Sometimes action is divided into two kinds, ‘drawing action’ and ‘fulfilling action.’ Drawing action causes a being to be born as a man, as a deva, or as a beast; no other force can draw a living being into a particular form of life. After the kind of life has been determined, the fulfilling action completes the formal quality of the living being so that it will be a thorough specimen of the kind.

There are two kinds of action-influence: individual action-influence and common action-influence. Individual action-influence creates the individual being. Common action-influence creates the universe itself. This is the meaning of the words ‘individual effect’ and ‘common effect’ as used in Buddhism.