Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.216
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 10.216
21. Karajakāyavagga
21. The Body Born of Deeds
Saṁsappanīyasutta
Creepy Creatures
“Saṁsappanīyapariyāyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dhammapariyāyaṁ desessāmi.
“Mendicants, I will teach you an exposition of the teaching on creepy creatures.
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,” they replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:
“Katamo ca, bhikkhave, saṁsappanīyapariyāyo dhammapariyāyo?
“What is the exposition of the teaching on creepy creatures?
Kammassakā, bhikkhave, sattā kammadāyādā kammayonī kammabandhū kammapaṭisaraṇā, yaṁ kammaṁ karonti—
Sentient beings are the owners of their deeds and heir to their deeds. Deeds are their womb, their relative, and their refuge.
kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā—tassa dāyādā bhavanti.
They shall be the heir of whatever deeds they do, whether good or bad.
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātī hoti luddo lohitapāṇi hatapahate niviṭṭho, adayāpanno sabbapāṇabhūtesu.
Take a certain person who kills living creatures. They’re violent, bloody-handed, a hardened killer, merciless to living beings.
So saṁsappati kāyena, saṁsappati vācāya, saṁsappati manasā.
They’re creepy in body, speech, and mind.
Tassa jimhaṁ kāyakammaṁ hoti, jimhaṁ vacīkammaṁ, jimhaṁ manokammaṁ, jimhā gati, jimhupapatti.
Doing crooked deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, their destiny and rebirth are crooked.
Jimhagatikassa kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jimhupapattikassa dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ vadāmi—
Someone whose destiny and rebirth is crooked is reborn in one of two places, I say:
ye vā ekantadukkhā nirayā yā vā saṁsappajātikā tiracchānayoni.
in an exclusively painful hell, or among the species of creepy animals.
Katamā ca sā, bhikkhave, saṁsappajātikā tiracchānayoni?
And what are the species of creepy animals?
Ahi vicchikā satapadī nakulā biḷārā mūsikā ulūkā, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānayonikā sattā manusse disvā saṁsappanti.
Snakes, scorpions, centipedes, mongooses, cats, mice, owls, or whatever other species of animal that creep away when they see humans.
Iti kho, bhikkhave, bhūtā bhūtassa upapatti hoti.
This is how a being is born from a being.
Yaṁ karoti tena upapajjati.
For your deeds determine your rebirth,
Upapannamenaṁ phassā phusanti.
and when you’re reborn contacts strike you.
Evamahaṁ, bhikkhave, ‘kammadāyādā sattā’ti vadāmi.
This is why I say that sentient beings are heirs to their deeds.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco adinnādāyī hoti …pe…
Take someone else who steals …
kāmesumicchācārī hoti …
commits sexual misconduct …
musāvādī hoti …
lies …
pisuṇavāco hoti …
speaks divisively …
pharusavāco hoti …
speaks harshly …
samphappalāpī hoti …
indulges in talking nonsense …
abhijjhālu hoti …
is covetous …
byāpannacitto hoti …
has cruel intentions …
micchādiṭṭhiko hoti viparītadassano:
has wrong view …
‘natthi dinnaṁ …pe…
sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.
So saṁsappati kāyena, saṁsappati vācāya, saṁsappati manasā.
They’re creepy in body, speech, and mind.
Tassa jimhaṁ kāyakammaṁ hoti, jimhaṁ vacīkammaṁ, jimhaṁ manokammaṁ, jimhā gati, jimhupapatti.
Doing crooked deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, their destiny and rebirth are crooked.
Jimhagatikassa kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jimhupapattikassa dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ vadāmi—
Someone whose destiny and rebirth is crooked is reborn in one of two places, I say:
ye vā ekantadukkhā nirayā yā vā saṁsappajātikā tiracchānayoni.
in an exclusively painful hell, or among the species of creepy animals.
Katamā ca sā, bhikkhave, saṁsappajātikā tiracchānayoni?
And what are the species of creepy animals?
Ahi vicchikā satapadī nakulā biḷārā mūsikā ulūkā, ye vā panaññepi keci tiracchānayonikā sattā manusse disvā saṁsappanti.
Snakes, scorpions, centipedes, mongooses, cats, mice, owls, or whatever other species of animal that creep away when they see humans.
Iti kho, bhikkhave, bhūtā bhūtassa upapatti hoti,
This is how a being is born from a being.
yaṁ karoti tena upapajjati.
For your deeds determine your rebirth,
Upapannamenaṁ phassā phusanti.
and when you’re reborn contacts strike you.
Evamahaṁ, bhikkhave, ‘kammadāyādā sattā’ti vadāmi.
This is why I say that sentient beings are heirs to their deeds.
Kammassakā, bhikkhave, sattā kammadāyādā kammayonī kammabandhū kammapaṭisaraṇā, yaṁ kammaṁ karonti—
Sentient beings are the owners of their deeds and heir to their deeds. Deeds are their womb, their relative, and their refuge.
kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā—tassa dāyādā bhavanti.
They shall be the heir of whatever deeds they do, whether good or bad.
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti nihitadaṇḍo nihitasattho, lajjī dayāpanno sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī viharati.
Take a certain person who gives up killing living creatures. They renounce the rod and the sword. They’re scrupulous and kind, living full of sympathy for all living beings.
So na saṁsappati kāyena, na saṁsappati vācāya, na saṁsappati manasā.
They’re not creepy in body, speech, and mind.
Tassa uju kāyakammaṁ hoti, uju vacīkammaṁ, uju manokammaṁ, uju gati, ujupapatti.
Doing virtuous deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, their destiny and rebirth is virtuous.
Ujugatikassa kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ujupapattikassa dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ vadāmi—
Someone whose destiny and rebirth is virtuous is reborn in one of two places, I say:
ye vā ekantasukhā saggā yāni vā pana tāni uccākulāni khattiyamahāsālakulāni vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakulāni vā gahapatimahāsālakulāni vā aḍḍhāni mahaddhanāni mahābhogāni pahūtajātarūparajatāni pahūtavittūpakaraṇāni pahūtadhanadhaññāni.
in a heaven of perfect happiness, or in an eminent well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain.
Iti kho, bhikkhave, bhūtā bhūtassa upapatti hoti.
This is how a being is born from a being.
Yaṁ karoti tena upapajjati.
For your deeds determine your rebirth,
Upapannamenaṁ phassā phusanti.
and when you’re reborn contacts strike you.
Evamahaṁ, bhikkhave, ‘kammadāyādā sattā’ti vadāmi.
This is why I say that sentient beings are heirs to their deeds.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti …pe…
Take someone else who gives up stealing …
kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti …
sexual misconduct …
musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato hoti …
lying …
pisuṇaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti …
divisive speech …
pharusaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti …
harsh speech …
samphappalāpaṁ pahāya samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti …
talking nonsense …
anabhijjhālu hoti …
They’re content …
abyāpannacitto hoti …
kind hearted …
sammādiṭṭhiko hoti aviparītadassano:
they have right view …
‘atthi dinnaṁ …pe…
ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti.
So na saṁsappati kāyena, na saṁsappati vācāya, na saṁsappati manasā.
They’re not creepy in body, speech, and mind.
Tassa uju kāyakammaṁ hoti, uju vacīkammaṁ, uju manokammaṁ, uju gati, ujupapatti.
Doing virtuous deeds by way of body, speech, and mind, their destiny and rebirth is virtuous.
Ujugatikassa kho pana ahaṁ, bhikkhave, ujupapattikassa dvinnaṁ gatīnaṁ aññataraṁ gatiṁ vadāmi—
Someone whose destiny and rebirth is virtuous is reborn in one of two places, I say:
ye vā ekantasukhā saggā yāni vā pana tāni uccākulāni khattiyamahāsālakulāni vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakulāni vā gahapatimahāsālakulāni vā aḍḍhāni mahaddhanāni mahābhogāni pahūtajātarūparajatāni pahūtavittūpakaraṇāni pahūtadhanadhaññāni.
in a heaven of perfect happiness, or in an eminent well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain.
Iti kho, bhikkhave, bhūtā bhūtassa upapatti hoti.
This is how a being is born from a being.
Yaṁ karoti tena upapajjati.
For your deeds determine your rebirth,
Upapannamenaṁ phassā phusanti.
and when you’re reborn contacts strike you.
Evamahaṁ, bhikkhave, ‘kammadāyādā sattā’ti vadāmi.
This is why I say that sentient beings are heirs to their deeds.
Kammassakā, bhikkhave, sattā kammadāyādā kammayonī kammabandhū kammapaṭisaraṇā, yaṁ kammaṁ karonti—
Sentient beings are the owners of their deeds and heir to their deeds. Deeds are their womb, their relative, and their refuge.
kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā—tassa dāyādā bhavanti.
They shall be the heir of whatever deeds they do, whether good or bad.
Ayaṁ kho so, bhikkhave, saṁsappanīyapariyāyo dhammapariyāyo”ti.
This is the exposition of the teaching on creepy creatures.”
Chaṭṭhaṁ.