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Majjhima Nikāya 120

Saṅkhārupapattisutta

Rebirth by Choice · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā in Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa monasteryārāme.
thereTatra indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā the mendicantsbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
"Mendicants!"“bhikkhavo”ti.
"Venerable sir,"“Bhadante”ti theyte mendicantsbhikkhū to the Blessed Onebhagavato repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā said thisetadavoca:

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

rebirth by choice“saṅkhārupapattiṁ to youvo, monksbhikkhave, I shall teachdesessāmi,
thattaṁ listensuṇātha, wellsādhukaṁ mindmanasi applykarotha, I will speakbhāsissāmī”ti.
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante”ti indeedkho thosete monksbhikkhū to the Blessed Onebhagavato repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā said thisetadavoca:

“I shall teach you rebirth by choice. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

‘Here,“Idha, monks,bhikkhave, a mendicantbhikkhu with faithsaddhāya endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with ethicssīlena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with learningsutena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with generositycāgena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with wisdompaññāya endowedsamannāgato is.hoti.
to themTassa thusevaṁ it occurs:hoti:
‘if only‘aho would that Ivatāhaṁ of the bodykāyassa at breakupbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā of well-to-do aristocratskhattiyamahāsālānaṁ in the companysahabyataṁ would be reborn’.upapajjeyyan’ti.
theySo thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ settle on,dahati, thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ stabilizeadhiṭṭhāti, thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ develop.bhāveti.
theirTassa thosete choicessaṅkhārā andca meditationsvihārā andca thusevaṁ developedbhāvitā thusevaṁ cultivatedbahulīkatā to rebirth theretatrupapattiyā lead.saṁvattanti.
this,Ayaṁ, monks,bhikkhave, is the pathmaggo thisayaṁ practicepaṭipadā to rebirth theretatrupapattiyā leads.saṁvattati.

“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.

againPuna and furthercaparaṁ, O monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu with faithsaddhāya endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with virtuesīlena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with learningsutena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with generositycāgena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with wisdompaññāya endowedsamannāgato ishoti.
to himTassa thusevaṁ it ishoti:
oh‘aho would that Ivatāhaṁ of the bodykāyassa from breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ from deathmaraṇā of well-to-do brahminsbrāhmaṇamahāsālānaṁ ……pe…
of well-to-do householdersgahapatimahāsālānaṁ into companionshipsahabyataṁ I would be rebornupapajjeyyan’ti.
heSo thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ settlesdahati, thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ stabilizesadhiṭṭhāti, thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ developsbhāveti.
of himTassa thosete choicessaṅkhārā andca meditationsvihārā andca thusevaṁ developedbhāvitā thusevaṁ cultivatedbahulīkatā to rebirth theretatrupapattiyā leadsaṁvattanti.
thisAyaṁ, O monksbhikkhave, pathmaggo thisayaṁ practicepaṭipadā to rebirth theretatrupapattiyā leadssaṁvattati.

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.

againPuna and furthercaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu with faithsaddhāya endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with virtuesīlena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with learningsutena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with generositycāgena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with wisdompaññāya endowedsamannāgato ishoti.
to himTassa heardsutaṁ it ishoti:
the gods of the four great kings‘cātumahārājikā godsdevā long-liveddīghāyukā beautifulvaṇṇavanto very happysukhabahulā’ti.
to himTassa thusevaṁ it ishoti:
oh‘aho surely may Ivatāhaṁ of the bodykāyassa from breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ from deathmaraṇā of the four great kingscātumahārājikānaṁ of the godsdevānaṁ into companionshipsahabyataṁ would be rebornupapajjeyyan’ti.
heSo thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ settles ondahati, thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ stabilizesadhiṭṭhāti, thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ developsbhāveti.
of himTassa thosete choicessaṅkhārā andca meditationsvihārā andca thusevaṁ developedbhāvitā thusevaṁ cultivatedbahulīkatā to rebirth theretatrupapattiyā leadsaṁvattanti.
thisAyaṁ, monksbhikkhave, pathmaggo thisayaṁ practicepaṭipadā to rebirth theretatrupapattiyā leadssaṁvattati.

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.

furthermorePuna againcaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu with faithsaddhāya endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with ethicssīlena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with learningsutena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with generositycāgena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with wisdompaññāya endowedsamannāgato ishoti.
of himTassa heardsutaṁ ishoti—
the thirty-threetāvatiṁsā godsdevā …pe……pe…
of Yamayāmā godsdevā ……
the joyfultusitā godsdevā ……
who love to createnimmānaratī godsdevā ……
who control what is created by othersparanimmitavasavattī godsdevā long-liveddīghāyukā beautifulvaṇṇavanto very happysukhabahulāti.
of himTassa thusevaṁ ishoti:
oh‘aho if only Ivatāhaṁ of the bodykāyassa break upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā of the gods who control what is created by othersparanimmitavasavattīnaṁ of the godsdevānaṁ companysahabyataṁ would be rebornupapajjeyyan’ti.
heSo thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ settles ondahati, thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ stabilizesadhiṭṭhāti, thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ developsbhāveti.
of himTassa thosete choicessaṅkhārā andca meditationsvihārā andca thusevaṁ developedbhāvitā thusevaṁ cultivatedbahulīkatā to rebirth theretatrupapattiyā leadsaṁvattanti.
thisAyaṁ, monksbhikkhave, pathmaggo thisayaṁ practicepaṭipadā to rebirth theretatrupapattiyā leadssaṁvattati.

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.

againPuna and furthercaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu with faithsaddhāya endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with virtuesīlena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with learningsutena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with generositycāgena endowedsamannāgato ishoti, with wisdompaññāya endowedsamannāgato ishoti.
of himTassa heardsutaṁ ishoti:
the Thousand‘sahasso Brahmābrahmā long-liveddīghāyuko beautifulvaṇṇavā very happysukhabahulo’ti.
the ThousandSahasso, monksbhikkhave, Brahmābrahmā a thousandfold galaxysahassilokadhātuṁ having pervadedpharitvā having resolvedadhimuccitvā dwellsviharati.
those whoYepi theretattha sentient beingssattā rebornupapannā those tootepi having pervadedpharitvā having resolvedadhimuccitvā dwellsviharati.
just asSeyyathāpi, monksbhikkhave, with clear eyescakkhumā a personpuriso oneekaṁ a gallnutāmaṇḍaṁ in handhatthe having takenkaritvā might examinepaccavekkheyya;
just soevameva indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, the Thousandsahasso Brahmābrahmā a thousandfold galaxysahassilokadhātuṁ having pervadedpharitvā having resolvedadhimuccitvā dwellsviharati.
those whoYepi theretattha sentient beingssattā rebornupapannā those tootepi having pervadedpharitvā having resolvedadhimuccitvā dwellsviharati.
of himTassa thusevaṁ ishoti:
oh‘aho would that Ivatāhaṁ of the bodykāyassa from breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā of the Thousandsahassassa of Brahmābrahmuno in the companysahabyataṁ would be rebornupapajjeyyan’ti.
heSo thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ settles ondahati, thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ stabilizesadhiṭṭhāti, thattaṁ thoughtcittaṁ developsbhāveti.

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.

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