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In my reading of the suttas in the Pali canon, I've only found one story that's an example of someone experiencing the results of deeds committed in the life they are currently living, in that same lifetime. The example I've found is in MN 86, and in one of the poems of elder monks: Aṅgulimāla's story, in which after he's become an arahant he is still treated roughly by people who know his past murderous actions.

Are there any other examples like that? The Buddha talks many times in generalities about how if you behave in such-and-such a way, you'll end up with corresponding results in the future, but I'm wondering about specific all-this-life examples.

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    Do you want only cases of negative consequences in the same lifetime like that experienced by Angulimala, or do you also accept positive outcomes in the same lifetime? Do you restrict to only arahants, or it can be anyone?
    – ruben2020 ♦
    Commented Jul 19, 2021 at 18:44
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    Thanks for asking, ruben (sorry I've been away, got sent to the ER!) Both positive and negative, any level whether arahant or non, even follower of the Buddha or not.
    – Linda Blanchard
    Commented Jul 22, 2021 at 0:24
  • There is a story of Anathapindika having died & come again as Deva going to see The Buddha.Is that relevant?
    – user8527
    Commented Jul 22, 2021 at 13:22

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Ud 8.7 tells the story of a junior monk accompanying the Buddha who disobeyed the Buddha, was disrespectful to him (please see this footnote for details), dropped the Buddha's possessions and abandoned him. He was shortly attacked by thieves.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was journeying along a road in the Kosalan country with Ven. Nāgasamāla as his junior companion. Ven. Nāgasamāla, while going along the road, saw a fork in the path. On seeing it, he said to the Blessed One, "That, lord Blessed One, is the route. We go that way." When this was said, the Blessed One said, "This, Nāgasamāla, is the route. We go this way."

A second time... A third time, Ven. Nāgasamāla said to the Blessed One, "That, lord Blessed One, is the route. We go that way." And for a third time, the Blessed One said, "This, Nāgasamāla, is the route. We go this way."

Then Ven. Nāgasamāla, placing the Blessed One's bowl & robes right there on the ground, left, saying, "This, lord Blessed One, is the bowl & robes."

Then as Ven. Nāgasamāla was going along that route, thieves — jumping out in the middle of the road — pummeled him with their fists & feet, broke his bowl, and ripped his outer robe to shreds.

So Ven. Nāgasamāla — with his bowl broken, his outer robe ripped to shreds — went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "Just now, lord, as I was going along that route, thieves jumped out in the middle of the road, pummeled me with their fists & feet, broke my bowl, and ripped my outer robe to shreds."

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

When traveling together,
mixed together
with a person who doesn't know,
an attainer-of-wisdom,
on realizing that the person is evil,
abandons him
as a milk-feeding heron,
a bog.

Ud 8.7

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  • Thanks, ruben2020. I hadn't seen that one. I do wish I understood the Buddha's poem better. Even with the help of the footnote, it's rough going.
    – Linda Blanchard
    Commented Jul 22, 2021 at 0:32
  • @LindaBlanchard I guess the poem means that the Buddha, on realizing the evil intentions of the unenlightened person who is traveling with him, would not bother to teach or help or admonish him in anyway. In other words, the Buddha would "kill" him, as explained in the Kesi Sutta and in this footnote.
    – ruben2020 ♦
    Commented Jul 22, 2021 at 6:15
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The whole practice, paths and fruits, are fruits of kamma, and as it is known, those can be realized in this very existance, good householder. So stories are all full of such samples, even Arahat-ship by just "listen" some words.

If missing a formulation in regard that kamma may rip quick, later or in other lifetimes, maybe Deed-gained body helps for release, details on mass found in Abhidhamma, such as Upanissaya-discourse.

"hopefully" this answer reaches good householder quick, and not lifetimes later, but who knows.

(Maybe this 'strange' question comes for addopting a Jain-theory of 'accumulation' of kamma, something like storehouse, but actually each cause has it's effect and it's not the case that there a such as summary-times, period bills)

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  • Welcome! The OP is quite specific about what they are looking for, and even gives an example. In this respect, your answer seems too vague and generic.
    – user17652
    Commented Jul 20, 2021 at 6:01
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    Try to nail down as you like or seek for release, understandingthat's what all is about, good householder. Just one thing, people who like to trace back kamma are subject for getting crazy, or say neurotic... worthy to think about. Not to speak that reading linked sutta would had helped his fixations fade.
    – user21487
    Commented Jul 20, 2021 at 7:22
  • Thank you. Since there are no tags relating to personal practice, it may be the case that the OP is asking the question for academic purposes. In any case, I still don't see how you have answered the OP's question.
    – user17652
    Commented Jul 20, 2021 at 7:36
  • Yes, NeuroMax is right, I'm asking more for an academic reason than it being about personal practice. Thanks to both NeuroMax andn user21487 for consideration.
    – Linda Blanchard
    Commented Jul 22, 2021 at 0:27

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