1"Bhikkhus, there are these seven stations for consciousness.[n.1502] Viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo. The word is used here in a different sense than at SN 22:54, III 54,26, where the four viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo are the four aggregates functioning as the supports for viññāṇa. In the present sutta they are planes of rebirth. Mp calls them "grounds for the rebirth consciousness" (paṭisandhiviññāṇassa ṭhānāni). The original meaning of the seven, as described here, is probably lost. Mp explains them against the background of the Abhidhamma distinction among types of rebirth consciousness, for which see CMA 179–80, 210–19. What seven?

1"Sattimā, bhikkhave, viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo. Katamā satta?

(1) "There are, bhikkhus, beings that are different in body and different in perception, such as humans, some devas, and some in the lower world. This is the first station for consciousness.[n.1503] Mp: "Human beings are different in body (nānattakāyā) because there are no two people whose bodies are exactly alike. They are different in perception (nānattasaññino) because in some cases their rebirth perception (paṭisandhisaññā) has three roots, in others two roots, and in still others it is rootless. The devas mentioned are the six sense-sphere devas. The beings in the lower world are certain yakkhas and spirits outside the plane of misery."

Santi, bhikkhave, sattā nānattakāyā nānattasaññino, seyyathāpi manussā, ekacce ca devā, ekacce ca vinipātikā. Ayaṁ paṭhamā viññāṇaṭṭhiti. (1)

2(2) "There are beings that are different in body but identical in perception, such as the devas of Brahmā's company that are reborn through the first jhāna. This is the second station for consciousness.[n.1504] Mp: "These are the devas of Brahmā's assembly, Brahmā's ministers, and the great brahmās. Their bodies are different in pervasion according to their respective level, but their perception is the same because they all have the perception pertaining to the first jhāna. The beings in the four planes of misery also belong to this group. Their bodies are different, but they all have a rebirth perception that is a rootless unwholesome resultant."

2Santi, bhikkhave, sattā nānattakāyā ekattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā brahmakāyikā paṭhamābhinibbattā. Ayaṁ dutiyā viññāṇaṭṭhiti. (2)

3(3) "There are beings that are identical in body but different in perception, such as the devas of streaming radiance. This is the third station for consciousness.[n.1505] Mp takes "the devas of streaming radiance" (devā ābhassarā) to represent all three classes of devas pertaining to the second jhāna: those of limited radiance, measureless radiance, and streaming radiance. In each plane, their bodies are identical in that they all have the same pervasion (ekavipphāro va), but their perception is different in that some are without thought but retain examination (avitakka-vicāramattā), while others are without thought and examination (avitakka-avicārā).

3Santi, bhikkhave, sattā ekattakāyā nānattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā ābhassarā. Ayaṁ tatiyā viññāṇaṭṭhiti. (3)

4(4) "There are beings that are identical in body and identical in perception, such as the devas of refulgent glory. This is the fourth station for consciousness.[n.1506] Mp: "The devas of refulgent glory (subhakiṇhā) are identical in body, and also identical in perception because they all have the perception pertaining to the fourth jhāna (in the Abhidhamma scheme of five jhānas). The devas of great fruit (who are reborn through the fifth jhāna of the fivefold scheme) fall under the fourth station of consciousness. The non-percipient beings do not have consciousness and thus are not included."

4Santi, bhikkhave, sattā ekattakāyā ekattasaññino, seyyathāpi devā subhakiṇhā. Ayaṁ catutthā viññāṇaṭṭhiti. (4)

5(5) "There are beings that, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of forms, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, perceiving ‘space is infinite,’ belong to the base of the infinity of space. This is the fifth station for consciousness.

5Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ pañcamā viññāṇaṭṭhiti. (5)

6(6) "There are beings that, by completely surmounting the base of the infinity of space, perceiving ‘consciousness is infinite,’ belong to the base of the infinity of consciousness. This is the sixth station for consciousness.

6Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ chaṭṭhā viññāṇaṭṭhiti. (6)

7(7) "There are beings that, by completely surmounting the base of the infinity of consciousness, perceiving ‘there is nothing,’ belong to the base of nothingness. This is the seventh station for consciousness.

7Santi, bhikkhave, sattā sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘Natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanūpagā. Ayaṁ sattamā viññāṇaṭṭhiti. (7)

8"These, bhikkhus, are the seven stations for consciousness."[n.1507] The non-percipient devas and the devas of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception are included among the nine abodes of beings (see AN9.24) but not among the stations of consciousness.

8Imā kho, bhikkhave, satta viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo"ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.