Deeds with Fruit That Result in Great Accomplishment and Power

Having cultivated for seven years a mind of loving-kindness, for seven eons of contraction and expansion I did not return to this world. Whenever the eon contracted I reached the plane of streaming radiance, and when the eon expanded I arose in an empty heavenly mansion.

And there I was Brahma (God), the Great Brahma, the unvanquished victor, the all-knowing, the all-powerful.

Thirty-six times I was Sakka, Ruler of the Heavenly Beings. And many hundreds of times I was a Wheel-Turning Monarch, righteous, a King of righteousness, conqueror of the four regions of the earth, maintaining stability in the land, in possession of the seven treasures.

What need is there to speak of mere local Kingship?

It occurred to me, Monks, to wonder: Of what kind of deed of mine is this the fruit? Of what deed’s ripening am I now of such great accomplishment and power?

And then it occurred to me: It is the fruit of three kinds of deeds of mine, the ripening of three kinds of deeds that I am now of such great accomplishment and power: deeds of giving, of mastery of the mind, and of refraining.

(Reference: ITI 22)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he recalls some of his past existences and explains why he has been so fortunate to become a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha.

A Perfectly Enlightened Buddha’s mind is very clear and concentrated with deep wisdom. While all Enlightened beings will be able to experience these same qualities of mind, a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha experiences these to a large degree beyond a typical Enlightened being.

The Buddha shares what has led to his fortunate existences in the past and in his present life. He attributes this to “deeds of giving, of mastery of the mind, and of refraining”.

Giving or generosity produces beneficial outcomes in one’s life as they are able to train the mind to eliminate craving/desire/attachment while creating wholesome results with people who accept the generosity.

Mastery of mind is to train the mind to have deep mental discipline or control of the mind. Being able to control one’s own mind allows for calmness, mindfulness, concentration, and to access deep wisdom.

Refraining is to train the mind to have restraint from things such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, ingesting substances that cause heedlessness while practicing other wholesome moral conduct. A Practitioner has trained the mind to refrain from unwholesomeness.

The Buddha attributes his accomplishment to attain Perfect Enlightenment and have the experiences he mentioned from past lives to these three deeds.