English
were born by the touching of the navel,' then the saying: 'Indeed, monks, the descent of a foetus occurs from the conjunction of three,' that too is false. This two-edged problem, very profound, very subtle, a matter for the wise, has come to you. Cut off the path of doubt, uphold the excellent lamp of knowledge." "This too, great king, was spoken by the Blessed One: 'Indeed, monks, the descent of a foetus occurs from the conjunction of three. Here, mother and father are conjoined, the mother is in season, and a gandhabba is present. Thus, from the conjunction of three, the descent of a foetus occurs.' And it was also said: 'The young Sāma and the youth Maṇḍabya were born by the touching of the navel.'" "Then, Venerable Nāgasena, by whatever reason the problem is well-resolved, by that reason enlighten me." "Have you heard before, great king, that the young Saṃkicca, the ascetic Isiṅga, and the elder Kumārakassapa were born 'by this means'?" "Yes, Venerable sir, it is heard; their birth is extraordinary. Two deer-hinds, when in season..." Having come to the urinating place of two ascetics, they drank the urine mixed with semen. From that semen in the urine, the boy Saṃkicca and the ascetic Isisiṅga were born. When the Elder Udāyi approached the nuns' dwelling, looking at the private parts of a nun with a lustful mind, semen was released onto his robe. Then the Venerable Udāyi said to that nun: "Go, sister, bring water, I will wash the undergarment." "Bring it, I will wash it myself." Then, that nun, being in her menstrual period, took a part of that semen with her mouth, and put another part into her private parts. "From that, the Elder Kumārakassapa was born," so people say. "Do you, great king, believe that statement?" "Yes, venerable sir, we find a strong reason there, by which reason we believe 'they were born by this reason'." "What is the reason there, great king?" "When the mud is well-prepared, venerable sir, a seed falls and quickly sprouts." "Yes, great king." "Even so, venerable sir, that nun, being in her menstrual period, took that semen when the mud-like blood was settled, when the flow had ceased, and the element was stable, and put it into that mud. By that, a womb was formed for her. Thus, we accept the reason for their birth there." "So it is, great king, I accept it thus, that a womb arises through entry into the womb. But do you, great king, accept the conception of the Elder Kumārakassapa?" "Yes, venerable sir." "Good, great king, you have come back to my domain. By speaking of conception in any way, you will be my supporter. But as for those two female deer who drank urine and conceived, do you believe in their conception?" "Yes, venerable sir, whatever is eaten, drunk, chewed, licked, all of it descends into the mud-like substance, and, being in its place, grows..." it grows. Just as, venerable Nāgasena, whatever rivers there are, all of them flow into the great ocean, and being in that place, they grow. Even so, venerable Nāgasena, whatever is eaten, drunk, chewed, licked, all of that flows into the embryo, and being in that place, it grows. For that reason, I believe that conception can occur even through the mouth.’’ ‘‘Excellent, great king, you have come very close to my domain. Even with mouth-drinking, there is a union of two. And do you accept, great king, the conception of Prince Saṃkicca, and of the ascetic Isisiṅga, and of the elder Kumārakassapa?’’ ‘‘Yes, venerable sir, the union flows in.’’ ‘‘Prince Sāma, great king, and the brahmin Maṇḍabya, are included in the three unions, they are of the same essence as the former. There I will explain the reason. The ascetic Dukūla, great king, and the ascetic Pārikā, both of them lived in the forest, devoted to solitude, seeking the highest good. By the power of their asceticism, they heated up even to the Brahma-world. Then Sakka, the king of the devas, came to attend them morning and evening. Observing their great loving-kindness, he saw in the future the loss of sight for both of them. Having seen this, he said to them: ‘Please, sirs, do one thing for me, it would be good if you would beget one son, he will be your attendant and your support.’ ‘Enough, Kosiya, do not speak thus.’ They did not accept his words. Sakka, the king of the devas, being compassionate and wishing their welfare, a second time… and a third time said to them: ‘Please, sirs, do one thing for me, it would be good if you would beget one son, he will be your attendant and your support.’ A third time they said: ‘Enough, Kosiya, do not involve us in what is not beneficial. When will this body not break apart? Let this body, which is subject to breaking, break. Even if the earth breaks, even if the peak of a mountain falls, even if the sky splits, Even if the moon and sun fall, we will not be entangled by worldly things. Do not come into our presence. This is your presumption for having come. You are, I think, a doer of harm. Then Sakka, king of the gods, not obtaining their consent, reverently, with joined palms, again pleaded: "If you cannot do my bidding, when the female ascetic is in season, flowering, then you, venerable sir, should touch her navel with your right thumb. By that, she will conceive. This is simply the coming together for the descent of a foetus." "I am able, Kosiya, to do that bidding. Our ascetic practice will not be broken by so little. Let it be so," they agreed. And at that time, in the divine abode, there was a deity, with abundant roots of merit, whose lifespan was exhausted, who had reached the end of his life, who was capable of descending wherever he wished, even into the family of a universal monarch. Then Sakka, king of the gods, approached that deity and spoke thus: "Come, dear sir, your day is auspicious, success has come. I have come to attend upon you. Your dwelling place will be delightful, your rebirth will be in a suitable family, you will be raised by beautiful parents. Come, do my bidding," he pleaded. A second time... ...a third time he pleaded, with joined palms on his head. Then that deity spoke thus: "What is that family, dear sir, that you praise repeatedly?" "The ascetic Dukūla and the female ascetic Pārikā." Hearing his words, he was pleased and agreed: "Very well, dear sir, whatever your wish, let it be so. I, dear sir, desiring, would be born in the desired family. In what kind of family shall I be born? Egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, or spontaneously arisen?" "Womb-born, dear sir, you shall be born." Then Sakka, king of the gods, calculating the day of birth, informed the ascetic Dukūla: "On such and such a day, the female ascetic will be in season, flowering. Then you, venerable sir, should touch her navel with your right thumb..." “It was a hermitage.” On that day, great king, the female ascetic was in season, in flower. A deva-son was present there, having come near. The ascetic touched the female ascetic’s navel with his right thumb. Thus, these three convergences occurred. From the touching of the navel, passion arose in the female ascetic. That passion of hers, dependent on the touching of the navel— do not think that convergence is only sexual intercourse. Even smiling is convergence. Even speaking is convergence. Even gazing intently is convergence. Due to its being a preliminary part for the arising of passion, convergence arises through touching. From convergence, there is penetration. Even without sexual intercourse, great king, conception occurs through touching. Just as, great king, a burning fire, even without being touched, dispels the cold of one who comes near, even so, great king, even without sexual intercourse, conception occurs through touching. There are, great king, four ways in which beings conceive: by way of kamma, by way of birth-matrix, by way of family, by way of supplication. But all these beings are kamma-born, kamma-originated. How, great king, do beings conceive by way of kamma? Beings with abundant roots of wholesome kamma, great king, are born as they wish: in a great khattiya family, or a great brahmin family, or a great householder family, or among devas, or in an egg-born matrix, or in a womb-born matrix, or in a moisture-born matrix, or in an apparitional matrix. Just as, great king, a rich man, wealthy, with great possessions, with abundant gold and silver, with abundant wealth and equipment, with abundant grain and treasure, with abundant relatives and supporters, whatever he desires in his mind— a slave-woman or a slave-man, a field or a plot of land, a village or a market town, a district or a country— he buys it as he wishes, even giving double or triple the price. Even so, great king, beings with abundant roots of wholesome kamma are born as they wish: in a great khattiya family, or a great brahmin family, or a great householder family, among devas, or by egg-birth, or by womb-birth, or by moisture-birth, or by spontaneous-birth. Thus, by way of kamma, beings enter the womb. "How do beings enter the womb by way of birth-origin? Chickens, great king, enter the womb by way of wind. Cranes enter the womb by the sound of thunderclouds. All devas are beings who do not lie in a womb; their entry into the womb is of various kinds. Just as, great king, humans walk on the earth in various ways: some cover themselves in front, some cover themselves behind, some are naked, some are shaven-headed, wearing white cloth, some wear topknots, some are shaven-headed, wearing saffron robes, some wear saffron robes with topknots, some are matted-haired, wearing bark garments, some wear animal skins, some wear rays of light; all these humans walk on the earth in various ways. Even so, great king, all of them are beings, their entry into the womb is of various kinds. Thus, by way of birth-origin, beings enter the womb. "How do beings enter the womb by way of family? Family, great king, means four families: egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, spontaneously-born.