Intentional actions that lead to intelligence or stupidity

A student once asked the Buddha:

“Master Gotama, what is the cause and condition why some human beings are stupid, while others are 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 behavior will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time? What kind of behavior 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, which 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 behavior will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time? What kind of behavior will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time?

“However, friend, here some man or woman does indeed ask either 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 behavior will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time? What kind of behavior 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 in a human state, then wherever such one reappears, such one is born clever, wise, quick to learn, and intelligent!

“This is the way, friend, which leads to intelligence, namely indeed asking and questioning recluses or priests: Venerable Sir, what is advantageous? What is disadvantageous? What is blamable? What should thus be cultivated? What should not be cultivated? What kind of behavior will lead to my harm and suffering for a long time? What kind of behavior 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 misses heaven, because the good kamma is modified by past evil!