7: The Book of the Sevens
55. Destinations of Persons
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1"Bhikkhus, I will teach you seven destinations of persons and attainment of nibbāna through non-clinging. Listen and attend closely. I will speak."
"Yes, Bhante," those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
"And what, bhikkhus, are the seven destinations of persons?
[n.1531] Mp glosses purisagatiyo with purisassa ñāṇagatiyo, "a person's movement of knowledge." However, the sutta appears to be concerned principally with their destination (gati) after death. The Chinese parallel, MĀ 6 (T I 427a13-c24), renders the title of its Indian original (corresponding to satta purisagatiyo) as 
, meaning "seven places where good persons are reborn."
2(1) "Here, a bhikkhu is practicing thus: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be; it will not be mine.
[n.1532] No c’assa no ca me siyā, na bhavissati na me bhavissati. This cryptic formula occurs in the Nikāyas in two versions. One is ascribed to the annihilationists; the other is the Buddha’s adaptation of it. The annihilationist version reads: no c’ assaṃ no ca me siyā, na bhavissāmi na me bhavissati, “I may not be, and it might not be mine. I will not be, and it will not be mine.” Since the two differ only with respect to two verbs—no c’assam vs. no c’assa, and na bhavissāmi vs. na bhavissati—the various recensions sometimes confuse them. From the commentarial glosses, it appears that the confusion had already set in before the age of the commentaries. Readings also differ among different editions of the same text. Generally I prefer the readings in Ce.
This formula is explicitly identified as an annihilationist view (ucchedadiṭṭhi) at SN 22:81, III 99,4–6. In AN, at 10:29 §8, V 63,28–64,2, it is said to be the foremost of outside speculative views (etadaggaṃ bāhirakānaṃ diṭṭhigatānaṃ). The Buddha transformed this formula into a theme for contemplation conformable to his own teaching by replacing the first-person verbs with their third-person counterparts. This change shifts the stress from the view of self implicit in the annihilationist version (“I will be annihilated”) to an impersonal perspective that harmonizes with the anattā doctrine. In some texts, for example at SN 22:55, III 55–58, practicing on the basis of the formula is said to culminate in the destruction of the five lower fetters, that is, in the stage of a non-returner. Sometimes, as in the present sutta, the formula includes a trailer (see below), contemplation of which is said to lead to equanimity. Practice guided by the full formula leads to one of the five levels of non-returner or to arahantship.
In the Nikāyas the precise meaning of the formula is never made explicit, which suggests that it may have served as an open guide to contemplation to be filled in by the meditator through personal intuition. The commentaries, including Mp, take the truncated particle c’ to represent ce, “if,” and interpret the two parts of the formula as conditionals. I translate here from Mp (in conformity with its own interpretation): “If it had not been: If, in the past, there had been no kamma producing individual existence; it would not be mine: now I would have no individual existence. There will not be: Now there will be no kamma producing a future individual existence for me; there will not be mine: in the future there will be no individual existence for me.”
I dissent from the commentaries on the meaning of c’, which I take to represent ca = “and.” The syntax of the phrase as a whole requires this. Skt parallels actually contain ca (for instance, Udānavarga 15:4, parallel to Ud 7.8,¶4, has: no ca syān no ca me syā[n]; and MĀ 6 contains the character 
= “and”) in the appropriate places of the formula. As I interpret the meaning, the first “it” refers to the personal five aggregates, the second to the world apprehended through the aggregates. For the worldling this dyad is misconstrued as a duality of self and world; for the noble disciple it is simply the duality of internal and external phenomena. On this basis I would interpret the formula thus: “The five aggregates can be terminated, and the world presented by them can be terminated. I will so strive that the five aggregates will be terminated, (and thus) the world presented by them will be terminated.”
The trailer reads in Pāli: yadatthi yaṁ bhūtaṁ taṁ pajahāmī ti upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. Following Mp, I understand "what exists, what has come to be" (yadatthi yaṁ bhūtaṁ) as the presently existing five aggregates. These have come to be through the craving of previous lives and are being abandoned by the abandonment of the cause for their re-arising in a future life, namely, craving or desire-and-lust.
I am abandoning what exists, what has come to be.’ He obtains equanimity. He is not attached to existence; he is not attached to origination. He sees with correct wisdom: ‘There is a higher state that is peaceful,’
[n.1533] Atth’uttariṁ padaṁ santaṁ sammappaññāya passati. Mp: "He sees with path wisdom together with insight, ‘There is a higher peaceful state, nibbāna.’"
yet he has not totally realized that state. He has not totally abandoned the underlying tendency to conceit; he has not totally abandoned the underlying tendency to lust for existence; he has not totally abandoned ignorance.
[n.1534] It is the continued presence of these three defilements that distinguishes the non-returner from the arahant, who has eliminated them.
With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna in the interval.
[n.1535] In accordance with the usual Theravāda commentarial position, Mp explains the antarāparinibbāyī as one who attains nibbāna—the complete extinction of defilements—from the time immediately following rebirth up to the middle of the life span. This position seems contradicted by the similes to follow.
"For example, when an iron bowl has been heated all day and is struck, a chip might fly off and be extinguished. So too, a bhikkhu is practicing thus … … he has not totally abandoned ignorance. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna in the interval. [n.1536] The similes illustrate three types of antarāparinibbāyī, "attainers of nibbāna in the interval." Although arguments based on similes are not always reliable, the three similes suggest that the "attainer of nibbāna in the interval" attains nibbāna before actually taking rebirth. Just as the three chips are extinguished after flying off from the red-hot bowl but before hitting the ground, so (on my interpretation) these three types attain final nibbāna respectively either right after entering the intermediate state, or during this state, or shortly before rebirth would take place. In this case, they immediately enter the nibbāna element without residue (anupādisesanibbānadhātu).
3(2) "Then a bhikkhu is practicing thus: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be; it will not be mine. I am abandoning what exists, what has come to be.’ He obtains equanimity. He is not attached to existence; he is not attached to origination. He sees with correct wisdom: ‘There is a higher state that is peaceful,’ yet he has not totally realized that state. He has not totally abandoned the underlying tendency to conceit; he has not totally abandoned the underlying tendency to lust for existence; he has not totally abandoned ignorance. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna in the interval.
"For example, when an iron bowl has been heated all day and is struck, a chip might fly off, rise up, and be extinguished. So too, a bhikkhu is practicing thus …. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna in the interval.
4(3) "Then a bhikkhu is practicing thus: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be; it will not be mine ….’ … With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna in the interval.
"For example, when an iron bowl has been heated all day and is struck, a chip might fly off, rise up, and be extinguished just before it lands on the ground. So too, a bhikkhu is practicing thus …. … With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna in the interval.
5(4) "Then a bhikkhu is practicing thus: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be; it will not be mine ….’ … With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna upon landing. [n.1537] Mp interprets this person as one who attains nibbāna between the midpoint of the life span and its end. However, the word upahacca, "having struck, having hit," and the simile of the chip that goes out on hitting the ground, suggest that this type is one who attains nibbāna almost immediately after rebirth.
"For example, when an iron bowl has been heated all day and is struck, a chip might be produced and fly up, and upon landing on the ground it would be extinguished. So too, a bhikkhu is practicing thus …. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna upon landing.
6(5) "Then a bhikkhu is practicing thus: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be; it will not be mine ….’ … With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna without exertion.
"For example, when an iron bowl has been heated all day and is struck, a chip might fly off, rise up, and fall on a small pile of straw or sticks. There it would produce a fire and smoke, but when it has exhausted that small pile of straw or sticks, if it gets no more fuel, it would be extinguished. So too, a bhikkhu is practicing thus …. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna without exertion. [n.1538] Whereas the standard Theravāda commentarial interpretation takes the next two types—one who attains nibbāna without exertion (asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī) and one who attains nibbāna through exertion (sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī)—to be two alternative ways by which the antarāparinibbāyī and upahaccaparinibbāyī attain the goal, the similes of the chip suggest, unambiguously, that the five types (or seven, counting separately the three subdivisions of the first) are distinct, forming a series from the sharper to the more sluggish. Thus if, as Mp alleges, the upahaccaparinibbāyī were one who attains nibbāna between the midpoint of the life span and its end, there would be no scope for the other two types, those who attain nibbāna without exertion and those who attain nibbāna through exertion.
7(6) "Then a bhikkhu is practicing thus: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be; it will not be mine ….’ … With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna through exertion.
"For example, when an iron bowl has been heated all day and is struck, a chip might fly off, rise up, and then fall upon a wide pile of straw or sticks. There it would produce a fire and smoke, but when it has exhausted that wide pile of straw or sticks, if it gets no more fuel, it would be extinguished. So too, a bhikkhu is practicing thus …. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes an attainer of nibbāna through exertion.
8(7) "Then a bhikkhu is practicing thus: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be; it will not be mine. I am abandoning what exists, what has come to be.’ He obtains equanimity. He is not attached to existence; he is not attached to origination. He sees with correct wisdom: ‘There is a higher state that is peaceful,’ yet he has not totally realized that state. He has not totally abandoned the underlying tendency to conceit; he has not totally abandoned the underlying tendency to lust for existence; he has not totally abandoned ignorance. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one bound upstream, heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm. [n.1539] See AN4.131, n. 828.
"For example, when an iron bowl has been heated all day and is struck, a chip might fly off, rise up, and then fall upon a large pile of straw or sticks. There it would produce a fire and smoke, and when it has exhausted that large pile of straw or sticks, it would burn up a woods or a grove until it reaches the edge of a field, the edge of a road, the edge of a stone mountain, the edge of water, or some delightful piece of land, and then, if it gets no more fuel, it would be extinguished. So too, a bhikkhu is practicing thus …. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one bound upstream, heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm.
"These, bhikkhus, are the seven destinations of persons.
9"And what, bhikkhus, is attainment of nibbāna through non-clinging? Here, a bhikkhu is practicing thus: ‘It might not be, and it might not be mine. It will not be; it will not be mine. I am abandoning what exists, what has come to be.’ He obtains equanimity. He is not attached to existence; he is not attached to origination. He sees with correct wisdom: ‘There is a higher state that is peaceful,’ and he has totally realized that state. He has totally abandoned the underlying tendency to conceit; he has totally abandoned the underlying tendency to lust for existence; he has totally abandoned ignorance. With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. This is called attainment of nibbāna through non-clinging.
"These, bhikkhus, are the seven destinations of persons and attainment of nibbāna through non-clinging."
1"Satta ca, bhikkhave, purisagatiyo desessāmi anupādā ca parinibbānaṁ. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.
"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
"katamā ca, bhikkhave, satta purisagatiyo?
2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā, na bhavissati na me bhavissati, yadatthi yaṁ bhūtaṁ taṁ pajahāmī’ti upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. So bhave na rajjati, sambhave na rajjati, atthuttari padaṁ santaṁ sammappaññāya passati. Tañca khvassa padaṁ na sabbena sabbaṁ sacchikataṁ hoti, tassa na sabbena sabbaṁ mānānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ bhavarāgānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ avijjānusayo pahīno hoti. So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā nibbāyeyya. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā, na bhavissati na me bhavissati, yadatthi yaṁ bhūtaṁ taṁ pajahāmī’ti upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. So bhave na rajjati, sambhave na rajjati, atthuttari padaṁ santaṁ sammappaññāya passati. Tañca khvassa padaṁ na sabbena sabbaṁ sacchikataṁ hoti, tassa na sabbena sabbaṁ mānānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ bhavarāgānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ avijjānusayo pahīno hoti. So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti. (1)
3Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā, na bhavissati na me bhavissati, yadatthi yaṁ bhūtaṁ taṁ pajahāmī’ti upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. So bhave na rajjati, sambhave na rajjati, atthuttari padaṁ santaṁ sammappaññāya passati. Tañca khvassa padaṁ na sabbena sabbaṁ sacchikataṁ hoti, tassa na sabbena sabbaṁ mānānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ bhavarāgānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ avijjānusayo pahīno hoti. So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā nibbāyeyya. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā … pe … so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti. (2)
4Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā … pe … so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā anupahacca talaṁ nibbāyeyya. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā … pe … so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti. (3)
5Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā … pe … so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā upahacca talaṁ nibbāyeyya. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā … pe … so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti. (4)
6Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā … pe … so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā paritte tiṇapuñje vā kaṭṭhapuñje vā nipateyya. Sā tattha aggimpi janeyya, dhūmampi janeyya, aggimpi janetvā dhūmampi janetvā tameva parittaṁ tiṇapuñjaṁ vā kaṭṭhapuñjaṁ vā pariyādiyitvā anāhārā nibbāyeyya. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā … pe … so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti. (5)
7Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā … pe … so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā vipule tiṇapuñje vā kaṭṭhapuñje vā nipateyya. Sā tattha aggimpi janeyya, dhūmampi janeyya, aggimpi janetvā dhūmampi janetvā tameva vipulaṁ tiṇapuñjaṁ vā kaṭṭhapuñjaṁ vā pariyādiyitvā anāhārā nibbāyeyya. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā … pe … so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti. (6)
8Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā, na bhavissati na me bhavissati, yadatthi yaṁ bhūtaṁ taṁ pajahāmī’ti upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. So bhave na rajjati, sambhave na rajjati, atthuttari padaṁ santaṁ sammappaññāya passati. Tañca khvassa padaṁ na sabbena sabbaṁ sacchikataṁ hoti, tassa na sabbena sabbaṁ mānānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ bhavarāgānusayo pahīno hoti, na sabbena sabbaṁ avijjānusayo pahīno hoti. So pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā uddhaṁsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, divasaṁsantatte ayokapāle haññamāne papaṭikā nibbattitvā uppatitvā mahante tiṇapuñje vā kaṭṭhapuñje vā nipateyya. Sā tattha aggimpi janeyya, dhūmampi janeyya, aggimpi janetvā dhūmampi janetvā tameva mahantaṁ tiṇapuñjaṁ vā kaṭṭhapuñjaṁ vā pariyādiyitvā gacchampi daheyya, dāyampi daheyya, gacchampi dahitvā dāyampi dahitvā haritantaṁ vā pathantaṁ vā selantaṁ vā udakantaṁ vā ramaṇīyaṁ vā bhūmibhāgaṁ āgamma anāhārā nibbāyeyya. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā … pe … so pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā uddhaṁsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī.
Imā kho, bhikkhave, satta purisagatiyo.
9Katamañca, bhikkhave, anupādāparinibbānaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ paṭipanno hoti: ‘no cassa no ca me siyā, na bhavissati na me bhavissati, yadatthi yaṁ bhūtaṁ taṁ pajahāmī’ti upekkhaṁ paṭilabhati. So bhave na rajjati, sambhave na rajjati, atthuttari padaṁ santaṁ sammappaññāya passati. Tañca khvassa padaṁ sabbena sabbaṁ sacchikataṁ hoti, tassa sabbena sabbaṁ mānānusayo pahīno hoti, sabbena sabbaṁ bhavarāgānusayo pahīno hoti, sabbena sabbaṁ avijjānusayo pahīno hoti. So āsavānaṁ khayā … pe … sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anupādāparinibbānaṁ.
Imā kho, bhikkhave, satta purisagatiyo anupādā ca parinibbānan"ti.
Dutiyaṁ.