Different Types of Patisandhi-citta - Four persons found existing in the world

We read in the 'Gradual Sayings' (Book of the Fours, Ch. IX, pal. 5,

Darkness):

               

'Monks, these four persons are found existing in the world.

What four?

He who is in darkness and bound for darkness;

he who is in darkness but bound for light;

he who is in light but bound for darkness;

he who is in light and bound for light.

               

And how, monks, is a person in darkness bound for darkness? 

In this case a certain person is born in a low family,

the family of a scavenger or a hunter or a basket-weaver

or wheel-wright or sweeper, or in the family of some wretched man

hard put to it to find a meal or earn a living,

where food and clothes are hard to get.

Moreover, he is ill-favoured, ugly, dwarfish, sickly,

purblind, crooked, lame or paralysed,

with never a bite or sup, without clothes, vehicle,

without perfumes or flower-garlands, bed, dwelling or lights.

He lives in the practice of evil with body, speech and thought;

and so doing, when body breaks up, after death,

he is reborn in the waste, the way of woe, the downfall, in hell.

Thus, monks, is the person who is in darkness and bound for darkness.

               

And how, monks, is a person in darkness but bound  for light? 

In this case a certain person is born in a low family...

without bed, dwelling or lights.

He lives in the practice of good with body, speech and thought...and so doing,

when body breaks up, after death

he is reborn in the happy bourn, in the heaven-world.

               

And how, monks, is a person in light but bound for darkness?

In this case a certain person is born in a high family...

And that man is well-built, comely and charming,

possessed of supreme beauty of form.

He is one able to get clothes, vehicle, 

perfumes and flower-garlands, bed, dwelling and lights.

But he lives in the practice of evil with body, speech and thought.

So doing, when body breaks up, after death

he is reborn in the waste, the way of woe, the downfall, in hell.   

Thus, monks, is the person who is in light but bound for darkness.

               

And how, monks, is a person who is in light and bound  for light?

In this case a person is born in a high family...

able to get clothes... bed, dwelling and lights.

He lives in the practice of good with body, speech and thought.

So doing, when body breaks up after death,

he is reborn in the happy bourn, in the heaven-world.

Thus, monks, is one who is in light and bound for light.

               

These, monks, are the four persons found existing in the world.’


Topic 184