AN6.57 — Chaḷabhijāti Sutta
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Rajagaha on Vulture's Peak Mountain. Then, Venerable Ananda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. While seated, Venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One, Venerable sir, Puraṇa Kassapa has declared six types of birth: the black type, the blue type, the red type, the yellow type, the white type, and the supreme white type.
Regarding this, venerable sir, Puraṇa Kassapa has declared the black type as those who are butchers, pig-keepers, fowlers, hunters, fishermen, thieves, executioners, prison guards, or any others engaged in cruel occupations. Regarding this, venerable sir, Puraṇa Kassapa has declared the blue type as disciples who live by thorns, or any others who are proponents of action or proponents of deeds. Regarding this, venerable sir, Puraṇa Kassapa has declared the red type as the Nigaṇṭhas, the one-clothed ascetics. Regarding this, venerable sir, Puraṇa Kassapa has declared the yellow type as householders wearing white clothes, followers of the naked ascetics. Regarding this, venerable sir, Puraṇa Kassapa has declared the white type as the Ājīvakas and Ājīvakinis. Regarding this, venerable sir, Puraṇa Kassapa has declared the supreme white type as Nanda Vaccha, Kisa Saṅkicca, and Makkhali Gosāla. Puraṇa Kassapa has declared these six types of birth.
Ananda, does the entire world agree with Puraṇa Kassapa in declaring these six types of birth?
No, venerable sir.
Just as, Ananda, a poor, destitute, penniless man would be unwillingly dragged into a pit, in the same way, Ananda, Puraṇa Kassapa has declared these six types of birth without the consent of the ascetics and brahmins, like a fool, an unskilled person, an unwise person. But I, Ananda, declare six types of birth. Listen to that, pay close attention, I will speak.
Yes, venerable sir, Venerable Ananda replied to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said, And what, Ananda, are the six types of birth? Here, Ananda, someone of the black type is born into a black state. Here, Ananda, someone of the black type is born into a white state. Here, Ananda, someone of the black type is born into a non-black, non-white state, into Nibbana. Here, Ananda, someone of the white type is born into a black state.
Here, Ānanda, some individuals, being of a bright lineage, are born into a bright state. Here, Ānanda, some individuals, being of a bright lineage, are born into the non-dark, non-bright state of Nibbāna. And how, Ānanda, does one of a dark lineage come to be born into a dark state? Here, Ānanda, someone is born into a lowly family: such as a family of outcasts, hunters, bamboo workers, cartwrights, or scavengers, poor, with little food and drink, living with difficulty, where food and clothing are obtained with hardship. He is ugly, unpleasant to look at, deformed, often sick, blind, crippled, lame, or paralyzed, and does not obtain food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, dwellings, or lighting. He engages in misconduct by body, speech, and mind. Having engaged in misconduct by body, speech, and mind, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, he is reborn in a state of misery, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. Thus, Ānanda, one of a dark lineage is born into a dark state.
And how, Ānanda, does one of a dark lineage come to be born into a bright state? Here, Ānanda, someone is born into a lowly family: such as a family of outcasts, hunters, bamboo workers, cartwrights, or scavengers, poor, with little food and drink, living with difficulty. He engages in good conduct by body, speech, and mind. Having engaged in good conduct by body, speech, and mind, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, he is reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. Thus, Ānanda, one of a dark lineage is born into a bright state.
And how, Ānanda, does one of a dark lineage come to be born into the non-dark, non-bright state of Nibbāna? Here, Ānanda, someone is born into a lowly family: such as a family of outcasts, hunters, bamboo workers, cartwrights, or scavengers, and he is ugly, unpleasant to look at, deformed. He shaves off his hair and beard, dons the ochre robe, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness. Having gone forth, he abandons the five hindrances, the corruptions of the mind that weaken wisdom, and with a mind well established in the four foundations of mindfulness, having developed the seven factors of enlightenment as they really are, he attains the non-dark, non-bright state of Nibbāna. Thus, Ānanda, one of a dark lineage is born into the non-dark, non-bright state of Nibbāna.
And how, Ānanda, does one of a bright lineage come to be born into a dark state? Here, Ānanda, someone is born into a high family: such as a family of great nobles, great brahmins, or great householders, wealthy, with great wealth and possessions, abundant in gold and silver, abundant in property and resources, abundant in wealth and grain.
He is handsome, pleasing, and charming, endowed with the highest beauty and complexion, and he gains food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, dwellings, and lights. Yet, he engages in misconduct by body, speech, and mind. Having engaged in misconduct by body, speech, and mind, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, he arises in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell. Thus, Ānanda, one born of a bright lineage engages in dark deeds. And how, Ānanda, does one born of a bright lineage engage in bright deeds?
Here, Ānanda, someone is born in a high family: either in a noble warrior family... and gains food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, dwellings, and lights. He engages in good conduct by body, speech, and mind. Having engaged in good conduct by body, speech, and mind, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, he arises in a good destination, in the heavenly world. Thus, Ānanda, one born of a bright lineage engages in bright deeds.
And how, Ānanda, does one born of a bright lineage attain the non-dark, non-bright Nibbāna? Here, Ānanda, someone is born in a high family: either in a noble warrior family, a great brahmin family, or a great householder family, wealthy, with great wealth and possessions, abundant in gold and silver, abundant in property and resources, abundant in wealth and grain. He is handsome, pleasing, and charming, endowed with the highest beauty and complexion, and he gains food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, dwellings, and lights. He shaves off his hair and beard, dons the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness.
Thus gone forth, having abandoned the five hindrances, the corruptions of the mind that weaken wisdom, with a mind well established in the four foundations of mindfulness, having developed the seven factors of enlightenment as they really are, he attains the non-dark, non-bright Nibbāna. Thus, Ānanda, one born of a bright lineage attains the non-dark, non-bright Nibbāna. These, Ānanda, are the six kinds of rebirth.