1"Bhikkhus, I do not say that there is a termination of volitional kamma that has been done and accumulated so long as one has not experienced its results, and that may be in this very life, or in the next rebirth, or on some subsequent occasion. But I do not say that there is making an end of suffering so long as one has not experienced the results of volitional kamma that has been done and accumulated. [n.2185] Although the text of the sutta (in the three editions) does not include a peyyāla here, indicating an elision, it was probably right here that the sutta originally included the passage on the ten courses of kamma (as in the preceding two suttas). Only in this way would its inclusion in the Tens make sense. Further, the transition to sa kho so … ariyasāvako evaṃ vigatābhijjho vigatabyāpādo asammūḷho in the next paragraph, with the reference to a definite subject, implies that it had been preceded by a passage that already spoke about the noble disciple. We find the full passage, in fact, in the Chinese parallel, MĀ 15, which is a synthesis of 10:217–18 and the present sutta.
The structure of MĀ 15 is as follows: Following the opening statement, the Buddha defines the ten kinds of unwholesome kamma of body, speech, and mind. He then says that an instructed noble disciple discards the threefold unwholesome types of kamma (bodily, verbal, and mental) and cultivates the threefold wholesome types. At this point "that instructed noble disciple" (), possessing such energy and virtue, has purified his kamma of body, speech, and mind. He is without anger and hostility, has dispelled drowsiness, eliminated restlessness and arrogance, abandoned doubt, and gone beyond conceit. He is mindful, possesses clear comprehension, and is unconfused. He then pervades the ten directions and the entire world with a mind of loving-kindness and the other three immeasurables.

2"This noble disciple, bhikkhus, who is thus devoid of longing, devoid of ill will, unconfused, clearly comprehending, ever mindful, dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will.

3He understands thus: ‘Previously, my mind was limited and undeveloped, but now it is measureless and well developed. No measurable kamma remains or persists there.’ [n.2186] Yaṁ kho pana kiñci pamāṇakataṁ kammaṁ, na taṁ tatrāvasissati, na taṁ tatrāvatiṭṭhati. Mp identifies "measurable kamma" with sense-sphere kamma (kāmāvacarakamma), that is, kamma due to produce its results in the sense sphere. Since the disciple being described is presumably a non-returner (or one bound to become a non-returner), he or she will take rebirth in the form realm and never again descend to the sense sphere. Thus the sense-sphere kamma cannot find an opportunity to ripen.

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4"What do you think, bhikkhus, if a youth were to develop the liberation of mind by loving-kindness from his childhood on, would he do a bad deed?" [n.2187] As pointed out earlier, the Pāli word kamma bears two senses often difficult to distinguish: the etymological sense, simply an action or deed, and the soteriological sense, a deed considered as a moral force that can bring retributive consequences. It is strange that the text says unequivocally that one who develops the liberation of mind by loving-kindness can do no bad deed. It seems to me that although such a person might not commit bad deeds motivated by hatred and ill will, they could still do bad deeds, even minor ones, motivated by greed and delusion.

"No, Bhante."

5"Could suffering affect him if he does no bad deed?" "No, Bhante. For on what account could suffering affect one who does no bad deed?" [n.2188] This statement, too, seems counterintuitive. Those who do no bad deeds in this life certainly can suffer the kammic effects of bad deeds done in previous lives. Thus Moggallāna was assassinated and the Buddha himself was badly injured by a sharp stone that broke off from the boulder hurled at him by Devadatta. Virtuous people who are not arahants might also undergo psychological suffering, and not merely physical pain, as a consequence of undesirable situations. For example, Ānanda, a virtuous monk, felt grief and worry when the Buddha fell ill and Visākhā, a stream-enterer, lamented the death of her grandchild.

6"A woman or a man should develop this liberation of mind by loving-kindness. A woman or a man cannot take this body with them when they go. Mortals have mind as their core. [n.2189] Cittantaro ayaṁ bhikkhave macco. Mp: "They have mind as their cause, or their interior is due to mind (cittakāraṇo, atha vā citten’eva antariko). For with the mind at rebirth that follows without interval the mind at death, one becomes a deva, a hell-being, or an animal."

"The noble disciple understands: ‘Whatever bad deed I did here in the past with this deed-born body [n.2190] Karajakāya. I translate the expression literally but it may imply much the same thing as such English expressions as "this mortal body" or "this corporeal body." DOP sv kara, says: "A body produced by action, the physical body." SN 12:37, II 65,1, speaks of the body as "old kamma" (purāṇamidaṁ … kammaṁ). The Chinese parallel has nothing that corresponds to this term. is all to be experienced here. It will not follow along.’ [n.2191] Mp: "By means of loving-kindness, the feeling that would have been experienced upon rebirth is cut off, and thus it does not follow one along. This is the reflection of a noble person who is a stream-enterer or a once-returner." Presumably, the bad kamma is all to be experienced here (sabbaṁ taṁ idha vedanīyaṁ), in this life, and will not follow along (na taṁ anugaṁ bhavissati) because his next rebirth will be in the form realm, where there is no painful experience, and he will attain nibbāna in the form realm without returning to this world. When the liberation of mind by loving-kindness has been developed in this way, it leads to non-returning for a wise bhikkhu here [n.2192] Idha paññassa bhikkhuno uttariṁ vimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato. Mp: "A wise bhikkhu here: The wisdom in this teaching is called ‘wisdom here.’ The meaning (of a wise one here) is a noble disciple who is settled in the noble wisdom that pertains to the teaching" (imasmiṁ sāsane paññā idhapaññā nāma, sāsanacaritāya ariyapaññāya ṭhitassa ariyasāvakassā ti attho). who does not penetrate to a further liberation. [n.2193] Mp calls this the state of a "jhāna non-returner" (jhānānāgāmitā). Such persons have realized the lower two fruits and attained the jhānas, but have not yet really reached the stage of non-returner. By the karmic power of their jhānas they will be reborn in the form realm, where they will attain the higher two paths and fruits without ever returning to the sense sphere; thus they are called "jhāna non-returners." The "further liberation" (uttariṁ vimutti) is arahantship. See too AN3.94, note 539.

7"This noble disciple, bhikkhus, who is thus devoid of longing, devoid of ill will, unconfused, clearly comprehending, ever mindful, dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion … with a mind imbued with altruistic joy … with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will.

8He understands thus: ‘Previously, my mind was limited and undeveloped, but now it is measureless and well developed. No measurable kamma remains or persists there.’

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9"What do you think, bhikkhus, if a youth would develop the liberation of mind by equanimity, from his childhood on, would he do a bad deed?"

"No, Bhante."

10"Could suffering affect him if he does no bad deed?"

"No, Bhante. For on what account could suffering affect one who does no bad deed?"

11"A woman or a man should develop this liberation of mind by equanimity. A woman or a man cannot take this body with them when they go. Mortals have mind as their core.

"The noble disciple understands: ‘Whatever bad deed I did here in the past with this deed-born body is all to be experienced here. It will not follow along.’ When the liberation of mind by equanimity has been developed in this way, it leads to non-returning for a wise bhikkhu here who does not penetrate to a further liberation."

1"Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sañcetanikānaṁ kammānaṁ katānaṁ upacitānaṁ appaṭisaṁveditvā byantībhāvaṁ vadāmi, tañca kho diṭṭheva dhamme upapajje vā apare vā pariyāye. Na tvevāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sañcetanikānaṁ kammānaṁ katānaṁ upacitānaṁ appaṭisaṁveditvā dukkhassantakiriyaṁ vadāmi.

2Sa kho so, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako evaṁ vigatābhijjho vigatabyāpādo asammūḷho sampajāno paṭissato mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.

3So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘pubbe kho me idaṁ cittaṁ parittaṁ ahosi abhāvitaṁ, etarahi pana me idaṁ cittaṁ appamāṇaṁ subhāvitaṁ. Yaṁ kho pana kiñci pamāṇakataṁ kammaṁ, na taṁ tatrāvasissati na taṁ tatrāvatiṭṭhatī’ti.

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4Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, dāhāratagge ce so ayaṁ kumāro mettaṁ cetovimuttiṁ bhāveyya, api nu kho pāpakammaṁ kareyyā"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

5"Akarontaṁ kho pana pāpakammaṁ api nu kho dukkhaṁ phuseyyā"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante. Akarontañhi, bhante, pāpakammaṁ kuto dukkhaṁ phusissatī"ti.

6"Bhāvetabbā kho panāyaṁ, bhikkhave, mettācetovimutti itthiyā vā purisena vā. Itthiyā vā, bhikkhave, purisassa vā nāyaṁ kāyo ādāya gamanīyo. Cittantaro ayaṁ, bhikkhave, macco.

So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘Yaṁ kho me idaṁ kiñci pubbe iminā karajakāyena pāpakammaṁ kataṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ idha vedanīyaṁ; na taṁ anugaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evaṁ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, mettā cetovimutti anāgāmitāya saṁvattati, idha paññassa bhikkhuno uttari vimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato.

7Karuṇāsahagatena cetasā … muditāsahagatena cetasā … upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.

8So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘pubbe kho me idaṁ cittaṁ parittaṁ ahosi abhāvitaṁ, etarahi pana me idaṁ cittaṁ appamāṇaṁ subhāvitaṁ. Yaṁ kho pana kiñci pamāṇakataṁ kammaṁ, na taṁ tatrāvasissati na taṁ tatrāvatiṭṭhatī’ti.

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9Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, dāhāratagge ce so ayaṁ kumāro upekkhaṁ cetovimuttiṁ bhāveyya, api nu kho pāpakammaṁ kareyyā"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante".

10"Akarontaṁ kho pana pāpakammaṁ api nu kho dukkhaṁ phuseyyā"ti?

"No hetaṁ, bhante. Akarontañhi, bhante, pāpakammaṁ kuto dukkhaṁ phusissatī"ti.

11"Bhāvetabbā kho panāyaṁ, bhikkhave, upekkhā cetovimutti itthiyā vā purisena vā. Itthiyā vā, bhikkhave, purisassa vā nāyaṁ kāyo ādāya gamanīyo. Cittantaro ayaṁ, bhikkhave, macco.

So evaṁ pajānāti: ‘Yaṁ kho me idaṁ kiñci pubbe iminā karajakāyena pāpakammaṁ kataṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ idha vedanīyaṁ; na taṁ anugaṁ bhavissatī’ti. Evaṁ bhāvitā kho, bhikkhave, upekkhā cetovimutti anāgāmitāya saṁvattati, idha paññassa bhikkhuno uttari vimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato"ti.

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Navamaṁ.