Which Intentional
Actions (Kamma) influence Intelligence?
A student once asked the Buddha:
Master Gotama, what is the cause and condition why some
human beings
are stupid,
while others are exceedingly intelligent?
The Blessed Buddha then explained:
Here, friend, some man or woman when visiting recluse or priest, does
never ask:
"Venerable Sir, what is advantageous? What is disadvantageous? What is blamable?
What is blameless? What should be cultivated? What should not be cultivated?
What kind of behaviour will lead to my harm, and suffering for a long time?
What kind of behaviour will lead to my welfare, and happiness for a long time?"
Because of intending and
performing such action,
at the breakup of
the
body,
right
after death, such one is reborn in a bad state of deprivation, a dreadful destination,
in the painful purgatory, or
even in the hells...
But if such one at the breakup of the body, right after death, is not reborn in
a
state
of deprivation, a painful destination, the purgatory,
or in one of the many hells,
but instead comes
back to this human state, then wherever such unlucky one is reborn,
such one is born stupid, foolish, dimwitted, slow to learn, and unintelligent #!
This is the way, friend,
that leads to stupidity, namely never asking neither recluse
nor priest:
"Venerable Sir, what is advantageous? What is disadvantageous?
What is blamable? What is blameless? What should be cultivated? What should not
be cultivated? What behaviour will lead to my harm, and suffering for a long
time?
What kind of behaviour will lead to my welfare, and happiness for a
long time?"
However, friend, here some man or woman
does indeed ask both recluses or priests:
"Venerable Sir, what is advantageous? What is disadvantageous? What is blamable?
What is blameless? What should be cultivated? What should not be cultivated?
What kind of behaviour will lead to my harm, and suffering for a long time?
What kind of behaviour will lead to my welfare, and happiness for a long time?"
Because of intending
and performing such advantageous action,
at breakup of the body,
after death, such one
reappears in
a pleasurable and happy destination, even in the
divine dimensions!
But if at the breakup
of the body, after
death, such one is not
reborn in
a happy
destination, in the
heavenly worlds,
but instead comes back here to
a human
state, then wherever such one reappears, such one is born clever, wise, quick
to learn, and intelligent %! This is the way, friend, that leads to
intelligence, namely,
indeed asking and questioning recluses or priests: "Venerable Sir, what is
advantageous?
What is disadvantageous? What is blamable? What is blameless? What should be
thus
be cultivated? What should not be cultivated? What kind of behaviour will lead
to my
harm and suffering for a long time? What kind of behaviour will lead to my
welfare
and happiness for a long time?"
#: Such one escapes hell, because the evil kamma is modified by
past good!
%: Such one miss heaven, because the good kamma is modified by past evil!
For details on the mechanics
of Kamma = Intentional Action see:
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_is_intention.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Buddha_on_Kamma.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_dilutes_Evil_Kamma.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_short_vs_long_life.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Health_vs_Sickness.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Low_or_High_Birth.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Wealth_or_Poverty.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Beauty_vs_Ugliness.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Effect_of_kammic_Action_is_Delayed.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Power_or_Disrespect.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Evil_Kamma_enhances_other_Evil_Kamma.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Good_Action_enhances_other_Good_Kamma.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Kamma_leading_to_Stupidity_or_Intelligence.htm

Source:
The Moderate speeches of the
Buddha: The short speech on Action. MN 135
http://store.pariyatti.org/Middle-Length-Discourses-of-the-Buddha_p_1543.html Full Text:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html