Dependent Origination (x): Becoming

[Full title: B. Exposition of Dependent Origination (III): Detailed Exposition (x): Becoming]

249. As to the clause “With clinging as condition, becoming”:

(1) As to meaning, (2) as to state,
(3) Purpose, (4) analysis, (5) synthesis,
(6) And which for which becomes condition,
The exposition should be known.

250. 1. As to meaning: Herein, it becomes (bhavati), thus it is becoming (bhava). That is twofold as kamma-process becoming and rebirth-process becoming, according as it is said: “Becoming in two ways: there is kamma-process becoming and there is rebirth-process becoming” (Vibh 137). Herein, the kamma process itself as becoming is “kamma-process becoming”; likewise the rebirth process itself as becoming is “rebirth-process becoming.” And here, rebirth is becoming since it becomes; but just as “The arising of Buddhas is bliss” (Dhp 194) is said because it causes bliss, so too kamma should be understood as “becoming,” using for it the ordinary term for its fruit, since it causes becoming. This, firstly, is how the exposition should be known here “as to meaning.”

251. 2. As to state: firstly, kamma-process becoming in brief is both volition and the states of covetousness, etc., associated with the volition and reckoned as kamma too, according as it is said: “Herein, what is kamma-process becoming? The formation of merit, the formation of demerit, the formation of the imperturbable, either with a small (limited) plane or with a large (exalted) plane: that is called kamma-process becoming. Also all kamma that leads to becoming is called kamma-process becoming” (Vibh 137).

252. Here the formation of merit is, in terms of states, the thirteen kinds of volition ((1)–(13)), the formation of demerit is the twelve kinds ((22)–(33)), and the formation of the imperturbable is the four kinds ((14)–(17)). So with the words either with a small (limited) plane or with a large (exalted) plane the insignificance or magnitude of these same volitions’ result is expressed here. But with the words also all kamma that leads to becoming the covetousness, etc., associated with volition are expressed.

253. Rebirth-process becoming briefly is aggregates generated by kamma. It is of nine kinds, according as it is said: “Herein, what is rebirth-process becoming? Sense-desire becoming, fine-material becoming, immaterial becoming, percipient becoming, non-percipient becoming, neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient becoming, one-constituent becoming, [572] four-constituent becoming, fiveconstituent becoming: this is called rebirth-process becoming” (Vibh 17).

254. Herein, the kind of becoming called “having sense desires” is sense-desire becoming. Similarly with the fine-material and immaterial kinds of becoming. It is the becoming of those possessed of perception, or there is perception here in becoming, thus it is percipient becoming. The opposite kind is non-percipient becoming. Owing to the absence of gross perception and to the presence of subtle perception there is neither perception nor non-perception in that kind of becoming, thus it is neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient becoming. It is becoming constituted out of the materiality aggregate only, thus it is one-constituent becoming, or that kind of becoming has only one constituent, [the materiality aggregate, or dimension,] thus it is one-constituent becoming. And similarly the four-constituent [has the four mental aggregates, or dimensions,] and the five-constituent [has the material and the four mental aggregates, or dimensions].

255. Herein, sense-desire becoming is five aggregates acquired through kamma (clung to). Likewise the fine-material becoming. Immaterial becoming is four. Percipient becoming is four and five. Non-percipient becoming is one aggregate that is acquired through kamma (clung to). Neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient becoming is four. One-constituent becoming, etc., are respectively one, four, and five aggregates as aggregates that are acquired through kamma (clung to). This is how the exposition should be known here “as to state.”

256. 3. As to purpose: although formations of merit, etc., are of course dealt with in the same way in the description of becoming and in the description of formations (see Vibh 135, 137), nevertheless the repetition has a purpose. For in the former case it was because it was a condition, as past kamma, for rebirthlinking here [in this becoming], while in the latter case it is because it is a condition, as present kamma, for rebirth-linking in the future [becoming]. Or alternatively, in the former instance, in the passage beginning, “Herein, what is the formation of merit? It is profitable volition of the sense sphere” (Vibh 135), it was only volitions that were called “formations”; but here, with the words “All kamma that leads to becoming” (Vibh 137), the states associated with the volition are also included. And in the former instance it was only such kamma as is a condition for consciousness that was called ‘formations’; but now also that which generates non-percipient becoming is included.

257. But why so many words? In the clause “With ignorance as condition there are formations,” only profitable and unprofitable states are expressed as the formation of merit, etc.; but in the clause “With clinging as condition, becoming,” profitable and unprofitable and also functional states are expressed because of the inclusion of rebirth-process becoming. So this repetition has a purpose in each case. This is how the exposition should be known “as to purpose here.”

258. 4. As to analysis, synthesis means as to both the analysis and the synthesis of becoming that has clinging as its condition. The kamma with sense-desire clinging as its condition that is performed and generates sense-desire becoming is “kamma-process becoming.” The aggregates generated by that are “rebirthprocess becoming”; similarly in the case of fine-material and immaterial becoming. So [573] there are two kinds of sense-desire becoming with sensedesire clinging as condition, included in which are percipient becoming and five-constituent becoming. And there are two kinds of fine-material becoming, included in which are percipient, non-percipient, one-constituent, and fiveconstituent becoming. And there are two kinds of immaterial becoming, included in which are percipient becoming, neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient becoming, and four-constituent becoming. So, together with what is included by them, there are six kinds of becoming with sense-desire clinging as condition. Similarly too with the [three] remaining kinds of clinging as condition. So, as to analysis, there are, together with what is included by them, twenty-four kinds of becoming with clinging as condition.

259. 5. As to synthesis, however, by uniting kamma-process becoming and rebirthprocess becoming there is, together with what is included by it, one kind of sense-desire becoming with sense-desire clinging as its condition. Similarly with fine-material and immaterial becoming. So there are three kinds of becoming. And similarly with the remaining [three] kinds of clinging as condition. So by synthesis, there are, together with what is included by them, twelve kinds of becoming with clinging as condition.

260. Furthermore, without distinction the kamma with clinging as its condition that attains sense-desire becoming is kamma-process becoming. The aggregates generated by that are rebirth-process becoming. Similarly in the fine-material and immaterial becoming. So, together with what is included by them, there are two kinds of sense-desire becoming, two kinds of fine-material becoming, and two kinds of immaterial becoming. So, by synthesis, there are six kinds of becoming by this other method. Or again, without making the division into kamma-process becoming and rebirth-process becoming, there are, together with what is included by them, three kinds of becoming as sense-desire becoming, and so on. Or again, without making the division into sense-desire becoming, etc., there are, together with what is included by them, two kinds of becoming, as kamma-process becoming and rebirth-process becoming. And also without making the division into kamma process and rebirth process there is, according to the words “With clinging as condition, becoming,” only one kind of becoming.

This is how the exposition of becoming with clinging as condition should be known here “as to analysis and synthesis.”

261. 6. Which for which becomes condition means that here the exposition should be known according to what kind of clinging is a condition for what [kind of becoming]. But what is condition for what here? Any kind is a condition for any kind. For the ordinary man is like a madman, and without considering “Is this right or not?” and aspiring by means of any of the kinds of clinging to any of the kinds of becoming, he performs any of the kinds of kamma. Therefore when some say that the fine-material and immaterial kinds of becoming do not come about through rules-and-vows clinging, that should not be accepted: what should be accepted is that all kinds come about through all kinds.

262. For example, someone thinks in accordance with hearsay or [false] view that sense desires come to be fulfilled in the human world among the great warrior (khattiya) families, etc., and in the six divine worlds of the sense sphere. [574] Misled by listening to wrong doctrine, etc., and imagining that “by this kamma sense desires will come to be fulfilled,” he performs for the purpose of attaining them acts of bodily misconduct, etc., through sense-desire clinging. By fulfilling such misconduct he is reborn in the states of loss. Or he performs acts of bodily misconduct, etc., aspiring to sense desires visible here and now and protecting those he has already acquired. By fulfilling such misconduct he is reborn in the states of loss. The kamma that is the cause of rebirth there is kamma-process becoming. The aggregates generated by the kamma are rebirthprocess becoming. But percipient becoming and five-constituent becoming are included in that, too.

263. Another, however, whose knowledge has been intensified by listening to good Dhamma and so on, imagines that “by this kind of kamma sense desires will come to be fulfilled.” He performs acts of bodily good conduct, etc., through sense-desire clinging. By fulfilling such bodily good conduct he is reborn among deities or human beings. The kamma that is the cause of his rebirth there is kamma-process becoming. The aggregates generated by the kamma are rebirthprocess becoming. But percipient becoming and five-constituent becoming are included in that, too.

So sense-desire clinging is a condition for sense-desire becoming with its analysis and its synthesis.

264. Another hears or conjectures that sense desires come to still greater perfection in the fine-material and immaterial kinds of becoming, and through sense-desire clinging he produces the fine-material and immaterial attainments, and in virtue of his attainments he is reborn in the fine-material or immaterial Brahmā-world. The kamma that is the cause of his rebirth there is kamma-process becoming. The aggregates generated by the kamma are rebirth-process becoming. But percipient, non-percipient, neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient, oneconstituent, four-constituent, and five-constituent kinds of becoming are included in that, too. Thus sense-desire clinging is a condition for fine-material and immaterial becoming with its analysis and its synthesis.

265. Another clings to the annihilation view thus: “This self comes to be entirely cut off when it is cut off in the fortunate states of the sense sphere, or in the finematerial or immaterial kinds of becoming,” and he performs kamma to achieve that. His kamma is kamma-process becoming. The aggregates generated by the kamma are rebirth-process becoming. But the percipient, etc., kinds of becoming are included in that too. So [false-]view clinging is a condition for all three, namely, for the sense-desire, fine-material, and immaterial kinds of becoming with their analysis and their synthesis.

266. Another through self-theory clinging thinks, “This self comes to be blissful, or comes to be free from fever, in the becoming in the fortunate states in the sense sphere or in one or other of the fine-material and immaterial kinds of becoming,” and he performs kamma to achieve that. That kamma of his is kammaprocess becoming. The aggregates generated by the kamma are [575] rebirthprocess becoming. But the percipient, etc., kinds of becoming are included in that, too. Thus this self-theory clinging is a condition for all the three, namely, becoming with their analysis and their synthesis.

267. Another [thinks] through rules-and-vows clinging, “This rite and ritual leads him who perfects it to perfect bliss in becoming in the fortunate states of the sense sphere or in the fine-material or immaterial kinds of becoming,” and he performs kamma to achieve that. That kamma of his is kamma-process becoming. The aggregates generated by the kamma are rebirth-process becoming. But the percipient, etc., kinds of becoming are included in that, too. So rules-andvows clinging is a condition for all three, namely, the sense-desire, fine-material and immaterial kinds of becoming with their analysis and their synthesis.

This is how the exposition should be known here according to “which is condition for which.”

[How Clinging is a Condition for Becoming]

268. But which is condition for which kind of becoming in what way here?

Now, clinging as condition for becoming,
Both fine-material and immaterial,
Is decisive-support; and then conascence 
And so on for the sense-desire kind.

269. This clinging, though fourfold, is a condition in only one way as decisivesupport condition for becoming both fine-material and immaterial, [that is,] for the profitable kamma in the kamma-process becoming that takes place in sense-desire becoming and for the rebirth-process becoming. It is a condition, as conascence and so on, that is, as conascence, mutuality, support, association, presence, nondisappearance, and root-cause conditions, for the unprofitable kamma-process becoming associated with [the fourfold clinging] itself in the sense-desire becoming. But it is a condition, as decisive-support only, for that which is dissociated.

This is the detailed explanation of the clause “With clinging as condition, becoming.”