Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

8: The Book of the Eights

35. Rebirth on Account of Giving

1"Bhikkhus, there are these eight kinds of rebirth on account of giving. What eight?

(1) "Here, someone gives a gift to an ascetic or a brahmin: food and drink; clothing and vehicles; garlands, scents, and unguents; bedding, dwellings, and lighting. Whatever he gives, he expects something in return. He sees affluent khattiyas, affluent brahmins, or affluent householders enjoying themselves furnished and endowed with the five objects of sensual pleasure. It occurs to him: ‘Oh, with the breakup of the body, after death, may I be reborn in companionship with affluent khattiyas, affluent brahmins, or affluent householders!’ He sets his mind on this, fixes his mind on this, and develops this state of mind. That aspiration of his, [n.1703] The text has tassa taṁ cittaṁ, but "aspiration" works better here than "mind" for cittaṁ. resolved on what is inferior, [n.1704] I read with Ee hīne ’dhimuttaṁ (= hīne adhimuttaṁ), shared by a Siamese edition. Ce and Be have hīne vimuttaṁ, which must have been the reading in Mp. Mp-ṭ glosses: "Released upon is resolved upon, which means ‘bent on, inclining toward, leaning toward’" (vimuttan ti adhimuttaṁ, ninnaṁ poṇaṁ pabbhāranti attho). Mp: "The inferior (hīna) is the five objects of sensual pleasure." not developed higher, leads to rebirth there. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with affluent khattiyas, affluent brahmins, or affluent householders—and that is for one who is virtuous, I say, not for one who is immoral. The heart's wish of one who is virtuous succeeds because of his purity.

2(2) "Someone else gives a gift to an ascetic or a brahmin: food and drink … and lighting. Whatever he gives, he expects something in return. He has heard: ‘The devas ruled by the four great kings are long-lived, beautiful, and abound in happiness.’ It occurs to him: ‘Oh, with the breakup of the body, after death, may I be reborn in companionship with the devas ruled by the four great kings!’ He sets his mind on this, fixes his mind on this, and develops this state of mind. That aspiration of his, resolved on what is inferior, not developed higher, leads to rebirth there. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the devas ruled by the four great kings—and that is for one who is virtuous, I say, not for one who is immoral. The heart's wish of one who is virtuous succeeds because of his purity.

3(3) –(7) "Someone else gives a gift to an ascetic or a brahmin: food and drink … and lighting. Whatever he gives, he expects something in return. He has heard: ‘The Tāvatiṁsa devas … the Yāma devas … the Tusita devas … the devas who delight in creation … the devas who control what is created by others are long-lived, beautiful, and abound in happiness.’ It occurs to him: ‘Oh, with the breakup of the body, after death, may I be reborn in companionship with the devas who control what is created by others!’ He sets his mind on this, fixes his mind on this, and develops this state of mind. That aspiration of his, resolved on what is inferior, not developed higher, leads to rebirth there. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the devas who control what is created by others—and that is for one who is virtuous, I say, not for one who is immoral. The heart's wish of one who is virtuous succeeds because of his purity.

4(8) "Someone else gives a gift to an ascetic or a brahmin: food and drink … and lighting. Whatever he gives, he expects something in return. He has heard: ‘The devas of Brahmā's company are long-lived, beautiful, and abound in happiness.’ It occurs to him: ‘Oh, with the breakup of the body, after death, may I be reborn in companionship with the devas of Brahmā's company!’ He sets his mind on this, fixes his mind on this, and develops this state of mind. That aspiration of his, resolved on what is inferior, not developed higher, leads to rebirth there. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of Brahmā's company—and that is for one who is virtuous, I say, not for one who is immoral; for one without lust, not for one with lust. [n.1705] Vītarāgassa, no sarāgassa. This is added because rebirth in the brahmā world requires more than the practice of generosity. It must also be supported by the attainment of jhāna, which arises through the fading away of craving for sensual pleasures. The heart's wish of one who is virtuous succeeds because of his purity.

"These, bhikkhus, are the eight kinds of rebirth on account of giving."

1"Aṭṭhimā, bhikkhave, dānūpapattiyo. Katamā aṭṭha?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco dānaṁ deti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. So yaṁ deti taṁ paccāsīsati. So passati khattiyamahāsāle vā brāhmaṇamahāsāle vā gahapatimahāsāle vā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappite samaṅgībhūte paricārayamāne. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā khattiyamahāsālānaṁ vā brāhmaṇamahāsālānaṁ vā gahapatimahāsālānaṁ vā sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa taṁ cittaṁ hīne vimuttaṁ, uttari abhāvitaṁ, tatrūpapattiyā saṁvattati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā khattiyamahāsālānaṁ vā brāhmaṇamahāsālānaṁ vā gahapatimahāsālānaṁ vā sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Tañca kho sīlavato vadāmi, no dussīlassa. Ijjhati, bhikkhave, sīlavato cetopaṇidhi visuddhattā. (1)

2Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco dānaṁ deti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. So yaṁ deti taṁ paccāsīsati. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘cātumahārājikā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa taṁ cittaṁ hīne vimuttaṁ, uttari abhāvitaṁ, tatrūpapattiyā saṁvattati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Tañca kho sīlavato vadāmi, no dussīlassa. Ijjhati, bhikkhave, sīlavato cetopaṇidhi visuddhattā. (2)

3Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco dānaṁ deti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. So yaṁ deti taṁ paccāsīsati. Tassa sutaṁ hoti – tāvatiṁsā devā … pe … yāmā devā … tusitā devā … nimmānaratī devā … paranimmitavasavattī devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulāti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa taṁ cittaṁ hīne vimuttaṁ, uttari abhāvitaṁ, tatrūpapattiyā saṁvattati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Tañca kho sīlavato vadāmi, no dussīlassa. Ijjhati, bhikkhave, sīlavato cetopaṇidhi visuddhattā. (3–7.)

4Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco dānaṁ deti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ. So yaṁ deti taṁ paccāsīsati. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘brahmakāyikā devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti. Tassa taṁ cittaṁ hīne vimuttaṁ, uttari abhāvitaṁ, tatrūpapattiyā saṁvattati. Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Tañca kho sīlavato vadāmi, no dussīlassa; vītarāgassa, no sarāgassa. Ijjhati, bhikkhave, sīlavato cetopaṇidhi vītarāgattā.

Imā kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha dānūpapattiyo"ti. (8)


Pañcamaṁ.

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