Intentional actions that influence social position

Which intentional actions influence social position? A student once asked the Buddha:

“Master Gotama, what is the cause and condition why some human beings are influential and prominent, while others are neglected and disrespected?”

The blessed Buddha then explained:

“Here, friend, some man or woman is envious, one who is jealous, resents, and begrudges the gains, honour , respect, fame, name, reverence, salutation, and veneration rightly received by others…

“Because of intending and performing such action, at the breakup of the body, right after death, such one is reborn in a state of difficulty, in a wretched 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 the hells, but instead comes back to the human state, then wherever such one is reborn, such one is not influential, unimportant, neglected and disrespected!

“These are the actions, friend, leading to future disrespect: Being envious, being one who is jealous, resents, and begrudges the gains, honour , respect, reverence, salutations, fame, name and veneration rightly received by others…

“However, friend, any man or woman, who is neither envious, jealous, resenting, nor begrudging the gains, honour , respect, reverence, salutations, fame, name and veneration rightly received by others, because of intending and undertaking such good mental action, at breakup of the body, after death, such one reappears in a pleasurable and happy destination, even in one of the many divine dimensions!

“But if at the breakup of the body, right after death, such one is not reborn in a happy destination, in the heavenly worlds, but instead comes back to a human state, and then wherever such one reappears, such one is influential, and respected!

“This is the way, friend, leading to prominence and influence, namely neither being envious, jealous, resenting, nor begrudging the gains, honour , respect, reverence, fame, salutation, reputation and veneration rightly received by others…”

Such one escapes hell, because the evil kamma is modified by past good!

Such one misses heaven, because the good kamma is modified by past evil!