They understand: ‘Formerly my mind was limited and undeveloped. Now it’s limitless and well developed. Whatever limited deeds I’ve done don’t remain or persist there.’

What do you think, mendicants? Suppose a child had developed the heart’s release by equanimity from their childhood on. Would they still do any bad deed?” “No, sir.”

“Not doing any bad deed, would they still experience any suffering?” “No, sir. For if they don’t do any bad deed, from where would suffering afflict them?”

“This heart’s release by equanimity should be developed by women or men. For neither women nor men take this body with them when they go. The mind is what’s inside mortal beings. They understand: ‘Whatever bad deeds I have done in the past with this deed-born body I will experience here. It will not follow me to my next life.’ The heart’s release by equanimity developed in this way leads to non-return for a wise mendicant here who has not penetrated to a higher freedom.”

Numbered Discourses 10.220 21. The Body Born of Deeds Unprincipled Conduct

Then a certain brahmin went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: “What is the cause, worthy Gotama, what is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell?” “Unprincipled and immoral conduct is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.”