

Relations with consenting monastics

Ānantarika Kamma involves actions undertaken without consent. Acts that are consensual are not Ānantarika Kamma, however unskilful they may be. For example: * two nuns sexually abuse each other: Pacittiya offence ( Vinaya iv 261). * a monk invites a novice to sexually abuse him: Sanghadisesa offence (Sd 1, case 29; Vinaya iii 118). * a monk or nun consents to sex: Parajika offence ( Vinaya iii 040). If a woman rapes a monk it is Ānantarika Kamma: if she seduces him, it is not.

Sexually abusing laywomen: Sanghadisesa offence

Sexually abusing laywomen is a Sanghadisesa Offence. For example, a monk sexually abusing a baby girl ( Vinaya iii 35).

Citations to Pali text

All citations in this article are to the

Pali Text Society The Pali Text Society is a text publication society founded in 1881 by Thomas William Rhys Davids "to foster and promote the study of Pāli texts". Pāli is the language in which the texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism are preserved. The ...

Pali page numbers. For example, (Majjhima ii 156), means PTS Majjhima Nikaya, Volume 2, page 156.