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!”
PL
Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.
EN
“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this: “I shall teach you rebirth by choice. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”
‘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.
PL
‘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.
EN
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. 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. Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
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. 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.
PL
‘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.
EN
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. 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 radiate. 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. Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
PL
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 …
EN
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 radiate.
PL
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;
EN
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. Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
PL
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 …
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.
PL
‘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.
EN
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.”
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!”
PL
Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.
EN
“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this: “I shall teach you rebirth by choice. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”
‘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.
PL
‘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.
EN
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. 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. Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
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. 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.
PL
‘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.
EN
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. 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 radiate. 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. Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
PL
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 …
EN
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 radiate.
PL
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;
EN
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. Furthermore, take a mendicant who has faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
PL
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 …
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.
PL
‘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.
EN
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.”
Sutraya