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See the post Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation
#9 says: “Anyone born with a physical human body will automatically get the “distorted saññā.” Thus, the “rupa” that comes to mind does not accurately represent the external rupa. Therefore, even an Arahant/Anāgāmi would taste sugar to be sweet. This is not a “superficial trick” by a third-rate magician but a “sophisticated trick” that can be uncovered only by a Buddha. A human body is designed (by kammic influence) to provide that “attractive saññā” because those born humans had craved them in past lives. …”
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A gandhabba outside the physical body still craves for kama and will also attach to e.g. gandha rupa if he/she sees another person smoking. On the other hand, a gandhabba without kamaraga would not be reborn in kamaloka either, because the samyojana is missing. Of course, with a physical body, it is easy to make contact with the five external rupa, but a gandhabba can also see and hear (and smell) without a body. Thus, purana and nava kamma should also be generated. Why is a physical body necessary for distorted sanna and hence kamma generation?
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I would imagine not all saññā are exclusive to a physical body. In gandhabba form the mind still craves sights, sounds, and some smells, but as the mind wishes to continue separating, three (or maybe two and a half) senses aren’t enough. Instead of one way of experiencing an object, it craves three so it can continue separating good objects from bad objects. The saññā derived from the qualia of touch or taste (aka the sweetness as a mind interpretation of sense contact) is necessary for this separation.
If there was a way for the mind to get a body with ten senses in the same way as our normal five, it would definitely take that.
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Tobias asked: “Why is a physical body necessary for distorted sanna and hence kamma generation?”
- A human gandhabba is the essence of a human. It has ‘distorted saññā‘ (i.e., kāma saññā).
- It is just that it cannot fulfil its desires for tastes, smells, and touches since it does not have a physical body.
- Since it does not have a physical body, it cannot engage in killing, stealing, or sexual misconduct. But even though it cannot speak out, it can still generate vaci kamma with vaci saṅkhāra. See #7 of “Correct Meaning of Vacī Sankhāra.” Even though it is unable to do the three types of kamma with the physical body, a gandhabba still generates the urge to engage in them, i.e., generate vaci saṅkhāra. Thus, it probably lives a frustrated life.
- Therefore, it can still generate kammic energies through vaci saṅkhāra and mano saṅkhāra. It is just unable to carry out some of the wishes.
I hope the above answers questions in DammaSponge’s mind. If not, feel free to ask any remaining questions.
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I’ve been thinking about why the Paṭicca Samuppāda (PS) process begins with avijjā, and this is the idea I’ve come up with:
Avijjā is the root cause and the highest saṁyojana for our journey through samsara. Furthermore, the purana kamma stage begins with attachment to the altered rupa (bahiddha viññāṇa) for every being below the Arahant stage because of the presence of saṁyojana (at least avijjā saṁyojana).
Both Arahants and puthujjanas experience kama sanna, or distorted perception. But the PS process begins only when there are remaining fetters. Therefore, avijjā is the minimum requirement for the start of Paṭicca Samuppāda. And the PS process applies to all sentient beings in samsara.
Ultimately, of course, all parts of Paṭicca Samuppāda cease to arise once Arahantship is attained.
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Yes. That is correct.
1. However, there should be a slight adjustment to the following paragraph: “Both Arahants and puthujjanas experience kāma saññā, or distorted perception. But the PS process begins only when there are remaining fetters. Therefore, avijjā is the minimum requirement for the start of Paṭicca Samuppāda. And the PS process applies to all sentient beings in samsara.”
It can be re-stated as follows: “Both Arahants and puthujjanas experience kāma saññā, or distorted perception. But the PS process begins only when there are remaining fetters relevant to the loka one is in. The PS process for the three lokās is triggered by the corresponding ‘rāga saṁyojana,’ i.e., kāma rāga saṁyojana for the kāma loka, rupa rāga saṁyojana for the rupa loka, and arupa rāga saṁyojana for the arupa loka.
- For example, even an anariya arupa loka Brahma would have all three types of ‘rāga saṁyojana.‘ However, as long as he is an anariya arupa loka Brahma, avijjā can be triggered only with the arupa rāga saṁyojana.
- In another example, the Paṭicca Samuppāda process for an anariya human without jhāna can be triggered only via the kāma rāga saṁyojana. However, if that anariya human cultivates an anariya jhāna, avijjā cannot be triggered in him via the kāma rāga saṁyojana, but only with the rupa rāga saṁyojana, while he is in a jhāna.
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2. The main point is that having root causes (represented by the three types of saṁyojana in the case above) is not enough to trigger avijjā or initiate a PS process. The relevant conditions must be there too. That is why avijjā cannot be triggered in any Brahma via the kāma rāga saṁyojana as long as they remain in a Brahma realm.
- Of course, if the root causes are not there, then a PS process cannot be triggered by any condition. That holds for an Arahant.
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3. The critical impact of the above discussion is the following. Even if one has all ten saṁyojana intact, generating avijjā requires the triggering of one of the three ‘rāga saṁyojana‘ via one of the three main types of saññā: kāma saññā, rupa loka saññā, or arupa loka saññā.
- That is because a ‘thought process’ or, more correctly, a ‘citta vithi‘ starts at the ‘kāma dhātu,’ rupa dhātu,’ or ‘arupa dhātu‘ stage.
- Consider a human for whom the above process starts at the ‘kāma dhātu‘ stage. If the ‘kāma saññā‘ were not automatically triggered, there would be no condition to cause avijjā and start a PS process.
- For further details, see “What Does ‘Paccayā’ Mean in Paṭicca Samuppāda?,” “Mind ‘Starts’ at the Kāma Dhātu Stage With Kāma Saññā,” and “Critical Role of Saññā in Mind Contamination.”
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