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SN 38.13PTS SN 4.2581 min read

A Question About States of Existence

Bhavapañhāsutta

The wanderer Jambukhādaka asks Sāriputta about the three realms of rebirth.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 38.13Linked Discourses 38.13
  • 0.21. Jambukhādakavagga1. With Jambukhādaka

0.3BhavapañhāsuttaA Question About States of Existence

1.1PTS 4.259“‘Bhavo, bhavo’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati.“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘continued existence’.1.2Katamo nu kho, āvuso, bhavo”ti?What is continued existence?”

1.3“Tayome, āvuso, bhavā.“Reverend, there are these three states of continued existence.1.4Kāmabhavo, rūpabhavo, arūpabhavo—Existence in the sensual realm, the realm of luminous form, and the formless realm.1.5ime kho, āvuso, tayo bhavā”ti.These are the three states of continued existence.”

1.6“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti?“But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for completely understanding these three states of existence?”

1.7“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti.“There is.” …

1.8“Katamo, panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti?1.9“Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāya, seyyathidaṁ—1.10sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.1.11Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti.1.12“Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāya.1.13Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

1.14Terasamaṁ.