Sankhaaruppatti Sutta
Arising of Intentions
[“The Sankhaaruppatti Sutta” shows how living with intentions, directing thoughts to them and developing those thoughts leads to the flowering of those intentions, desires and thoughts. Lastly, when desires are destroyed, the mind is released and there is no more birth.]
I heard thus:
At one time the Blessed One lived in the monastery offered by Anaathapindika in Jeta’s grove in Saavatthi. The Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus [Monks] from there. ‘Bhikkhus, I will tell of the arising of intentions, so listen carefully with attention.’ Those Bhikkhus agreed and the Blessed One said: ‘Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. It occurs to the Bhikkhu, ‘Oh, I should be born with the high warriors at the break up of the body, after death.’ He bears it in the mind, directs thoughts to it and develops that thought. Those intentions and that abiding, developed and made much, conduces him to be born there. This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. It occurs to the Bhikkhu, ‘Oh, I should be born with the high Brahmins… (or) high middle class, at the break up of the body, after death.’ He bears it in the mind, directs thoughts to it, develops that thought, and those intentions. That abiding, developed and made much, conduces him to be born there. This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. It occurs to the Bhikkhu, ‘Oh, I should be born with the four guardian gods with long life, beauty and much pleasantness, at the break up of the body, after death.’ He bears it in the mind, directs his thoughts to it, develops that thought, and those intentions. That abiding, developed and made much, conduces him to be born with the guardian gods with long life, beauty and much pleasantness. This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. It occurs to the Bhikkhu, ‘Oh, I should be born with the company of gods of the thirty three…. (or) with the Yaama gods… (or) with the happy gods… (or) with the gods attached to creating… (or) with the gods attached to creating others, with long life, beauty and much pleasantness, at the break up of the body, after death.’ He bears it in the mind, directs thoughts to it, develops that thought, and those intentions. That abiding, developed and made much, conduces to be born with the gods attached to creating others, with long life, beauty and much pleasantness. This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. The Bhikkhu learns, Sahasa Brahma wields power over the thousand-fold world systems, with long life, beauty and much pleasantness. He wields power over those born there. Like a wise man drawing a circle on his palm would reflect, in the same manner Sahasa Brahma wields power over the thousand-fold world systems and wields power over those born there. It occurs to him: ‘Oh, I should be born with Sahasaa Brahma at the break up of the body, after death.’ He bears that mind, directs thoughts to it, develops that thought, and those intentions. That abiding, developed and made much, conduces him to be born with Sahasaa Brahma, who wields power over the thousand-fold world systems, with long life, beauty and much pleasantness. This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. The Bhikkhu learns, Dvi Sahasa Brahma… (or) Ti Sahasaa Brahma… (or) Catu Sahasaa Brahma… (or) Panca Sahasaa Brahma wields power over the five thousand-fold world systems, with long life, beauty and much pleasantness. He wields power over those born there. Like a wise man drawing five circles on his palm would reflect, in the same manner Panca Sahasa Brahma wields power over the thousand-fold world systems and wields power over those born there. It occurs to the Bhikkhu: ‘Oh, I should be born with Panca Sahasaa Brahma at the break up of the body, after death.’ He bears that in mind, directs thoughts to it and develops that thought. Those intentions and that abiding, developed and made much, conduces him to be born with Panca Sahasaa Brahma, who wields power over the five thousand-fold world systems, with long life, beauty and much pleasantness. This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. The Bhikkhu learns, Dasa Sahasa Brahma, wields power over the ten thousand-fold world systems, with long life, beauty and much pleasantness. He wields power over those born there like the welcome lapis gem with eight facets well completed placed on the yellow blanket would shine and emanate radiance in the same manner. Dasa Sahasa Brahma wields power over the ten thousand-fold world systems and wields power over those born there and it occurs to him: ‘Oh, I should be born with Dasa Sahasaa Brahma at the break up of the body, after death.’ He bears that in mind, directs thoughts to it, develops that thought. Those intentions and that abiding, developed and made much, conduces him to be born with Dasa Sahasaa Brahma, who wields power over the ten thousand-fold world systems, with long life, beauty and much pleasantness. This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. The Bhikkhu learns, Sata Sahasa Brahma, wields power over the hundred thousand-fold world systems, with long life, beauty and much pleasantness. He wields power over those born there. Like a clever goldsmith who would purify born gold putting it in the furnace and it would radiate light and heat placed on the orange blanket. In the same manner Sata Sahasa Brahma wields power over the ten thousand-fold world systems and wields power over those born there and it occurs to him: ‘Oh, I should be born with Sata Sahasaa Brahma at the break up of the body, after death.’ He bears that in mind, directs thoughts to it and develops that thought. Those intentions and that abiding, developed and made much, conduces him to be born with Sata Sahasaa Brahma, who wields power over the hundred thousand-fold world systems, with long life, beauty and much pleasantness. This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. The Bhikkhu learns, that the gods with radiance… (or) with limited radiance… (or) limitless radiance, have long life, beauty and much pleasantness and it occurs to him: ‘Oh, I should be born with gods of limitless radiance with long life, beauty and much pleasantness.’ This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. The Bhikkhu learns, that gods with happiness… (or) with limited happiness… (or) limitless happiness, have long life, beauty and much pleasantness. It occurs to him: ‘Oh, I should be born with gods of limitless happiness with long life, beauty and much pleasantness.’ This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. The Bhikkhu learns, that gods with power to go through the air… (or) gods who are not cruel… (or) zealous gods… (or) gods that are easily seen…. (or) gods of the highest order… have long life, beauty and much pleasantness. It occurs to him: ‘Oh, I should be born with gods of the highest order with long life, beauty and much pleasantness.’ This is the path and method to be born there.
Again, Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. The Bhikkhu learns, that gods born in space have a long life span and enjoy much pleasantness. It occurs to him: ‘Oh, I should be born with gods of space with long life, and enjoy much pleasantness.’ This is the path and method to be born there.
Again the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. The Bhikkhu learns, that gods born in the sphere of consciousness… (or) in the sphere of nothing-ness… (or) in the sphere of neither perception nor non perception have a long life span and enjoy much pleasantness. It occurs to him: ‘Oh, I should be born with gods of the sphere of neither perception nor non perception with long life, and enjoy much pleasantness.’ This is the path and method to be born there.
Again the Bhikkhu is endowed with faith, virtues, learning, benevolence and wisdom. It occurs to the Bhikkhu: ‘Oh, I should destroy desires, for without desires, the mind is released and it is released through wisdom! Here and now by myself realizing, I should abide.’ He, destroying desires, becomes without desires and the mind is released and released through wisdom here and now. By himself realizing, he abides. Bhikkhus, this Bhikkhu is not born any where for any reason.
The Blessed One said thus and those Bhikkhus delighted in the words of the Blessed One.