AN 3.23 — Choices

English translation by Bhikkhu Candana.

Translation

Text

23. Saṅkhāra Sutta (Habitual Drives) Bhikkhus, there are these three types of beings found in existence. What three?

Here, Bhikkhus, a person engages in bodily acts impelled by habitual drives that produce suffering; he engages in ways of communicating and speech that produce suffering; and he engages in thinking thoughts and mental actions that produce suffering.

As a result, this person is reborn in a world full of suffering. Once reborn into such a world of affliction and suffering, he is constantly surrounded and rubbed by affliction and suffering. Being thus rubbed by pain and suffering from all sides, he experiences torture and affliction, feeling agonizing pain, as do all those who are reborn in hell.

Here, another person engages in bodily acts impelled by habitual drives that do not produce suffering; he engages in ways of communicating and speech while impelled by habitual drives that do not produce suffering; and he engages in thinking thoughts and mental actions while impelled by habitual drives that do not produce suffering.

As a result, this person is reborn in a world devoid of suffering. Once reborn into such a world devoid of suffering, he is constantly surrounded and touched by pleasure. Being thus touched by pleasure from all sides, he experiences joy and relief, feeling the bliss of comfort and ease, as do all those who are reborn in heaven.

Still another person engages in bodily acts impelled by habitual drives that produce both suffering and those that do not produce suffering; he engages in ways of communicating and speech impelled by habitual drives that produce both suffering and those that do not produce suffering; and he engages in thinking thoughts and mental actions impelled by habitual drives that produce both suffering and those that do not produce suffering.

As a result, this person is reborn into such a world that includes suffering and at times its absence. Once reborn into such a world that includes suffering and at times pleasure and happiness, he is surrounded and touched by both pleasure and pain. Being thus rubbed by both suffering and pleasure, he sometimes experiences agonizing pain and at times feels the relief and bliss of comfort, just like some human beings or Devas do, as well as others who are born in some of the lower realms.

These, Bhikkhus, are the three types of beings found in existence.