76. Becoming

AN 3:76 Becoming

Translated from the Pali by Nyanaponika Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi

Once the Venerable Ananda came to see the Blessed One and said to him: “One speaks, Lord, of ’becoming, becoming.’ How does becoming taking place?”

“If, Ananda, there were no kamma ripening in the sense-sphere realm, would there appear any sense-sphere becoming?”

“Surely not, Lord.”

“Therefore, Ananda, kamma is the field, consciousness the seed and craving the moisture for the consciousness of beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving to become established in a lower realm. Thus there is re-becoming in the future.

“If, Ananda, there were no kamma ripening in the form realm, would there appear any form-sphere becoming?”

“Surely not, Lord.”

“Therefore, Ananda, kamma is the field, consciousness the seed and craving the moisture for the consciousness of beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving to become established in an intermediate realm. Thus there is re-becoming in the future.

“If, Ananda, there were no kamma ripening in the formless realm, would there appear any formless-sphere becoming?”

“Surely not, Lord.”

“Therefore, Ananda, kamma is the field, consciousness the seed and craving the moisture for the consciousness of beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving to become established in a lofty realm. Thus there is re-becoming in the future.

“It is in this way, Ananda, that there is becoming.”