Reply To: Paṭisambhidāmagga 1.3: Ānāpānassatikathā

#41882
Lal
Keymaster

We can elaborate on the descriptions a bit more.

1. Bhava – refers to different types of existences in this world of 31 realms. 

  • Vipatti means “encounter bad experiences,” and sampatti is the opposite of that, i.e., good experiences.

2. Sambhava (“san” + “bhava“) refers to how those existence result (via Paticca Samuppada) due to different types of “san“.

  • Worst “accumulations” or “san” have “lobha, dosa, moha as roots,” i.e., via apunna abhisankhara.
  • “Good” existences result via punna abhisankhara and anenja abhisankhara. But they also do not end suffering. 

3. End of suffering can result only by following the Noble Path based on “bhava uddha Dhamma” or Buddha Dhamma or Paticca Samuppada.

  • That is possible MOSTLY while born in the human realm. The key factor associated with the human realm is to be born with a brain. 
  • As we have seen, the brain “slows down” our responses to external stimuli. That gives us a time window to be mindful and stop the progression of various abhisankhara. Thus, one cannot cultivate the path while in the human gandhabba state.  A physical human body (with a brain) is NECESSARY.
  • That is why we must be grateful to our parents for allowing us to be born with a physical body.

That is a crucial point requiring some thought.

4. In all other realms, citta flow is fast and uncontrollable. Mano sankhara turn into vaci sankhara and then kaya sankhara VERY QUICKLY. Thus, one’s responses are according to the gati one is born with.

  • Such gati are cultivated in the human realm (while born with a physical human body.)
  • Then one is born in either an apaya (with dugati) or a “good realm” with sugati or good gati.

5. While in the human realm, one cultivates both good and bad gati.

  • Then one spends time in those realms until those kammic energies are spent. During those existences in other realms, they do not accumulate gati (at least to any significant extent.)
  • As discussed in the Agganna Sutta, at the beginning of a “newly-formed Earth,” most sentient beings (below the Abhassara Brahma realm) are humans. 
  • Then they branch out into other realms.

That is a summary.