AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.85 From Darkness to Darkness

Numbered Discourses 4.85 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.85

9. Confirmed – 9. Macalavagga

AN 4.85 From Darkness to Darkness – Tamotamasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, these four people are found in the world.

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

1.2

What four?

Katame cattāro?

1.3

The dark bound for darkness,

Tamo tamaparāyaṇo,

1.4

the dark bound for light,

tamo jotiparāyaṇo,

1.5

the light bound for darkness, and

joti tamaparāyaṇo,

1.6

the light bound for light.

joti jotiparāyaṇo.

2.1

And how is a person dark and bound for darkness?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti tamaparāyaṇo?

2.2

It’s when someone is reborn in a low family—a family of outcastes, bamboo-workers, hunters, chariot-makers, or waste-collectors—poor, with little to eat or drink, where life is tough, and food and shelter are hard to find.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo nīce kule paccājāto hoti—caṇḍālakule vā venakule vā nesādakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati.

2.3

And they’re ugly, unsightly, deformed, chronically ill—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.

So ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

2.4

And they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

2.5

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

2.6

That’s how a person is dark and bound for darkness.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti tamaparāyaṇo.

3.1

And how is a person dark and bound for light?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti jotiparāyaṇo?

3.2

It’s when some person is reborn in a low family …

3.3

so ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

3.4

But they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

3.5

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā, manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

3.6

That’s how a person is dark and bound for light.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti jotiparāyaṇo.

4.1

And how is a person light and bound for darkness?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti tamaparāyaṇo?

4.2

It’s when some person 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.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti—khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe;

4.3

And 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.

so ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

4.4

But they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

4.5

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

4.6

That’s how a person is light and bound for darkness.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti tamaparāyaṇo.

5.1

And how is a person light and bound for light?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti jotiparāyaṇo?

5.2

It’s when some person is reborn in an eminent family …

5.3

so ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

5.4

And they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

5.5

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā, manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

5.6

That’s how a person is light and bound for light.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti jotiparāyaṇo.

5.7

These are the four people found in the world.”

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

5.8

Pañcamaṁ.