Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
VIII. Ānanda Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
VIII. About Ānanda
Sutta 76
Paṭhama Bhava Suttaṃ
Becoming
Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
[76.1][than][olds] THUS have I heard:
On a certain occasion the venerable Ānanda was stayingnear Vesāli, in Gret Grove, at the House with the Peaked Gable.[ed1]
Now the venerable Ānanda went to see the Exalted One and on coming to him saluted him and sat down at one side.
As he sat thus he said this to him:
"As to the saying
'Becoming, becoming,'
lord, pray to what extent is there becoming?"
"If there were no worlds of sense-desire
and no action to ripen therein, Ānanda,
would any sensuous becoming be manifested?"
"Surely not, lord."
"In this way, Ānanda,
action is the field,
consciousness is the seed,
craving the moisture.
For beings that are hindered by nescience,
fettered by craving,
consciousness is established in lower worlds.[1]
Thus in the future
there is repeated rebirth.
In this way there is becoming, Ānanda
■
2. Again, if there were no worlds of form
and no action to ripen therein,
would any formal becoming be manifested?"
"Surely not, lord."
"In this way action is the field,
consciousness the seed,
craving the moisture.
For beings that are hindered by nescience,
fettered by craving,
consciousness is established in the intermediate worlds.[2]
Thus in the future
there is repeated rebirth.
■
3. Again, if there were no formless worlds[3] and no action to ripen therein,
would any formless becoming be manifested?"
"Surely not, lord."
[204] "In this way, Ānanda, action is the field,
consciousness the seed,
craving the moisture.
For beings that are hindered by nescience,
fettered by craving,
consciousness is established in the more excellent worlds.[4]
Thus in the future
there is repeated rebirth.
In this way, Ānanda, there is becoming."
Sutta 77
Dutiya Bhava Suttaṃ
Intention and Aspiration
[77.1][than][olds] THUS have I heard:
On a certain occasion the venerable Ānanda was staying near Vesāli, in Gret Grove, at the House with the Peaked Gable.[ed1]
Now the venerable Ānanda went to see the Exalted One and on coming to him saluted him and sat down at one side.
As he sat thus he said this to him:
"As to the saying
'Becoming, becoming,'
lord, pray to what extent is there becoming?"
"If there were no worlds of sense-desire
and no action to ripen therein, Ānanda,
would any sensuous becoming be manifested?"
"Surely not, lord."
"In this way, Ānanda,
action is the field,
consciousness is the seed,
craving the moisture.
For beings hindered by nescience, fettered by craving, intention[5] is established,
aspiration[5] is established in a lower element.
Thus in the future
there is repeated rebirth."
■
2. Again, if there were no worlds of form
and no action to ripen therein,
would any formal becoming be manifested?"
"Surely not, lord."
"In this way action is the field,
consciousness the seed,
craving the moisture.
For beings hindered by nescience, fettered by craving, intention is established, aspiration is established in a intermediate element.
Thus in the future
there is repeated rebirth.
■
3. Again, if there were no formless worlds and no action to ripen therein,
would any formless becoming be manifested?"
"Surely not, lord."
"In this way, Ānanda, action is the field, consciousness the seed, craving the moisture.
For beings hindered by nescience, fettered by craving, intention is established, aspiration is established in a more excellent element.
Thus in the future
there is repeated rebirth.
In this way, Ānanda, there is becoming."
[1] Hīnāya dhātuyā = kāma-d. Comy.
[2] Majjhimāya dhātuyā = rūpa-d. Comy.
[3] I.e., worlds beyond the 'seen.'
[4] Paṇīta-dhātuyā = arūpa-d. Comy. These are the three forms or spheres of mundane consciousness. There is a fourth which is Supra-mundane or supernormal. To our waking or normal consciousness this is reckoned unconsciousness. See Compendium, ad init., on Dhātu; Buddh. Psych. Eth. lxxvi, on khettaṃ (field); ib. xciii. Text here misprints paṇītāya and in next hīnāya.
[5] Cetanā ... patthanā patiṭṭhitā.
[ed1] Woodward has no Nidana, the Nidana here follows the BJT and PTS Pali Text adopting Woodwards vocabulary.
