Reappearance by Aspiration

THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s Park. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.” – “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

“Bhikkhus, I shall teach you reappearance in accordance with one’s aspiration. Listen and attend closely to what I shall say.” – “Yes, venerable sir,” the bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

“Here, bhikkus, a bhikkhu possesses faith, virtue, learning, generosity, and wisdom. He thinks: ‘Oh, that on the dissolution of the body, after death, I might reappear in the company of well-to-do nobles!’ He fixes his mind on that establishes it, develops it. These aspirations and this abiding of his, thus developed and cultivated, lead to his reappearance there. This, bhikkhus, is the path, the way that leads to reappearance there.

“Again, a bhikkhu possesses faith…and wisdom. He thinks: ‘Oh, that on the dissolution of the body, after death, I might reappear in the company of well-to-do brahmins!...in the company of well-to-do householders! He fixes his mind on that…This, bhikkhus, is the path, that leads to reappearance there.

“Again, a bhikkhu possesses faith…and wisdom. He hears that the gods of the heaven of the Four Great Kings are long-lived, beautiful, and enjoy great happiness. He thinks: ‘Oh, that on the dissolution of the body, after death, I might reappear in the company of the gods of the heaven of the Four Great Kings!’ He fixes his mind on that…This, bhikkhus, is the path, the way that leads to reappearance there.

“Again, a bhikkhu possesses faith…and wisdom. He hears that the gods of the heaven of the Thirty-three…the Yama gods..the gods of the Tusita heaven…the gods who delight increating..the gods who wield power over others’ creations are long-lived, beautiful, and enjoy great happiness. He thinks: ‘Oh that on the dissolution of the body, after death, I might reappear in the company of the gods who wield power over others’ creations!” He fixes his mind on that…This, bhikkhus, is the path, the way that leads to reappearance there.

“Again, a bhikkhu possesses faith…and wisdom. He hears that the Brahma of a Thousand is long-lived, beautiful, and enjoys great happiness. Now the Brahma of a Thousand abides intent on pervading a world-system of a thousand reappeared there. Just as a man with good sight might take a gallnut in his hand and review it, so the Brahma of a Thousand abides intent on pervading a world-system of a thousand [worlds], and he abides intent on pervading the beings that have reappeared there. The bhikkhu things: ‘Oh that on the dissolution of the body, after death, I might reappear in the company of the ‘Brahma of a Thousand! He fixes his mind on that. This, bhikkhus, is the path, the way that leads to reappearance there.

“Again, a bhikkhu possess faith…and wisdom. He hears that the Brahma of Two Thousand …the Brahma of Three Thousand…the Brahma of Four Thousand…the Brahma of Five Thousand is long-lived, beautiful, and enjoys great happiness. Now the Brahma of Five Thousand abides intent on pervading a world-system of five thousand worlds, and he abides intent on pervading the beings that have reappeared there. Just as a man with good sight might take five gallnuts in his hand and review them, so the Brahma of Five Thousand abides intent on pervading a world-system of five thousand worlds, and he abides intent on pervading the beings that have reappeared there. The bhikkhu thinks: ‘Oh, that on the dissolution of the body, after death, I might reappear in the company of the Brahma of Five Thousand!” He fixes his mind on that…This, bhikkus, is the path, the way that leads to reappearance there.

“Again, a bhikkhu possesses faith…and wisdom. He hears that the Brahma of Ten Thousand is long-loved, beautiful, and enjoys great happiness. Now the Brahma of Ten Thousand abides intent on pervading world-system of ten thousand worlds, and he abides intent on pervading the beings that have reappeared there. Just as a fine gem of purest water, eight-faceted, well cut, lying on red brocade, glows, radiates, and shines, so the Brahma of Ten Thousand abides intent on pervading a world-system of ten thousand worlds, and he abides intent on pervading the beings that have reappeared there. The bhikkhu thinks: ‘Oh, that on the dissolution of the Brahma of Ten Thousand!” He fixes his mind on that…This, bhikkhus, is the path, the way that leads to reappearance there.

“Again, a bhikkhu possesses faith…and wisdom. He hears that the Brahma of a Hundred Thousand is long-lived, beautiful, and enjoys great happiness. Now the brahma of a Hundred Thousand abides intent on pervading a world-system of a hundred thousand worlds, and he abides intent on pervading the beings that have reappeared there. Just as an ornament of finest gold, very skillfully wrought in the furnace by a clever gold-smith, lying on red brocade, glows, radiates, and shines, so the Brahma of a Hundred Thousand abides intent on pervading a world-system of a hundred thousand worlds, and he abides intent on pervading the beings that have reappeared there. The bhikkhu thinks: ‘Oh, that on the dissolution of the body, after death, I might reappear in the company of the Brahma of a Hundred Thousand!” He fixes mind on that…This, bhikkhus, is the path, the way that leads to reappearance there.

“Again, a bhikkhu possesses faith…and wisdom. He hears that the gods of Radiance…Limited Radiance, the gods of immeasurable radiance, the gods of Streaming Radiance…the gods of Glory…the gods of Limited Glory…the gods of immeasurable radiance…the gods of Streaming Radiance…the gods of Refulgent Glory…the gods of Great Fruit…the Aviha gods..the Atappa gods…the Sudassa gods…the Sudassi gods…the Ahanittha gods are long-lived, beautiful, and enjoy great happiness. He thinks: ‘Oh, that on the dissolution of the body, after death, I might reappear in the company of the Akanittha gods!’ He fixes his mind on that…This, bhikkhus, is the path, the way that leads to reappearance there.

“Again, a bhikkhu possesses faith…and wisdom. He hears that the gods of the base of infinite space…the gods of the base of infinite consciousness…the gods of the base of nothingness…the gods of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception are long-lived, long-enduring, and enjoy great happiness. He thinks: ‘Oh, that on the dissolution of the body, after death, I might reappear in the company of the gods of the base of neither-perception-no-non-perception!” He fixes his mind on that, establishes it, develops it. These aspirations and this abiding of his, thus developed and cultivated, lead to his reappearance there. This, bhikkhus, is the path, the way that leads to reappearance there.

“Again, a bhikkhu possesses faith, virtue, learning, generosity an wisdom. He thinks: ‘Oh, that by realizing for myself with direct knowledge, I might here and now enter upon and abide in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints! And by realizing for himself with direct knowledge, he here and now enters upon and abides in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints. Bhikkhus, this bhikkhu does not reappear anywhere at all.”

That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

The source for the above material:
MN 120 Sankharupapatti Sutta: Reappearance by Aspiration. Copyright © Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, 2001. Reprinted from The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya. With permission from Wisdom Publications, 199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144 U.S.A.