Abhidhammattha Sangaha - Procedure with regard to Decease and Rebirth

Abhidhammattha Sangaha ( A Manual of Abhidhamma )

Translated by Narada Maha Thera
Published By the Buddhist Missionary Society

______
v.Cutipatisandhikkamo
_______
§11.âyukkhayena, kammakkhayena, ubhayakkha-
yena upacchedakakammuna c’ ati catudha
maranuppatti nama. Tatha ca marantanam
pana maranakale yatharaham abhimukhi-
bhutam bhavantare patisandhijanakam kam-
mam va tam kammakaranakale rupadikamu-
paladdhapubbamupakaranabhutan ca kam-
manimittam va anantaram’ uppajjamanabhave
upalabhitabbam upabhogabhutan ca gatinimit-
tam va kammabalena channam dvaranam
annatarasmim paccupatthati. Tato param
tam’eva tatho’ patthitam alambanam arabbha
vipaccamanakakammanurupam parisuddham’
upakkilittham va upalabhitabbabhavanurupam
tatth’ onatam va cittasantanam abhinham
pavattati bahullena. Tam’ eva va pana
janakabhutam kammamabhinavakaranavasena
dvarappattam hoti.

§12.Paccasannamaranassa tassa vithicittavasane
bhavangakkhaye va cavanavasena paccup-
pannabhavapariyosanabhutam cuticittam’
uppajjitva nirujjhati. Tasmim niruddhava-
sane tass’ anantaram’ eva tatha gahitam alam-
banam’ arabbha savatthukam avatthukam’
eva va yatharaham avijjanusayaparikkhittena
tanhanusayamulakena sankharena janiyama-
nam sampayuttehi pariggayhamanam sahaja-
tanamadhitthanabhavena pubbangamabhu-
tam bhavantarapatisandhanavasena patisandhi-
sankhatam manasam uppajjamanam’ eva
patitthati bhavantare.
§13.Maranasannavithiyam pan’ ettha mandappa-
vattani panc’ eva javanani patikankhitab-
bani. Tasma yadi paccuppannalambanesu
apathamagatesu dharantesv’ eva maranam hoti.
Tada patisandhibhavanganam’ pi paccuppanna-
lambanata labbhati’ ti katva kamavacarapati-
sandhiya chadvaragahitam kammanimittam
gatinimittan ca paccuppannamatitamalamba-
nam va upalabbhati. Kammam pana atitam’
eva. Tan ca manodvaragahitam. Tani pana
sabbani’ pi parittadhammabhuta n’evalamba-
nani’ ti veditabbam.
Rupavacarapatisandhiya pana pannatti-

bhutam kammanimittam’ evalambanam hoti.
Tatha aruppapatisandhiya ca mahaggata-
bhutam pannattibhutan ca kammanimittam’
eva yatharaham alambanam hoti.
Asannasattanam pana jivitanavakam’ eva
patisandhibhavena patitthati. Tasma te rupapa-
tisandhika nama. âruppa aruppapatisandhika.
Sesa ruparupapatisandhika.
§14.âruppacutiya honti hetthimaruppavajjita
Paramaruppasandhi ca tatha kame tihetuka
Rupavacaracutiya aheturahita siyum
Sabba kamatihetumha kames’ v’ eva pan’ etara
Ayam’ettha cutipatisandhikkamo
_______
v.Procedure with regard to Decease and Rebirth
_______
§11.The advent of death (51) is fourfold—namely,
(i)through the expiration of the age-limit (52),
(ii)through the expiration of the (Reproductive) Kammic
force (53) (iii) through the (simultaneous) expiration of
both (54), and (iv) through (the intervention of a)
Destructive Kamma (55).
Now, to those who, are about to die, at the moment
of death, by the power of Kamma, one of the following
presents itself through any of the six doors:—
i.A Kamma that produces rebirth in the subse-

quent birth enters (the mind-door) according to circum-
stances (56).
ii.An object (57) such as a pre-perceived form
and the like, or anything that was instrumental in the per-
formance of the Kamma.
iii.A symbolic destiny sign (58) that should be got
and experienced in the subsequent birth-place.
Thereafter attending to that object thus presented (59),
the stream of consciousness, in accordance with the
Kamma that is to be matured whether pure or corrupted,
and in conformity with the place where one is to be born,
continually flows, inclining mostly towards that state. Or
that birth-reproductive Kamma presents itself to a sense-
door in the way of renewing.
§12.To one who is nearing death, either at the end of a
thought-process or at the dissolution of bhavanga, the
decease-consciousness, the consummation of the present
life, arises and ceases in the way of death.
At the end of the cessation, immediately after which,
based on the object thus obtained, whether with heart-
base (60) or not, rebirth-consciousness arises and is estab-
lished in the subsequent existence, enveloped accordingly
by latent ignorance, rooted in latent craving, produced by
action (Kamma), conjoined with mental co-adjuncts, act-
ing as the forerunner to the coexisting states, and linking
the existences.

§13.Herein in the dying thought-process only five
feeble moments125 of javana should be expected.
Therefore when death occurs while the present ob-
ject is being presented to the avenues (i.e., Kamma nimitta
to one of the five sense-doors or gati nimitta to the mind-
door) then the rebirth-consciousness and the bhavanga-
consciousness take a present object.
Thus in rebirth in a Sense-Sphere the Kamma nimitta
taken by (any of) the six doors, or gati nimitta may be past
or present.
But Kamma is perceived by the mind-door only as a
past object.
All these should be regarded as lesser objects (i.e.,
belonging to the Kama-sphere).
In rebirth in the realms of Forms the Kamma symbol
which is a concept (such as earth device etc.) becomes the
object.
So, too, in rebirth in Formless realms, only a Kamma
symbol which is a sublimated concept (such as a visualised
‘space’) becomes an object, according to circumstances.
To the mindless beings only the vital ‘nonad’
126
establishes itself in the way of rebirth. Hence they are
called materially-reborn. Those born in Formless realms
are called mentally reborn. The rest are called materially
and mentally reborn.
125.Normally seven thought-moments.
126.Namely, the four elements of extension, cohesion, heat, motion (pathavi, apo,
tejo, vayo), the four derivatives—colour, odour. taste, nutritive essence
(vanna, gandha, rasa, oja), and physical life principle (jivitindriya.)

§14.After one passes away from a Formless realm, one
is similarly born in a Formless realm, but not in a lower
Formless plane, and also in the Sense-Sphere with three
roots.
When one passes from a realm of Form, one is not
born without the three roots. After a birth with the three
roots one seeks rebirth in all states. The rest (namely,
those with two roots and no roots) are reborn, in the
Sense-Spheres.
Herein this is the procedure with regard to decease
and rebirth.
_______
Notes:—
51. “Death is the temporary end of a temporary
phenomenon.” By death is meant the extinction of psychic
life (jivitindriya), heat (usma = tejodhatu), and conscious-
ness (vinnana) of one individual in a particular existence.
Death is not the complete annihilation of a being. Death in
one place means the birth in another place, just as, in con-
ventional terms, the rising of the sun in one place means
the setting of the sun in another place.
52. What are commonly understood to be natural
deaths due to old age may be classed under this category.
To each of the various planes of existence is naturally
assigned a definite age-limit irrespective of the potential
energy of the Reproductive Kamma that has yet to run.
One must, however, succumb to death when the maximum

age-limit is reached. It may also be said that if the Repro-
ductive Kamma is extremely powerful, the Kammic energy
rematerialises itself on the same plane or on some higher
plane as in the case of the devas.
53. As a rule the thought, volition, or desire which
was extremely strong during lifetime becomes predomi-
nant at the moment of death and conditions the subse-
quent birth. In this last thought-moment is present a
special potentiality. When the potential energy of this
Reproductive Kamma is exhausted, the organic activities
of the material form, in which is corporealised the life-
force, cease even before the approach of old age.
54. If a person is born at a time when the age-limit
is 80 years and he dies at 80 owing to the exhaustion of
the potential force of his reproductive Kamma, his death
is due to the simultaneous expiration of both age and
Kamma.
55. There are powerful actions which suddenly cut
off the force of the Reproductive Kamma even before the
expiration of the life-term. A more powerful opposing
force, for instance, can check the path of a flying arrow
and bring it down to the ground. Similarly, a very power-
ful Kammic force of the past is capable of nullifying the
potential energy of the dying reproductive (janaka)
thought-moment, and thus destroy the life of a being. The

death of Devadatta was due to an upacchedaka Kamma
which he committed during his lifetime.
The first three types of death are collectively called
kalamarana (timely death), and the last one is known as
akalamarana (untimely death).
An oil lamp, for instance, may be extinguished owing
to any of the following four causes—namely, the exhaus-
tion of the wick, the exhaustion of oil, simultaneous
exhaustion of both wick and oil, and some extraneous
cause like the gust of a wind. Death of a person may simi-
larly be caused by any of the aforesaid four ways.
56. As a person is about to die a good or bad action
may present itself before his mind’s eye. It may be either a
meritorious or a demeritorious Weighty action (Garuka
Kamma), such as jhanas (ecstasies) or parricide etc. They
are so powerful that they totally eclipse all other actions
and appear very vividly before the mental eye. If there is
no Weighty action, he may take for his object of the dying
thought a Kamma done or remembered immediately be-
fore death (asanna Kamma).
If it is a past action, strictly speaking, it is the good or
bad thought, experienced at the moment of performing
the action, that recurs at the death-moment.
57.Kamma nimitta is any sight, sound, smell,
taste, touch or idea which was obtained at the time of the
commission of the Kamma, such as knives in the case of a

butcher, patients in the case of a physician, flowers in the
case of a devotee, etc.
58. By gati nimitta is meant some sign of the place
where he is to take birth, an event which invariably hap-
pens to dying persons. When these indications of the
future birth occur, and if they are bad, they can be turned
into good. This is done by influencing the thoughts of the
dying person, so that his good thoughts may now act as the
proximate Kamma and counteract the influence of the
Reproductive Kamma which would otherwise affect his
subsequent birth.
These symbols of one’s destiny may be hellish fires,
forests, mountainous regions, mother’s womb, celestial
mansions, etc.
The Kamma is presented to the mind-door. Kamma-
nimitta may be presented to any of the six doors according
to circumstances. Gati-nimitta, being always a physical
sight, is presented to the mind-door as a dream.
59. Taking one of the aforesaid objects, a thought-
process runs its course even if the death be an instantane-
ous one. It is said that even the fly which is crushed by a
hammer on the anvil also experiences such a process of
thought before it actually dies.
Let us imagine for the sake of convenience that the
dying person is to be reborn in the human plane and that
his object is some good Kamma.

His bhavanga consciousness, interrupted, vibrates
for one thought-moment and passes away. Thereafter the
mind-door apprehending consciousness (manodvaravaj-
jana) arises and passes away. Then comes the psychologi-
cally important stage—javana process—which here runs
only for five thought-moments by reason of its weakness,
instead of the normal seven. As such it lacks all reproduc-
tive power, its main function being the mere regulation of
the new existence—abhinavakarana. The object in the
present case being desirable, the consciousness he experi-
ences is a moral one—automatic or prompted, accompa-
nied by pleasure, and associated with wisdom or as the
case may be. The tadalambana consciousness which has
for its function a registering or identifying for two
moments of the object so perceived may or may not fol-
low. After this occurs death consciousness (cuti citta), the
last thought-moment to be experienced in this present life.
(See Diagram XI, p. 315).
There is a misconception amongst some that the sub-
sequent birth is conditioned by this last decease-thought.
What actually conditions rebirth is not this decease-
thought, which in itself has no special function to perform,
but that which is experienced during the javana process.
With the ceasing of the decease-consciousness death
actually occurs. Then no material qualities born of mind
and food (cittaja and aharaja rupa) are produced. Only a
series of material qualities born of heat (utuja) goes on till
the corpse is reduced to dust.

Now, immediately after the dissolution of the
decease consciousness (cuti citta) there arises in a fresh
existence the relinking consciousness (patisandhi
vinnana). This is followed by sixteen bhavanga thought-
moments. Thereafter the mind-door apprehending con-
sciousness (manodvaravajjana) arises to be followed by
seven javana thought-moments, developing a liking to the
fresh existence (bhava nikanti javana). Then the bhavanga
consciousness arises and perishes and the stream of con-
sciousness flows on ceaselessly. (See Diagram XII, p. 316)
60. In the case of Formless realms there is no heart-
base (hadayavatthu).
_______
(Citta—Santati)
_______
§15.Icc’ evam gahitapatisandhikanam pana pati-
sandhinrodhanantaratoppabhuti tam’ evalam-
banamarabbha tad’ eva cittam yava cuticittup-
pada asati vithicittuppade bhavassangabhavena
bhavangasantatisankhatam manasam abbhoc-
chinnam nadi soto viya pavattati. Pariyosane ca
cavanavasena cuticittam hutva nirujjhati.
Tato paran ca patisandhadayo rathacakkam
iva yathakkamam eva parivattanta pavattanti.
§16.Patisandhibhavangavithiyo cuti c’ eha tatha
bhavantare

Puna patisandhibhavangam iccayam
parivattati cittasantati
Patisankhaya pan’ etamaddhuvam adhigantva
padamaccutam budha
Susamucchinnasinehabandhana samamessanti
ciraya subbata.
_______
Iti Abhidhammatthasangahe Vithimuttasan-
gahavibhago nama Pancamo Paricchedo.
_______
The Stream of Consciousness
_______
§15.So, to those who have thus got rebirth, immediately
after the cessation of the relinking (consciousness) (61), a
similar consciousness, depending on the same object, flows
on, in the absence of a thought-process, uninterruptedly like
a stream (62), until the arising of the decease-consciousness
(63). Being an essential factor of life, this consciousness is
known as bhavanga. At the end, in the way of dying, it arises
as decease-consciousness (64) and perishes. Thereafter the
relinking-consciousness and others, revolving according to
circumstances, like a wheel, continue to exist.
§16.Just as here so again in the subsequent existence
there arise relinking-consciousness, life-continuum, thought-
processes, and decease-consciousness. Again with rebirth
and life-continuum this stream of consciousness turns round.
The enlightened, disciplining themselves long, un-
derstanding the impermanence (of life), will realise the

Deathless State,
127 and, completely cutting off the fetters
of attachment, attain Peace.
128
_______
Thus ends the fifth chapter of the Compendium of
Abhidhamma, known as the Analysis of the Process-freed
section.
_______
Notes:—
61. Patisandhi, Bhavanga, and Cuti consciousness of
one particular existence are identical as they have the same
object. The mental states in each of these three are the
same. They differ only in name and in function immediately
after the rebirth-consciousness bhavanga consciousness
arises. During lifetime, whenever no thought-processes
arise, this bhavanga consciousness exists. One experiences
innumerable bhavanga thought-moments in the course of
one’s lifetime.
62. Note the Pali phrase nadi soto viya.
63. Cuti citta or decease-consciousness, which one
experiences at the moment of death, is similar to the
patisandhi citta and bhavanga citta of that particular life.
64. Immediately after the decease consciousness there
arises in a subsequent rebirth the relinking or rebirth con-
sciousness (patisandhi citta), at the moment of conception.
127.i.e., Nibbana.
128.i.e. Nibbana-element without a substratum (nirupadisesa Nibbana-dhatu)