Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.55

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 7.55

6. Abyākatavagga
6. The Undeclared Points

Purisagatisutta

Places People Are Reborn

“Satta ca, bhikkhave, purisagatiyo desessāmi anupādā ca parinibbānaṁ.
“Mendicants, I will teach you seven places people are reborn, and extinguishment by not grasping.

Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.
Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Yes, sir,” the mendicants replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:

“katamā ca, bhikkhave, satta purisagatiyo?
“And what are the seven places people are reborn?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
Take a mendicant who practices like this:

‘no cassa no ca me siyā, na bhavissati na me bhavissati, yadatthi yaṁ bhūtaṁ taṁ pajahāmī’ti upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati.
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be, and it will not be mine. I am giving up what exists, what has come to be.’ They gain equanimity.

So bhave na rajjati, sambhave na rajjati, atthuttari padaṁ santaṁ sammappaññāya passati.
They’re not attached to life, or to creating a new life. And they see with right wisdom that there is a peaceful state beyond.

Tañca khvassa padaṁ na sabbena sabbaṁ sacchikataṁ hoti, tassa na sabbena sabbaṁ mānānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ bhavarāgānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ avijjānusayo pahīno hoti.
But they haven’t completely realized that state. They haven’t totally given up the underlying tendencies of conceit, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.

So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā nibbāyeyya.
Suppose you struck an iron pot that had been heated all day. Any spark that flew off would be extinguished.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
In the same way, a mendicant who practices like this …

‘no cassa no ca me siyā, na bhavissati na me bhavissati, yadatthi yaṁ bhūtaṁ taṁ pajahāmī’ti upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati.

So bhave na rajjati, sambhave na rajjati, atthuttari padaṁ santaṁ sammappaññāya passati.

So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
Take a mendicant who practices like this:

Tañca khvassa padaṁ na sabbena sabbaṁ sacchikataṁ hoti, tassa na sabbena sabbaṁ mānānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ bhavarāgānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ avijjānusayo pahīno hoti.
But they haven’t totally realized that state. They haven’t completely given up the underlying tendencies of conceit, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.

So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā nibbāyeyya.
Suppose you struck an iron pot that had been heated all day. Any spark that flew off and floated away would be extinguished.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
In the same way, a mendicant who practices like this …

‘no cassa no ca me siyā …pe…

so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
Take a mendicant who practices like this:

‘no cassa no ca me siyā …pe…
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. …’

so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā anupahacca talaṁ nibbāyeyya.
Suppose you struck an iron pot that had been heated all day. Any spark that flew off and floated away would be extinguished just before landing.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
In the same way, a mendicant who practices like this …

‘no cassa no ca me siyā …pe…

so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished between one life and the next.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
Take a mendicant who practices like this:

‘no cassa no ca me siyā …pe…
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. …’

so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished upon landing.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā upahacca talaṁ nibbāyeyya.
Suppose you struck an iron pot that had been heated all day. Any spark that flew off and floated away would be extinguished on landing.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
In the same way, a mendicant who practices like this …

‘no cassa no ca me siyā …pe…
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. …’

so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished upon landing.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
Take a mendicant who practices like this:

‘no cassa no ca me siyā …pe…
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. …’

so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished without extra effort.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā paritte tiṇapuñje vā kaṭṭhapuñje vā nipateyya.
Suppose you struck an iron pot that had been heated all day. Any spark that flew off and floated away would fall on a little heap of grass or twigs.

Sā tattha aggimpi janeyya, dhūmampi janeyya, aggimpi janetvā dhūmampi janetvā tameva parittaṁ tiṇapuñjaṁ vā kaṭṭhapuñjaṁ vā pariyādiyitvā anāhārā nibbāyeyya.
There it would ignite a fire and produce smoke. But the fire would consume the grass or twigs and become extinguished due to not being fed.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
In the same way, a mendicant who practices like this …

‘no cassa no ca me siyā …pe…
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. …’

so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished without extra effort.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
Take a mendicant who practices like this:

‘no cassa no ca me siyā …pe…
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. …’

so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished with extra effort.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā vipule tiṇapuñje vā kaṭṭhapuñje vā nipateyya.
Suppose you struck an iron pot that had been heated all day. Any spark that flew off and floated away would fall on a large heap of grass or twigs.

Sā tattha aggimpi janeyya, dhūmampi janeyya, aggimpi janetvā dhūmampi janetvā tameva vipulaṁ tiṇapuñjaṁ vā kaṭṭhapuñjaṁ vā pariyādiyitvā anāhārā nibbāyeyya.
There it would ignite a fire and produce smoke. But the fire would consume the grass or twigs and become extinguished due to not being fed.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
In the same way, a mendicant who practices like this …

‘no cassa no ca me siyā …pe…
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. …’

so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they’re extinguished with extra effort.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
Take a mendicant who practices like this:

Tañca khvassa padaṁ na sabbena sabbaṁ sacchikataṁ hoti, tassa na sabbena sabbaṁ mānānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ bhavarāgānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ avijjānusayo pahīno hoti.
But they haven’t totally realized that state. They haven’t completely given up the underlying tendencies of conceit, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.

So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā uddhaṁsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they head upstream, going to the Akaniṭṭha realm.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā mahante tiṇapuñje vā kaṭṭhapuñje vā nipateyya.
Suppose you struck an iron pot that had been heated all day. Any spark that flew off and floated away would fall on a huge heap of grass or twigs.

Sā tattha aggimpi janeyya, dhūmampi janeyya, aggimpi janetvā dhūmampi janetvā tameva mahantaṁ tiṇapuñjaṁ vā kaṭṭhapuñjaṁ vā pariyādiyitvā gacchampi daheyya, dāyampi daheyya, gacchampi dahitvā dāyampi dahitvā haritantaṁ vā pathantaṁ vā selantaṁ vā udakantaṁ vā ramaṇīyaṁ vā bhūmibhāgaṁ āgamma anāhārā nibbāyeyya.
There it would ignite a fire and produce smoke. And after consuming the grass and twigs, the fire would burn up plants and trees until it reached a green field, a roadside, a cliff’s edge, a body of water, or cleared parkland, where it would be extinguished due to not being fed.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
In the same way, a mendicant who practices like this …

‘no cassa no ca me siyā …pe…
‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. …’

so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā uddhaṁsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī.
With the ending of the five lower fetters they head upstream, going to the Akaniṭṭha realm.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, satta purisagatiyo.
These are the seven places people are reborn.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, anupādāparinibbānaṁ?
And what is extinguishment by not grasping?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti:
Take a mendicant who practices like this:

Tañca khvassa padaṁ sabbena sabbaṁ sacchikataṁ hoti, tassa sabbena sabbaṁ mānānusayo pahīno hoti, sabbena sabbaṁ bhavarāgānusayo pahīno hoti, sabbena sabbaṁ avijjānusayo pahīno hoti.
And they have totally realized that state. They’ve completely given up the underlying tendencies of conceit, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.

So āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.
They’ve realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anupādāparinibbānaṁ.
This is called extinguishment by not grasping.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, satta purisagatiyo anupādā ca parinibbānan”ti.
These are the seven places people are reborn, and extinguishment by not grasping.”

Dutiyaṁ.