Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.171

Numbered Discourses 4.171

18. Sañcetaniyavagga

18. Intention

Cetanāsutta

Intention

“Kāye vā, bhikkhave, sati kāyasañcetanāhetu uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Vācāya vā, bhikkhave, sati vacīsañcetanāhetu uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Mane vā, bhikkhave, sati manosañcetanāhetu uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ avijjāpaccayāva.

“Bhikkhus, as long as there’s a body, the intention that gives rise to bodily action causes pleasure and pain to arise in oneself. As long as there’s a voice, the intention that gives rise to verbal action causes pleasure and pain to arise in oneself. As long as there’s a mind, the intention that gives rise to mental action causes pleasure and pain to arise in oneself. But these only apply when conditioned by ignorance.

Sāmaṁ vā taṁ, bhikkhave, kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Pare vāssa¹ taṁ, bhikkhave, kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharonti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Sampajāno vā taṁ, bhikkhave, kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Asampajāno vā taṁ, bhikkhave, kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ.

By oneself one makes the choice that gives rise to bodily, verbal, and mental action, conditioned by which that pleasure and pain arise in oneself. Or else others make the choice … One consciously makes the choice … Or else one unconsciously makes the choice …

Sāmaṁ vā taṁ, bhikkhave, vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ; pare vāssa taṁ, bhikkhave, vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharonti; yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ; sampajāno vā taṁ, bhikkhave, vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ; asampajāno vā taṁ, bhikkhave, vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ.

Sāmaṁ vā taṁ, bhikkhave, manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ; pare vāssa taṁ, bhikkhave, manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharonti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ; sampajāno vā taṁ, bhikkhave, manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ; asampajāno vā taṁ, bhikkhave, manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ.

Imesu, bhikkhave, dhammesu avijjā anupatitā, avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā so kāyo na hoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ, sā vācā na hoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ, so mano na hoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ, khettaṁ taṁ na hoti …pe… vatthu taṁ² na hoti …pe… āyatanaṁ taṁ na hoti …pe… adhikaraṇaṁ taṁ na hoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhanti.

Ignorance is included in all these things. But when ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, there is no body and no voice and no mind, conditioned by which that pleasure and pain arise in oneself. There is no field, no ground, no scope, and no basis, conditioned by which that pleasure and pain arise in oneself.

Cattārome, bhikkhave, attabhāvapaṭilābhā. Katame cattāro?

Bhikkhus, there are four kinds of reincarnation. What four?

Atthi, bhikkhave, attabhāvapaṭilābho, yasmiṁ attabhāvapaṭilābhe attasañcetanā kamati, no parasañcetanā.

There is a reincarnation where one’s own intention is effective, not that of others.

Atthi, bhikkhave, attabhāvapaṭilābho, yasmiṁ attabhāvapaṭilābhe parasañcetanā kamati, no attasañcetanā.

There is a reincarnation where the intention of others is effective, not one’s own.

Atthi, bhikkhave, attabhāvapaṭilābho, yasmiṁ attabhāvapaṭilābhe attasañcetanā ca kamati parasañcetanā ca.

There is a reincarnation where both one’s own and others’ intentions are effective.

Atthi, bhikkhave, attabhāvapaṭilābho, yasmiṁ attabhāvapaṭilābhe nevattasañcetanā kamati, no parasañcetanā.

There is a reincarnation where neither one’s own nor others’ intentions are effective.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro attabhāvapaṭilābhā”ti.

These are the four kinds of reincarnation.”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When he said this, Venerable Sāriputta said to the Buddha:

“imassa kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi: ‘tatra, bhante, yāyaṁ attabhāvapaṭilābho yasmiṁ attabhāvapaṭilābhe attasañcetanā kamati no parasañcetanā, attasañcetanāhetu tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhā kāyā cuti hoti. Tatra, bhante, yāyaṁ attabhāvapaṭilābho yasmiṁ attabhāvapaṭilābhe parasañcetanā kamati no attasañcetanā, parasañcetanāhetu tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhā kāyā cuti hoti. Tatra, bhante, yāyaṁ attabhāvapaṭilābho yasmiṁ attabhāvapaṭilābhe attasañcetanā ca kamati parasañcetanā ca, attasañcetanā ca parasañcetanā ca hetu tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhā kāyā cuti hoti. Tatra, bhante, yāyaṁ attabhāvapaṭilābho yasmiṁ attabhāvapaṭilābhe neva attasañcetanā kamati no parasañcetanā, katame tena devā daṭṭhabbā’”ti?

“Sir, this is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement. Take the case of the reincarnation where one’s own intention is effective, not that of others. Those sentient beings pass away from that realm due to their own intention. Take the case of the reincarnation where the intention of others is effective, not one’s own. Those sentient beings pass away from that realm due to the intention of others. Take the case of the reincarnation where both one’s own and others’ intentions are effective. Those sentient beings pass away from that realm due to both their own and others’ intentions. But sir, in the case of the reincarnation where neither one’s own nor others’ intentions are effective, what kind of gods does this refer to?”

“Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagā, sāriputta, devā tena daṭṭhabbā”ti.

“Sāriputta, it refers to the gods reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.”

“Ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā tamhā kāyā cutā āgāmino honti āgantāro itthattaṁ? Ko pana, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā tamhā kāyā cutā anāgāmino honti anāgantāro itthattan”ti?

“What is the cause, sir, what is the reason why some sentient beings pass away from that realm as returners who come back to this state of existence, while others are non-returners who don’t come back?”

“Idha, sāriputta, ekaccassa puggalassa orambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni appahīnāni honti, so diṭṭheva dhamme nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati; tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. So tato cuto āgāmī hoti āgantā itthattaṁ.

“Sāriputta, take a person who hasn’t given up the lower fetters. In the present life they enter and abide in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. They enjoy it and like it and find it satisfying. If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. When they pass away from there, they’re a returner, who comes back to this state of existence.

Idha pana, sāriputta, ekaccassa puggalassa orambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni pahīnāni honti, so diṭṭheva dhamme nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati; tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpagānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. So tato cuto anāgāmī hoti anāgantā itthattaṁ.

Sāriputta, take a person who has given up the lower fetters. In the present life they enter and abide in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. They enjoy it and like it and find it satisfying. If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. When they pass away from there, they’re a non-returner, not coming back to this state of existence.

Ayaṁ kho, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā tamhā kāyā cutā āgāmino honti āgantāro itthattaṁ. Ayaṁ pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yena m’idhekacce sattā tamhā kāyā cutā anāgāmino honti anāgantāro itthattan”ti.

This is the cause, this is the reason why some sentient beings pass away from that realm as returners who come back to this state of existence, while others are non-returners who don’t come back.”

Paṭhamaṁ.