Phala is a
Sanskrit term that means “fruit” of one's actions in
Hinduism and
Buddhism. In Buddhism, the following types of ''phala'' are identified:
* ''Ariya-phala'' also refers to the fruition of following the Buddhist path.
* ''Maha-phala'' refers the ''great fruits'' of the contemplative life.
Within Hinduism
In Hinduism, the term ''phala'' is translated as fruition, results, effects.
[Yoga Sutras 2.35-2.45]
/ref>
The Yoga-Sûtra of Patañjali (verse 2.36) states:[
: As truthfulness (satya) is achieved, the fruits of actions naturally result according to the will of the Yogi. (satya pratisthayam kriya phala ashrayatvam)
]
Within Buddhism
Within Buddhism, the term ''phala'' is used to refer to the fruition or results of actions according to the doctrine of karmic action and result.
Alternate translations
The term ''phala'' is translated as:
* fruit (Harvey, 1990, p. 39; Keown, 2000, loc 810-813)
* fruition
* effect (Ven. D. Mahinda Thera)
Ariya-phala
The term ''Ariya phala'' is used to refer specifically to the fruition of following the Buddhist path. The fruition for each of the four levels of the path is identified as follows:A Glossary of Pali and Buddhist Terms
/ref>
# ''Sota patti phala'', fruition of stream entry
# ''Sakadagamiphala'', fruition of once returning
# ''Anagami phala'', fruition of non returning
# ''Arahatta phala'', fruition of the worthy one or perfected one
Maha-phala
The term ''Maha-phala'' refers to the ten "Great fruits" of the contemplative life. According to the ''Samaññaphala Sutta'', the 10 “Great fruits” (DN 2) are:
/ref>
# Equanimity (upekkha)
# Fearlessness (nibbhaya)
# Freedom from unhappiness & suffering (Asukhacaadukkha)
# Meditative Absorption ( jhana/ samādhi)
# Out-of-body experience (Manomaya)
# Clairaudience (dibba-sota)
# Intuition and mental telepathy (ceto-pariya-ñána)
# Recollection of past lives (Patisandhi)
# Clairvoyance (dibba-cakkhu)
# End of anxiety & mental agitation (nirvāna
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
)
Comparison to Christianity
The fruit (phala) of Buddhism and Hinduism are comparable the charisms of Charismatic Christianity which are known as the "sign-gifts” of the Holy Spirit
In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...
, which are the charisms of prophesy, healing, and speaking in tongues, as described in St Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
's Epistle, 1 Corinthians
The First Epistle to the Corinthians ( grc, Α΄ ᾽Επιστολὴ πρὸς Κορινθίους) is one of the Pauline epistles, part of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The epistle is attributed to Paul the Apostle and a co-aut ...
, Chapters 12 and 14 and elsewhere.
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
{{Buddhism topics
Hindu philosophical concepts
Buddhist philosophical concepts
Karma in Buddhism