Reply To: Arupavacara Brahama and defiled sanna

#53010
Lal
Keymaster

Yes. It is a subtle point. 

  • Rupavacara and arupavacara Brahmas‘ minds only go through the “purana kamma” stage. Since they attach to the initial “distorted sanna,” they do generate abhisankhara. However, they do not generate strong kammic energies that lead to rebirth. (All living beings have generated enough kammic energies to bring numerous rebirths while in the kama loka. Thus, those Brahmas will be reborn in lower realms after dying from those realms.)
  • Potent/strong kammic energies that can lead to new rebirths are generated in the “nava kamma” stage, particularly when engaging in kaya, vaci, and mano kamma. You may have noticed that the “nava kamma stage” is absent in the charts showing rupa and arupa loka. See, for example, the chart above #13 in “Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation,” which I reproduce below. 

Download/Print: “Purāna and Nava Kamma -3

  • The “nava kamma” stage is where the “cone” expands to show the “growth of vinnana” or the ‘accumulation of new and potent kamma.” That “expanding cone” is present only in kama loka. In that context, rupa and arupa loka Brahmas DO NOT have dense bodies to generate kaya kamma (to engage in killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct). Furthermore, since they are not aware of such actions (e.g., no males/females in those realms), even corresponding vaci kamma ( with vaci sankhara) can not happen.
  • In #13 in the above post, I wrote the following: “For example, anariya Brahma in a “rupa loka Brahma realm” only receives the “distorted saññā” of “rupāvacara jhānic sukha” and will automatically attach to it with “saññā vipallāsa.” They do not accumulate more kamma but will return to kāma loka at the end of Brahma‘s life. Unlike in the kāma loka, there is no way to accumulate (strong) kamma in the rupa or arupa Brahma realms.”
  • I just now revised the last sentence to emphasize that point: “Unlike in the kāma loka, there is no way to accumulate strong kamma (that can bring rebirths) while in the rupa or arupa Brahma realms.”
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