{"id":"an6.57","title":"The Six Classes of Rebirth","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"an6.57","title":"The Six Classes of Rebirth","units":[{"id":"an6.57:0","sourceIds":["an6.57:0.1","an6.57:0.2","an6.57:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.57\n6. Mahāvagga\nChaḷabhijātisutta","en":"Numbered Discourses 6.57\n6. The Great Chapter\nThe Six Classes of Rebirth"}},{"id":"an6.57:1","sourceIds":["an6.57:1.1","an6.57:1.2","an6.57:1.3","an6.57:1.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.\nAtha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:\n“pūraṇena, bhante, kassapena chaḷabhijātiyo paññattā—\nkaṇhābhijāti paññattā, nīlābhijāti paññattā, lohitābhijāti paññattā, haliddābhijāti paññattā, sukkābhijāti paññattā, paramasukkābhijāti paññattā.","en":"At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.\nThen Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:\n“Sir, Pūraṇa Kassapa describes six classes of rebirth:\nblack, blue, red, yellow, white, and ultimate white."}},{"id":"an6.57:2","sourceIds":["an6.57:2.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tatridaṁ, bhante, pūraṇena kassapena kaṇhābhijāti paññattā, orabbhikā sūkarikā sākuṇikā māgavikā luddā macchaghātakā corā coraghātakā bandhanāgārikā ye vā panaññepi keci kurūrakammantā.","en":"The black class of rebirth consists of slaughterers of sheep, pigs, poultry, or deer, hunters or fishers, bandits, executioners, butchers of cattle, jailers, and any others with a cruel livelihood."}},{"id":"an6.57:3","sourceIds":["an6.57:3.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tatridaṁ, bhante, pūraṇena kassapena nīlābhijāti paññattā, bhikkhū kaṇṭakavuttikā ye vā panaññepi keci kammavādā kriyavādā.","en":"The blue class of rebirth consists of mendicants whose life is thorny, and any others who teach the efficacy of deeds and action."}},{"id":"an6.57:4","sourceIds":["an6.57:4.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tatridaṁ, bhante, pūraṇena kassapena lohitābhijāti paññattā, nigaṇṭhā ekasāṭakā.","en":"The red class of rebirth consists of the Jain ascetics who wear one cloth."}},{"id":"an6.57:5","sourceIds":["an6.57:5.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tatridaṁ, bhante, pūraṇena kassapena haliddābhijāti paññattā, gihī odātavasanā acelakasāvakā.","en":"The yellow class of rebirth consists of the lay people dressed in white who are disciples of the naked ascetics."}},{"id":"an6.57:6","sourceIds":["an6.57:6.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tatridaṁ, bhante, pūraṇena kassapena sukkābhijāti paññattā, ājīvakā ājīvakiniyo.","en":"The white class of rebirth consists of male and female Ājīvaka ascetics."}},{"id":"an6.57:7","sourceIds":["an6.57:7.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tatridaṁ, bhante, pūraṇena kassapena paramasukkābhijāti paññattā, nando vaccho kiso saṅkicco makkhali gosālo.","en":"And the ultimate white class of rebirth consists of Nanda Vaccha, Kisa Saṅkicca, and the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla."}},{"id":"an6.57:8","sourceIds":["an6.57:8.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Pūraṇena, bhante, kassapena imā chaḷabhijātiyo paññattā”ti.","en":"These are the six classes of rebirth that Pūraṇa Kassapa describes.”"}},{"id":"an6.57:9","sourceIds":["an6.57:9.1","an6.57:9.2","an6.57:9.3","an6.57:9.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Kiṁ panānanda, pūraṇassa kassapassa sabbo loko etadabbhanujānāti imā chaḷabhijātiyo paññāpetun”ti?\n“No hetaṁ, bhante.\nSeyyathāpi, ānanda, puriso daliddo assako anāḷhiko, tassa akāmakassa bilaṁ olaggeyyuṁ: ‘idaṁ te, ambho purisa, maṁsañca khāditabbaṁ, mūlañca anuppadātabban’ti.\nEvamevaṁ kho, ānanda, pūraṇena kassapena appaṭiññāya etesaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ imā chaḷabhijātiyo paññattā, yathā taṁ bālena abyattena akhettaññunā akusalena.","en":"“But Ānanda, did the whole world authorize Pūraṇa Kassapa to describe these six classes of rebirth?”\n“No, sir.”\n“It’s as if they were to force a chop on a poor, penniless person, telling them, ‘Eat this meat and pay for it!’\nIn the same way, Pūraṇa Kassapa has described these six classes of rebirth without the consent of those ascetics and brahmins. And he has done so in a foolish, incompetent, unskilled way, lacking common sense."}},{"id":"an6.57:10","sourceIds":["an6.57:10.1","an6.57:10.2","an6.57:10.3","an6.57:10.4","an6.57:10.5","an6.57:10.6","an6.57:10.7","an6.57:10.8","an6.57:10.9","an6.57:10.10","an6.57:10.11"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ahaṁ kho panānanda, chaḷabhijātiyo paññāpemi.\nTaṁ suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.\n“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.\nBhagavā etadavoca:\n“katamā cānanda, chaḷabhijātiyo?\nIdhānanda, ekacco kaṇhābhijātiyo samāno kaṇhaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati.\nIdha panānanda, ekacco kaṇhābhijātiyo samāno sukkaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati.\nIdha panānanda, ekacco kaṇhābhijātiyo samāno akaṇhaṁ asukkaṁ nibbānaṁ abhijāyati.\nIdha panānanda, ekacco sukkābhijātiyo samāno kaṇhaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati.\nIdha panānanda, ekacco sukkābhijātiyo samāno sukkaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati.\nIdha panānanda, ekacco sukkābhijātiyo samāno akaṇhaṁ asukkaṁ nibbānaṁ abhijāyati.","en":"I, however, also describe six classes of rebirth.\nListen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”\n“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.\nThe Buddha said this:\n“And what, Ānanda, are the six classes of rebirth?\nSomeone born into a dark class gives rise to a dark result.\nSomeone born into a dark class gives rise to a bright result.\nSomeone born into a dark class gives rise to extinguishment, which is neither dark nor bright.\nSomeone born into a bright class gives rise to a dark result.\nSomeone born into a bright class gives rise to a bright result.\nSomeone born into a bright class gives rise to extinguishment, which is neither dark nor bright."}},{"id":"an6.57:11","sourceIds":["an6.57:11.1","an6.57:11.2","an6.57:11.3","an6.57:11.4","an6.57:11.5","an6.57:11.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kathañcānanda, kaṇhābhijātiyo samāno kaṇhaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati?\nIdhānanda, ekacco nīce kule paccājāto hoti—caṇḍālakule vā nesādakule vā venakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā, dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati.\nSo ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.\nSo kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.\nSo kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.\nEvaṁ kho, ānanda, kaṇhābhijātiyo samāno kaṇhaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati.","en":"And how does someone born into a dark class give rise to a dark result?\nIt’s when someone is reborn in a low family—a family of corpse-workers, hunters, bamboo-workers, chariot-makers, or scavengers—poor, with little to eat or drink, where life is tough, and food and shelter are hard to find.\nAnd they’re ugly, unsightly, deformed, sickly—one-eyed, crippled, lame, or half-paralyzed. They don’t get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.\nAnd they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.\nWhen their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.\nThat’s how someone born into a dark class gives rise to a dark result."}},{"id":"an6.57:12","sourceIds":["an6.57:12.1","an6.57:12.2","an6.57:12.3","an6.57:12.4","an6.57:12.5","an6.57:12.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kathañcānanda, kaṇhābhijātiyo samāno sukkaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati?\nIdhānanda, ekacco nīce kule paccājāto hoti—caṇḍālakule vā …pe…\nseyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.\nSo kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.\nSo kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā, manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.\nEvaṁ kho, ānanda, kaṇhābhijātiyo samāno sukkaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati.","en":"And how does someone born into a dark class give rise to a bright result?\nIt’s when some person is reborn in a low family …\nBut they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.\nWhen their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.\nThat’s how someone born into a dark class gives rise to a bright result."}},{"id":"an6.57:13","sourceIds":["an6.57:13.1","an6.57:13.2","an6.57:13.3","an6.57:13.4","an6.57:13.5","an6.57:13.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kathañcānanda, kaṇhābhijātiyo samāno akaṇhaṁ asukkaṁ nibbānaṁ abhijāyati?\nIdhānanda, ekacco nīce kule paccājāto hoti—caṇḍālakule vā …pe…\nso ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako.\nSo kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati.\nSo evaṁ pabbajito samāno pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe, catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacitto, satta bojjhaṅge yathābhūtaṁ bhāvetvā akaṇhaṁ asukkaṁ nibbānaṁ abhijāyati.\nEvaṁ kho, ānanda, kaṇhābhijātiyo samāno akaṇhaṁ asukkaṁ nibbānaṁ abhijāyati.","en":"And how does someone born into a dark class give rise to extinguishment, which is neither dark nor bright?\nIt’s when some person is reborn in a low family …\nThey shave off their hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness.\nThey give up the five hindrances, corruptions of the heart that weaken wisdom. They firmly establish their mind in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. They truly develop the seven awakening factors. And then they give rise to extinguishment, which is neither dark nor bright.\nThat’s how someone born in a dark class gives rise to extinguishment, which is neither dark nor bright."}},{"id":"an6.57:14","sourceIds":["an6.57:14.1","an6.57:14.2","an6.57:14.3","an6.57:14.4","an6.57:14.5","an6.57:14.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kathañcānanda, sukkābhijātiyo samāno kaṇhaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati?\nIdhānanda, ekacco ucce kule paccājāto hoti—khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā, aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe.\nSo ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.\nSo kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.\nSo kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.\nEvaṁ kho, ānanda, sukkābhijātiyo samāno kaṇhaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati.","en":"And how does someone born into a bright class give rise to a dark result?\nIt’s when someone is reborn in an eminent family—a well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain.\nAnd they’re attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.\nBut they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.\nWhen their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.\nThat’s how someone born into a bright class gives rise to a dark result."}},{"id":"an6.57:15","sourceIds":["an6.57:15.1","an6.57:15.2","an6.57:15.3","an6.57:15.4","an6.57:15.5","an6.57:15.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kathañcānanda, sukkābhijātiyo samāno sukkaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati?\nIdhānanda, ekacco ucce kule paccājāto hoti—khattiyamahāsālakule vā …pe…\nseyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.\nSo kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.\nSo kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā, manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.\nEvaṁ kho, ānanda, sukkābhijātiyo samāno sukkaṁ dhammaṁ abhijāyati.","en":"And how does someone born into a bright class give rise to a bright result?\nIt’s when some person is reborn in an eminent family …\nAnd they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.\nWhen their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.\nThat’s how someone born into a bright class give rise to a bright result."}},{"id":"an6.57:16","sourceIds":["an6.57:16.1","an6.57:16.2","an6.57:16.3","an6.57:16.4","an6.57:16.5","an6.57:16.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kathañcānanda, sukkābhijātiyo samāno akaṇhaṁ asukkaṁ nibbānaṁ abhijāyati?\nIdhānanda, ekacco ucce kule paccājāto hoti—khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā, aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe.\nSo ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.\nSo kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati.\nSo evaṁ pabbajito samāno pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe, catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacitto, satta bojjhaṅge yathābhūtaṁ bhāvetvā akaṇhaṁ asukkaṁ nibbānaṁ abhijāyati.\nEvaṁ kho, ānanda, sukkābhijātiyo samāno akaṇhaṁ asukkaṁ nibbānaṁ abhijāyati.","en":"And how does someone born into a bright class give rise to extinguishment, which is neither dark nor bright?\nIt’s when some person is reborn in an eminent family …\nThey shave off their hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness.\nThey give up the five hindrances, corruptions of the heart that weaken wisdom. They firmly establish their mind in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. They truly develop the seven awakening factors. And then they give rise to extinguishment, which is neither dark nor bright.\nThat’s how someone born into a bright class gives rise to extinguishment, which is neither dark nor bright."}},{"id":"an6.57:17","sourceIds":["an6.57:17.1","an6.57:17.2"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Imā kho, ānanda, chaḷabhijātiyo”ti.\nTatiyaṁ.","en":"These are the six classes of rebirth.”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/an6.57/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}