CAN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?

Bhikkhu Bodhi

According to the Kalama Sutta, the Buddha has given four assurances that clearly meant bad things will never happen to good people even in their present life. And yet, we have come across numerous cases to the contrary. Even Bhikkhu Bodhi has affirmed this.

This post is not meant to judge any person past or present who has encountered such bad things in life, such as suffering from permanent disabilities, paralyzing stroke, mental illnesses, or dying a horrible death although we have known several well-known or prominent Buddhists in Malaysia and elsewhere who have suffered such fate, among the monastics as well as laity community. The most well known case internationally is perhaps that of TNH.

If bad things can happen to good people, where does that leave us? But the Buddha gave us his assurance, so is this a contradiction to the assurances?

An excerpt from Kalama Sutta AN3.65 follows:

“The noble disciple, Kālāmas, whose mind is in this way without enmity, without ill will, undefiled, and pure, has won four assurances in this very life.

“The first assurance he has won is this: ‘If there is another world, and if there is the fruit and result of good and bad deeds, it is possible that with the breakup of the body, after death, I will be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.’

“The second assurance he has won is this: ‘If there is no other world, and there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds, still right here, in this very life, I maintain myself in happiness, without enmity and ill will, free of trouble.

“The third assurance he has won is this: ‘Suppose evil comes to one who does evil. Then, when I have no evil intentions toward anyone, how can suffering afflict me, since I do no evil deed?’[459]

“The fourth assurance he has won is this: ‘Suppose evil does not come to one who does evil. Then right here I see myself purified in both respects.’[460]

“This noble disciple, Kālāmas, whose mind is in this way without enmity, without ill will, undefiled, and pure, has won these four assurances in this very life.”[461]

Bhikkhu Bodhi's footnote:
[459] This is certainly counterintuitive, at least on the basis of what is immediately visible, for cases of “bad things happening to good people” are innumerable.

[460] Idhāhaṃ ubhayen’eva visuddhaṃ attānaṃ samanupassāmi. The exact meaning of “in both respects” is not entirely clear to me. Mp glosses: “Since I do no evil, and it is not done [to me as it is] to one who does [evil]” (yañca pāpaṃ na karomi, yañca karotopi na karīyati).” However, it seems to me more likely that the two kinds of purification are (1) not doing any evil deeds, and (2) developing a pure mind by practice of the four immeasurable states (loving-kindness, etc.). This seems to be the purport of the Chinese parallel (see next note).

[461] The four assurances of M 16 (at T I 439b8–26) are as follows: (1) “If there is this world and the other world, if there are results of good and bad deeds, I acquire the kamma connected with this right view; I uphold it and possess it. With the breakup of the body, after death, I will certainly go to a good state, even to rebirth in the heavenly realm. (2) If this world and the other world do not exist, and there are no results of good and bad deeds, still, even in this present life, I cannot be blamed by others on account of [my conduct], but I will be praised by the wise. However, those of right effort and right view say that there is [this world, the other world, and results of karma]. (3) If anything is done, certainly I do no evil, I think nothing evil. Since I do no evil, how can suffering arise for me? (4) If anything is done, certainly I do no evil. I do not transgress against what is fearful and not fearful in the world. I always have love and compassion for the whole world. My mind has no belligerence toward sentient beings; it is without stains, joyful and happy.”