MN 120 · Rebirth by Choice

MN 120 · Rebirth by Choice

MN 120 · Saṅkhārupapattisutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“I shall teach you rebirth by choice. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“saṅkhārupapattiṁ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi, taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. They think: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of well-to-do aristocrats!’ They settle on that thought, stabilize it, and develop it. Those choices and meditations of theirs, developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

“Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena samannāgato hoti, sutena samannāgato hoti, cāgena samannāgato hoti, paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā khattiyamahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. They think: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of well-to-do brahmins … well-to-do householders!’ They settle on that thought, stabilize it, and develop it. Those choices and meditations of theirs, developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena samannāgato hoti, sutena samannāgato hoti, cāgena samannāgato hoti, paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā brāhmaṇamahāsālānaṁ …pe… gahapatimahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. And they’ve heard: ‘The gods of the four great kings are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’ They think: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the gods of the four great kings!’ They settle on that thought, stabilize it, and develop it. Those choices and meditations of theirs, developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena samannāgato hoti, sutena samannāgato hoti, cāgena samannāgato hoti, paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘cātumahārājikā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. And they’ve heard: ‘The gods of the thirty-three … the gods of Yama … the joyful gods … the gods who love to create … the gods who control what is created by others are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’ They think: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the gods who control what is created by others!’ They settle on that thought, stabilize it, and develop it. Those choices and meditations of theirs, developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena samannāgato hoti, sutena samannāgato hoti, cāgena samannāgato hoti, paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti— tāvatiṁsā devā …pe… yāmā devā … tusitā devā … nimmānaratī devā … paranimmitavasavattī devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulāti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. And they’ve heard: ‘The Divinity of a thousand is long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’ Now the Divinity of a thousand meditates focused on pervading a thousandfold galaxy, as well as the sentient beings reborn there. As a person with clear eyes might pick up a gallnut in their hand and examine it, so too the Divinity of a thousand meditates focused on pervading a thousandfold galaxy, as well as the sentient beings reborn there. They think: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the Divinity of a thousand!’ They settle on that thought, stabilize it, and develop it. Those choices and meditations of theirs, developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena samannāgato hoti, sutena samannāgato hoti, cāgena samannāgato hoti, paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘sahasso brahmā dīghāyuko vaṇṇavā sukhabahulo’ti. Sahasso, bhikkhave, brahmā sahassilokadhātuṁ pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Yepi tattha sattā upapannā tepi pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cakkhumā puriso ekaṁ āmaṇḍaṁ hatthe karitvā paccavekkheyya; evameva kho, bhikkhave, sahasso brahmā sahassilokadhātuṁ pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Yepi tattha sattā upapannā tepi pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sahassassa brahmuno sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. And they’ve heard: ‘The Divinity of two thousand … the Divinity of three thousand … the Divinity of four thousand … the Divinity of five thousand is long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’ Now the Divinity of five thousand meditates focused on pervading a five-thousandfold galaxy, as well as the sentient beings reborn there. As a person with clear eyes might pick up five gallnuts in their hand and examine them, so too the Divinity of five thousand meditates focused on pervading a five-thousandfold galaxy, as well as the sentient beings reborn there. They think: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the Divinity of five thousand!’ They settle on that thought, stabilize it, and develop it. Those choices and meditations of theirs, developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena samannāgato hoti, sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti— dvisahasso brahmā …pe… tisahasso brahmā … catusahasso brahmā … pañcasahasso brahmā dīghāyuko vaṇṇavā sukhabahuloti. Pañcasahasso, bhikkhave, brahmā pañcasahassilokadhātuṁ pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Yepi tattha sattā upapannā tepi pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cakkhumā puriso pañca āmaṇḍāni hatthe karitvā paccavekkheyya; evameva kho, bhikkhave, pañcasahasso brahmā pañcasahassilokadhātuṁ pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Yepi tattha sattā upapannā tepi pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā pañcasahassassa brahmuno sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. And they’ve heard: ‘The Divinity of ten thousand is long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’ Now the Divinity of ten thousand meditates focused on pervading a ten-thousandfold galaxy, as well as the sentient beings reborn there. Suppose there was a beryl gem that was naturally lustrous, eight-faceted, well-worked. When placed on a cream rug it would shine and glow and dazzle. In the same way the Divinity of ten thousand meditates focused on pervading a ten-thousandfold galaxy, as well as the sentient beings reborn there. They think: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the Divinity of ten thousand!’ They settle on that thought, stabilize it, and develop it. Those choices and meditations of theirs, developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena samannāgato hoti, sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘dasasahasso brahmā dīghāyuko vaṇṇavā sukhabahulo’ti. Dasasahasso, bhikkhave, brahmā dasasahassilokadhātuṁ pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Yepi tattha sattā upapannā tepi pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, maṇi veḷuriyo subho jātimā aṭṭhaṁso suparikammakato paṇḍukambale nikkhitto bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evameva kho, bhikkhave, dasasahasso brahmā dasasahassilokadhātuṁ pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Yepi tattha sattā upapannā tepi pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā dasasahassassa brahmuno sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. And they’ve heard: ‘The Divinity of a hundred thousand is long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’ Now the Divinity of a hundred thousand meditates focused on pervading a hundred-thousandfold galaxy, as well as the sentient beings reborn there. Suppose there was a pendant of Black Plum River gold, fashioned by a deft smith, well wrought in the forge. When placed on a cream rug it would shine and glow and dazzle. In the same way the Divinity of a hundred thousand meditates focused on pervading a hundred-thousandfold galaxy, as well as the sentient beings reborn there. They think: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the Divinity of a hundred thousand!’ They settle on that thought, stabilize it, and develop it. Those choices and meditations of theirs, developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena … sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘satasahasso brahmā dīghāyuko vaṇṇavā sukhabahulo’ti. Satasahasso, bhikkhave, brahmā satasahassilokadhātuṁ pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Yepi tattha sattā upapannā tepi pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, nikkhaṁ jambonadaṁ dakkhakammāraputtaukkāmukhasukusalasampahaṭṭhaṁ paṇḍukambale nikkhittaṁ bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evameva kho, bhikkhave, satasahasso brahmā satasahassilokadhātuṁ pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Yepi tattha sattā upapannā tepi pharitvā adhimuccitvā viharati. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā satasahassassa brahmuno sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. And they’ve heard: ‘The radiant gods … the gods of limited luminosity … the gods of limitless luminosity … the gods of sublime luminosity … the gods of limited beauty … the gods of limitless beauty … the gods of universal beauty … the gods of abundant fruit … the gods of Aviha … the gods of Atappa … the gods fair to see … the fair seeing gods … the gods of Akaniṭṭha … the gods of the dimension of infinite space … the gods of the dimension of infinite consciousness … the gods of the dimension of nothingness … the gods of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception are long-lived, long-lasting, and very happy.’ They think: ‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the gods of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception!’ They settle on that thought, stabilize it, and develop it. Those choices and meditations of theirs, developed and cultivated like this, lead to rebirth there. This is the path and the practice that leads to rebirth there.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena … sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti— ābhā devā …pe… parittābhā devā … appamāṇābhā devā … ābhassarā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulāti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā ābhassarānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena … sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti— parittasubhā devā …pe… appamāṇasubhā devā … subhakiṇhā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulāti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā subhakiṇhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena … sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti— vehapphalā devā …pe… avihā devā … atappā devā … sudassā devā … sudassī devā … akaniṭṭhā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulāti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā akaniṭṭhānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena … sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘ākāsānañcāyatanūpagā devā dīghāyukā ciraṭṭhitikā sukhabahulā’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā ākāsānañcāyatanūpagānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena … sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘viññāṇañcāyatanūpagā devā dīghāyukā ciraṭṭhitikā sukhabahulā’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā viññāṇañcāyatanūpagānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati. Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena … sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa sutaṁ hoti— ākiñcaññāyatanūpagā devā …pe… nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagā devā dīghāyukā ciraṭṭhitikā sukhabahulāti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa te saṅkhārā ca vihārā ca evaṁ bhāvitā evaṁ bahulīkatā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattanti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā tatrupapattiyā saṁvattati.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. They think: ‘If only I might realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and live having realized it with my own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements!’ They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. And, mendicants, that mendicant is not reborn anywhere.”

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddhāya samannāgato hoti, sīlena … sutena … cāgena … paññāya samannāgato hoti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti. So āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na katthaci upapajjatī”ti.

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.