3.
The Discourse on the Six Classes of Rebirth
57.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on the Vulture's Peak mountain.
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One -
"Venerable sir, six classes of rebirth have been laid down by Pūraṇa Kassapa -
the dark class of rebirth has been laid down, the blue class of rebirth has been laid down, the red class of rebirth has been laid down, the yellow class of rebirth has been laid down, the white class of rebirth has been laid down, the supreme white class of rebirth has been laid down.
"Herein, venerable sir, the dark class of rebirth has been laid down by Pūraṇa Kassapa: sheep-butchers, pig-butchers, fowlers, deer-hunters, hunters, fish-killers, thieves, executioners of thieves, prison-keepers, or whatever others there are engaged in cruel activities.
"Herein, venerable sir, the blue class of rebirth has been laid down by Pūraṇa Kassapa: monks who live like thorns, or whatever others there are who hold the view of the efficacy of kamma and the view of the efficacy of action.
"Herein, venerable sir, the red class of rebirth has been laid down by Pūraṇa Kassapa: Jains who wear a single cloth.
"Herein, venerable sir, the yellow class of rebirth has been laid down by Pūraṇa Kassapa: householders clad in white, disciples of the naked ascetics.
"Herein, venerable sir, the white class of rebirth has been laid down by Pūraṇa Kassapa: male Ājīvaka ascetics and female Ājīvaka ascetics.
"Herein, venerable sir, the supreme white class of rebirth has been laid down by Pūraṇa Kassapa: Nanda Vaccha, Kisa Saṃkicca, Makkhali Gosāla. Venerable sir, these six classes of rebirth have been laid down by Pūraṇa Kassapa."
"But, Ānanda, does the whole world allow Pūraṇa Kassapa to lay down these six classes of rebirth?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Just as, Ānanda, a man who is poor, penniless, destitute, they might attach a portion to him against his will - 'This meat, hey man, is to be eaten by you, and the price is to be paid.' So too, Ānanda, without the acknowledgment of those ascetics and brahmins, these six classes of rebirth have been laid down by Pūraṇa Kassapa, as by one who is foolish, inexperienced, unknowing of the field, and unwholesome.
"But I, Ānanda, declare six classes of rebirth. Listen to that, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: "And what, Ānanda, are the six classes of rebirth? Here, Ānanda, a certain one, being of dark birth, produces dark phenomena. But here, Ānanda, a certain one, being of dark birth, produces bright phenomena. But here, Ānanda, a certain one, being of dark birth, produces Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright. But here, Ānanda, a certain one, being of bright birth, produces dark phenomena. But here, Ānanda, a certain one, being of bright birth, produces bright phenomena. But here, Ānanda, a certain one, being of bright birth, produces Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright.
"And how, Ānanda, does one of dark birth produce dark phenomena? Here, Ānanda, a certain one is reborn in a low family - in an outcast family or a hunter's family or a basket-maker's family or a chariot-maker's family or a refuse-scavenger's family, poor, with little food and drink, with a difficult livelihood, where food and clothing are obtained with difficulty. And he is ugly, unsightly, dwarfish, sickly, blind or crippled or lame or paralysed, not an obtainer of food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes and ointments, bedding, lodging and lighting. He practises misconduct by body, he practises misconduct by speech, he practises misconduct by mind. He, having practised misconduct by body, having practised misconduct by speech, having practised misconduct by mind, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. Thus, Ānanda, one of dark birth produces dark phenomena.
"And how, Ānanda, does one of dark birth produce bright phenomena? Here, Ānanda, a certain one is reborn in a low family - in an outcast family or etc. bedding, lodging and lighting. He practises good conduct by body, he practises good conduct by speech, he practises good conduct by mind. He, having practised good conduct by body, having practised good conduct by speech, having practised good conduct by mind, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. Thus, Ānanda, one of dark birth produces bright phenomena.
"And how, Ānanda, does one of dark birth produce Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright? Here, Ānanda, a certain one is reborn in a low family - in an outcast family or etc. and he is ugly, unsightly, dwarfish. He shaves off his hair and beard, puts on ochre robes, and goes forth from home into homelessness. He, having thus gone forth, having abandoned the five mental hindrances, impurities of the mind that weaken wisdom, with mind well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, having developed the seven factors of enlightenment as they really are, produces Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright. Thus, Ānanda, one of dark birth produces Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright.
"And how, Ānanda, does one of bright birth produce dark phenomena? Here, Ānanda, a certain one is reborn in a high family - in a wealthy warrior family or a wealthy brahmin family or a wealthy householder family, rich, of great wealth, of great possessions, with abundant gold and silver, with abundant means and provisions, with abundant wealth and grain. And he is handsome, good-looking, pleasing, endowed with the highest beauty of complexion, an obtainer of food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes and ointments, bedding, lodging and lighting. He practises misconduct by body, he practises misconduct by speech, he practises misconduct by mind. He, having practised misconduct by body, having practised misconduct by speech, having practised misconduct by mind, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. Thus, Ānanda, one of bright birth produces dark phenomena.
"And how, Ānanda, does one of bright birth produce bright phenomena? Here, Ānanda, a certain one is reborn in a high family - in a wealthy warrior family or etc. bedding, lodging and lighting. He practises good conduct by body, he practises good conduct by speech, he practises good conduct by mind. He, having practised good conduct by body, having practised good conduct by speech, having practised good conduct by mind, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. Thus, Ānanda, one of bright birth produces bright phenomena.
"And how, Ānanda, does one of bright birth produce Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright? Here, Ānanda, a certain one is reborn in a high family - in a wealthy warrior family or a wealthy brahmin family or a wealthy householder family, rich, of great wealth, of great possessions, with abundant gold and silver, with abundant means and provisions, with abundant wealth and grain. And he is handsome, good-looking, pleasing, endowed with the highest beauty of complexion, an obtainer of food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes and ointments, bedding, lodging and lighting. He shaves off his hair and beard, puts on ochre robes, and goes forth from home into homelessness. He, having thus gone forth, having abandoned the five mental hindrances, impurities of the mind that weaken wisdom, with mind well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, having developed the seven factors of enlightenment as they really are, produces Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright. Thus, Ānanda, one of bright birth produces Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright. These, Ānanda, are the six classes of rebirth." The third.