Tamotamasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.85

Numbered Discourses 4.85

9. Macalavagga

9. Confirmed

Tamotamasutta

From Darkness to Darkness

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

“Mendicants, these four individuals are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Tamo tamaparāyaṇo,

The dark bound for darkness,

tamo jotiparāyaṇo,

the dark bound for light,

joti tamaparāyaṇo,

the light bound for darkness, and

joti jotiparāyaṇo.

the light bound for light.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti tamaparāyaṇo?

And how is an individual dark and bound for darkness?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo nīce kule paccājāto hoti—caṇḍālakule vā venakule vā nesādakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati.

It’s when an individual is reborn in a low family—a family of corpse-workers, bamboo-workers, hunters, chariot-makers, or scavengers—poor, with little to eat or drink, where life is tough, and food and shelter are hard to find.

So ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

And they’re ugly, unsightly, deformed, sickly—one-eyed, crippled, lame, or half-paralyzed. They don’t get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

And they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti tamaparāyaṇo.

That’s how an individual is dark and bound for darkness.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti jotiparāyaṇo?

And how is an individual dark and bound for light?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo nīce kule paccājāto hoti—caṇḍālakule vā venakule vā nesādakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati;

It’s when an individual is reborn in a low family …

so ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

But they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā, manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti jotiparāyaṇo.

That’s how an individual is dark and bound for light.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti tamaparāyaṇo?

And how is an individual light and bound for darkness?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti—khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe;

It’s when an individual is reborn in an eminent family—a well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain.

so ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

And they’re attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

But they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti tamaparāyaṇo.

That’s how an individual is light and bound for darkness.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti jotiparāyaṇo?

And how is an individual light and bound for light?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti—khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe;

It’s when an individual is reborn in an eminent family …

so ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

And they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā, manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti jotiparāyaṇo.

That’s how an individual is light and bound for light.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

These are the four individuals found in the world.”

Pañcamaṁ.