AN 3.23

Saṅkhārasutta

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti. So sabyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā sabyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Tamenaṁ sabyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ sabyābajjhā phassā phusanti. So sabyābajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno sabyābajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vedayati ekantadukkhaṁ, seyyathāpi sattā nerayikā.

Choices

“These three individuals are found in the world. What three? Firstly, a certain individual makes hurtful choices by way of body, speech, and mind. Having made these choices, they’re reborn in a hurtful world, where hurtful contacts strike them. Touched by hurtful contacts, they experience hurtful feelings that are absolutely painful—like the beings in hell.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, abyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, abyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti. So abyābajjhaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, abyābajjhaṁ vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, abyābajjhaṁ manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā abyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Tamenaṁ abyābajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ abyābajjhā phassā phusanti. So abyābajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno abyābajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vedayati ekantasukhaṁ, seyyathāpi devā subhakiṇhā.

Furthermore, another individual makes pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. Having made these choices, they are reborn in a pleasing world, where pleasing contacts strike them. Touched by pleasing contacts, they experience pleasing feelings of absolute happiness—like the gods of universal beauty.

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti. So sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā, sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharitvā sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi lokaṁ upapajjati. Tamenaṁ sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ sabyābajjhāpi abyābajjhāpi phassā phusanti. So sabyābajjhehipi abyābajjhehipi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno sabyābajjhampi abyābajjhampi vedanaṁ vedayati vokiṇṇasukhadukkhaṁ, seyyathāpi manussā ekacce ca devā ekacce ca vinipātikā. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

Furthermore, another individual makes both hurtful and pleasing choices by way of body, speech, and mind. Having made these choices, they are reborn in a world that is both hurtful and pleasing, where hurtful and pleasing contacts strike them. Touched by both hurtful and pleasing contacts, they experience both hurtful and pleasing feelings that are a mixture of pleasure and pain—like humans, some gods, and some beings in the underworld. These are the three individuals found in the world.”