The Discourse on the Six Abhijātis

The Buddha's words

Photo by Dulana Kodithuwakku on Unsplash

At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, on Gijjhakūṭa Mountain.

Then Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, Pūraṇa Kassapa has declared six abhijātis: he has declared the black abhijāti, the blue abhijāti, the red abhijāti, the yellow abhijāti, the white abhijāti, the supremely white abhijāti.

“Here, Bhante, Pūraṇa Kassapa has declared the black abhijāti: sheep-butchers, pig-butchers, bird-catchers, deer-hunters, hunters, fish-killers, thieves, executioners, jailers, and any others who engage in cruel occupations.

“Here, Bhante, Pūraṇa Kassapa has declared the blue abhijāti: bhikkhus who live a thorny existence, and any others who are karma-advocates and action-advocates.

“Here, Bhante, Pūraṇa Kassapa has declared the red abhijāti: the Nigaṇṭhas who wear a single garment.

“Here, Bhante, Pūraṇa Kassapa has declared the yellow abhijāti: householders in white clothes, followers of the Acelakas.

“Here, Bhante, Pūraṇa Kassapa has declared the white abhijāti: the Ājīvakas and Ājīvikīs.

“Here, venerable sir, Purana Kassapa declared the highest white class (paramasukkābhijāti): Nanda the calf, Kisa Saṅkicca, Makkhali Gosāla. Venerable sir, these six classes (abhijātiyo) were declared by Purana Kassapa.”

“Ananda, does everyone in the world approve of Purana Kassapa declaring these six classes (abhijātiyo)?” “No, venerable sir.” “Just as, Ananda, a poor, destitute, wretched man might have a pit tied to him against his will, with the words: ‘This meat, O man, is to be eaten by you, and the price is to be paid by you.’ Even so, Ananda, Purana Kassapa declared these six classes (abhijātiyo) without the approval of these ascetics and brahmins, like a foolish, unskilled, ignorant, and unskillful person.

“But I, Ananda, declare six classes (abhijātiyo). Listen to that, attend carefully; I will speak.” “Yes, venerable sir,” replied Venerable Ananda to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said this: “And what, Ananda, are the six classes (abhijātiyo)?

Here, Ananda, a certain person, being of a dark class (kaṇhābhijāti), is born into a dark state (kaṇhaṃ dhammaṃ).

Here again, Ananda, a certain person, being of a dark class (kaṇhābhijāti), is born into a bright state (sukkaṃ dhammaṃ).

Here again, Ananda, a certain person, being of a dark class (kaṇhābhijāti), is born into the neither-dark-nor-bright Nibbāna (akaṇhaṃ asukkaṃ nibbānaṃ).

Here again, Ananda, a certain person, being of a bright class (sukkābhijāti), is born into a dark state (kaṇhaṃ dhammaṃ).

Here again, Ananda, a certain person, being of a bright class (sukkābhijāti), is born into a bright state (sukkaṃ dhammaṃ).

Here again, Ananda, a certain person, being of a bright class (sukkābhijāti), is born into the neither-dark-nor-bright Nibbāna (akaṇhaṃ asukkaṃ nibbānaṃ).

“And how, Ananda, is a person, being of a dark class (kaṇhābhijāti), born into a dark state (kaṇhaṃ dhammaṃ)? Here, Ananda, a certain person is reborn into a low family—a caṇḍāla family, or a nesāda family, or a veṇa family, or a rathakāra family, or a pukkusa family—poor, with little food and drink, living with difficulty, where food and clothing are obtained with difficulty. And he is ugly, unsightly, deformed, afflicted with many diseases, blind or crippled or lame or paralyzed, not obtaining food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes, unguents, beds, dwellings, or lamps. He performs bad conduct by body, bad conduct by speech, bad conduct by mind. Having performed bad conduct by body, bad conduct by speech, bad conduct by mind, at the breaking up of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, the lower realms, hell. Thus, Ananda, a person, being of a dark class (kaṇhābhijāti), is born into a dark state (kaṇhaṃ dhammaṃ).

“And how, Ananda, is a person, being of a dark class (kaṇhābhijāti), born into a bright state (sukkaṃ dhammaṃ)? Here, Ananda, a certain person is reborn into a low family—a caṇḍāla family… he does not obtain beds, dwellings, or lamps. He performs good conduct by body, good conduct by speech, good conduct by mind. Having performed good conduct by body, good conduct by speech, good conduct by mind, at the breaking up of the body, after death, he reappears in a good destination, a heavenly world. Thus, Ananda, a person, being of a dark class (kaṇhābhijāti), is born into a bright state (sukkaṃ dhammaṃ).

“And how, Ananda, is a person, being of a dark class (kaṇhābhijāti), born into the neither-dark-nor-bright Nibbāna (akaṇhaṃ asukkaṃ nibbānaṃ)? Here, Ananda, a certain person is reborn into a low family—a caṇḍāla family… and he is ugly, unsightly, deformed. He shaves off his hair and beard, puts on saffron robes, and goes forth from the home life into homelessness. Having thus gone forth, he abandons the five hindrances, the corruptions of the mind that weaken wisdom, and with his mind well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness, having developed the seven factors of enlightenment as they really are, he is born into the neither-dark-nor-bright Nibbāna (akaṇhaṃ asukkaṃ nibbānaṃ). Thus, Ānanda, being of dark birth, one realizes Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright.

‘‘And how, Ānanda, being of bright birth, does one realize a dark dhamma? Here, Ānanda, some individual is reborn into a high family—a wealthy Khattiya family, or a wealthy Brahmana family, or a wealthy householder family, rich, greatly wealthy, with great possessions, abundant gold and silver, abundant assets and resources, abundant grain and produce. And he is handsome, good-looking, pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion; he is a recipient of food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes, ointments, bedding, lodging, and lamps. He performs misconduct by body, misconduct by speech, and misconduct by mind. Having performed misconduct by body, misconduct by speech, and misconduct by mind, at the breaking up of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. Thus, Ānanda, being of bright birth, one realizes a dark dhamma.

‘‘And how, Ānanda, being of bright birth, does one realize a bright dhamma? Here, Ānanda, some individual is reborn into a high family—a wealthy Khattiya family… he is a recipient of bedding, lodging, and lamps. He performs good conduct by body, good conduct by speech, and good conduct by mind. Having performed good conduct by body, good conduct by speech, and good conduct by mind, at the breaking up of the body, after death, he reappears in a good destination, a heavenly world. Thus, Ānanda, being of bright birth, one realizes a bright dhamma.

‘‘And how, Ānanda, being of bright birth, does one realize Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright? Here, Ānanda, some individual is reborn into a high family—a wealthy Khattiya family, or a wealthy Brahmana family, or a wealthy householder family, rich, greatly wealthy, with great possessions, abundant gold and silver, abundant assets and resources, abundant grain and produce. And he is handsome, good-looking, pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion; he is a recipient of food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes, ointments, bedding, lodging, and lamps. He shaves off his hair and beard, puts on saffron robes, and goes forth from the home life into homelessness. Having thus gone forth, he abandons the five hindrances, the corruptions of the mind that weaken wisdom; with his mind well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness, having developed the seven factors of awakening as they really are, he realizes Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright. Thus, Ānanda, being of bright birth, one realizes Nibbāna that is neither dark nor bright. These, Ānanda, are the six kinds of birth.”

Chaḷabhijātisutta

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