English
perform the function of investigating; in the six doors, in the manner previously stated, the function of tadārammaṇa; after the rebirth given by oneself, in the absence of a mind-arising that cuts off the bhavanga, the function of bhavanga; and at the end, the function of cutting off (death). Thus, performing these four functions, they occur with a determinate base, and indeterminate door, object, place, and function. The eight sense-sphere minds with roots, in the manner stated, perform the function of tadārammaṇa in the six doors; after the rebirth given by oneself, in the absence of a mind-arising that cuts off the bhavanga, the function of bhavanga; and at the end, the function of cutting off (death). Thus, performing these three functions, they occur with a determinate base, and indeterminate door, object, place, and function. The five fine-material minds and the four immaterial minds, after the rebirth given by oneself, in the absence of a mind-arising that cuts off the bhavanga, perform the function of bhavanga; and at the end, the function of cutting off (death). Thus, performing these two functions, they occur. Among these, the fine-material... The non-fixed ones have fixed object-bases and unfixed functions. The others have fixed bases and fixed objects and unfixed functions, thus they proceed. In this way then, all thirty-two kinds of consciousness in the course of existence arise conditioned by formations. Therein, those various formations become conditions by way of kamma-condition and by way of decisive-support condition. 622. But what was said: "among the remaining nineteen, nothing arises in a rebirth appropriate to itself," that, being too concise, is difficult to understand. Therefore, for showing its detailed explanation, it is said: How many rebirths? How many rebirth-consciousnesses? By what and where does rebirth occur? What is the object of rebirth? Together with the rebirth of non-percipient beings, there are twenty rebirths. Of the aforementioned kinds, there are nineteen rebirth-consciousnesses. Therein, by the resultant unwholesome rootless mind-consciousness element, rebirth occurs in the woeful states. By the resultant wholesome, in the human world, for those born blind, born deaf, born insane, born dumb, born impotent, and so forth. By the eight resultant wholesome sense-sphere (consciousnesses) with roots, rebirth occurs among sense-sphere deities and among fortunate humans. By the five resultant wholesome form-sphere (consciousnesses), in the form-brahmā world. By the four resultant wholesome formless-sphere (consciousnesses), in the formless world. And by which and where rebirth occurs, that indeed is called its appropriate rebirth. But in brief, for rebirth, there are three objects: past, present, and not-to-be-designated. The rebirth of non-percipient beings is objectless. Therein, for the rebirths of the sphere of infinite consciousness and the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, the past alone is the object. For the ten sense-sphere (rebirths), either past or present. For the remaining (rebirths), only not-to-be-designated. Thus, rebirth, occurring with these three objects, because it arises immediately after a death-consciousness that has a past object or a not-to-be-designated object. But there is no death-consciousness that has a present object. Therefore, immediately after a death (consciousness) with one of the two objects, (rebirth occurs) with three objects... The manner of occurring of rebirth, with one of the objects, as a good or bad destiny, should be understood. 623. That is to say – for a person of evil deeds, abiding in a good destiny of the sense-sphere, lying on the deathbed, as stated in the saying "they hang over him at that time" (MN 3.248), the evil kamma accumulated or the kamma-sign comes into the range of the mind-door. Immediately after the javana-process, which arose with that as object and ended with that object, the death-consciousness arises, having made the bhavanga-sphere its object. When that has ceased, taking that very kamma or kamma-sign that came into range as object, the rebirth-consciousness arises, belonging to a bad destiny, swayed by the unbroken power of defilements. This is a rebirth with a past object, immediately following a death with a past object. At the time of death of another, by way of kamma of the aforementioned kind, a bad destiny sign like the color of a flame in hell, etc., comes into the range of the mind-door. When its bhavanga has arisen and ceased twice, taking that object, one advertence, five javanas (because their speed is weakened due to the proximity of death), and two tadārammaṇas – thus three process-consciousnesses arise. Then, having made the bhavanga-sphere its object, one death-consciousness. By this, eleven consciousness-moments have passed. Then, in the remaining five consciousness-moments, the rebirth-consciousness arises with that very object. This is a rebirth with a present object, immediately following a death with a past object. At the time of death of another, in one of the five doors, a low object, being a cause for greed, etc., comes into range. When its voṭṭhabbana has arisen in due order and ceased, five javanas and two tadārammaṇas arise, because their speed is weakened due to the proximity of death. Then, having made the bhavanga-sphere its object, one death-consciousness. And by this, two bhavangas, advertence, seeing, receiving, investigating, determining five impulsion moments, two retention moments, and one death moment— thus fifteen mind-moments have passed. Then, in the remaining one mind-moment, the rebirth-linking consciousness arises in that very object. This rebirth-linking, too, is immediate, with a present object, following a death with a past object. This is the manner of the occurrence of a rebirth-linking in a bad destination, with a past and present object, immediately following a death in a good destination with a past object. 624. For one in a bad destination, who has accumulated blameless kamma, that blameless kamma or its kamma-sign comes into the mind-door, in the manner stated. Thus, setting aside the bright side in the dark side, everything should be understood in the previous manner. This is the manner of the occurrence of a rebirth-linking in a good destination, with a past and present object, immediately following a death in a bad destination with a past object. 625. For one in a good destination, who has accumulated blameless kamma, as stated in the saying, "these hang over him at that time," a blameless kamma or its kamma-sign, accumulated as such, comes into the mind-door for one lying on the deathbed. And this is only of accumulated sensuous-sphere blameless kamma. For accumulated fine-material or immaterial-sphere kamma, only the kamma-sign comes into the mind-door. Following a pure impulsion-series, ending in retention, which has arisen with that as its object, the death-consciousness arises, making the life-continuum's object its object. When that has ceased, the rebirth-linking consciousness, belonging to a good destination, unbroken by the power of defilements, arises, taking that very kamma or kamma-sign that has come into the mind-door as its object. This rebirth-linking is with a past object or with an unspecifiable object, immediately following a death with a past object. At the time of death for another, by way of sensuous-sphere blameless kamma, a good destination-sign, such as the appearance of a mother's womb in the human world, or the appearance of gardens, mansions, wish-fulfilling trees, etc., in the deva world, comes into the mind-door. For him, the rebirth-linking consciousness arises immediately after the death-consciousness, in the same sequence shown for a bad destination-sign. today. This is a rebirth-linking, immediately following a passing-away that had a past object, and having a present object. At the time of death of another, relatives, saying, "Dear one, for your sake, a Buddha-offering is being made; gladden your mind," bring to the five doors either a visible object by means of flowers, garlands, banners, etc.; or an audible object by means of listening to Dhamma, musical offerings, etc.; or an olfactory object by means of incense, perfumes, scents, etc.; or a gustatory object, saying, "Dear one, taste this, a gift of merit to be given for your sake," by means of honey, treacle, etc.; or a tactile object, saying, "Dear one, touch this, a gift of merit to be given for your sake," by means of silk cloth, cotton cloth, etc. When that visible or other object comes into range, at the end of the apperception that arises in due course, due to the approaching nature of death, the speed being weakened, five impulsion moments and two retention moments arise. Then, taking the object of the life-continuum as its object, one passing-away consciousness arises, and at its end, with that same object lasting for one mind-moment, a rebirth-linking consciousness arises. This too is a rebirth-linking, immediately following a passing-away that had a past object, and having a present object. 626. But at the time of death of another, who has attained exalted states by means of earth-kasina meditation, etc., and is established in a happy destiny, either one of the kamma, kamma-sign, or destiny-sign of wholesome sense-sphere kamma, or a kasina-sign such as the earth-kasina, or an exalted consciousness comes into range in the mind-door; or a refined object, which is the cause for the arising of wholesome states, comes into range in one of the eye or ear doors. At the end of the apperception that arises in due course for that person, due to the approaching nature of death, the speed being weakened, five impulsion moments arise.