{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an4.171/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an4.171","id":"suttacentral_an4.171","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an4.171/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"\u201cMendicants, as long as there\u2019s a body, the intention that gives rise to bodily action causes pleasure and pain to arise in oneself. As long as there\u2019s a voice, the intention that gives rise to verbal action causes pleasure and pain to arise in oneself. As long as there\u2019s a mind, the intention that gives rise to mental action causes pleasure and pain to arise in oneself. But this is only when dependent on ignorance. By oneself one instigates the choice that gives rise to bodily, verbal, and mental action, conditioned by which that pleasure and pain arise in oneself. Or else others instigate the choice \u2026 One instigates the choice after deliberation \u2026 Or else one instigates the choice without deliberation \u2026 Ignorance is included in all these things. But when ignorance fades away and ceases with no residue left behind, that body, that voice, and that mind no longer exist dependent on which that pleasure and pain arise in oneself. That field does not exist, that ground does not exist, that dimension does not exist, that foundation does not exist, dependent on which that pleasure and pain arise in oneself.\u201d \u201cMendicants, there are four kinds of incarnation. What four? There is incarnation where one\u2019s own intention is effective, not that of others. There is incarnation where the intention of others is effective, not one\u2019s own. There is incarnation where both one\u2019s own and others\u2019 intentions are effective. There is incarnation where neither one\u2019s own nor others\u2019 intentions are effective. These are the four kinds of incarnation.\u201d When he said this, Venerable S\u0101riputta said to the Buddha: \u201cSir, this is how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha\u2019s brief statement. Take the case of the incarnation where one\u2019s own intention is effective, not that of others. Those sentient beings pass away from that realm due to their own intention. Take the case of the incarnation where the intention of others is effective, not one\u2019s own. Those sentient beings pass away from that realm due to the intention of others. Take the case of the incarnation where both one\u2019s own and others\u2019 intentions are effective. Those sentient beings pass away from that realm due to both their own and others\u2019 intentions. But sir, in the case of the incarnation where neither one\u2019s own nor others\u2019 intentions are effective, what kind of gods does this refer to?\u201d \u201cS\u0101riputta, it refers to the gods reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.\u201d \u201cWhat is the cause, sir, what is the reason why some sentient beings pass away from that realm as returners who come back to this place, while others are non-returners who don\u2019t come back?\u201d \u201cS\u0101riputta, take an individual who hasn\u2019t given up the lower fetters. In this very life they enter and abide in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. They enjoy it and like it and find it rewarding. If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they\u2019re reborn in the company of the gods of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. When they pass away from there, they\u2019re a returner, who comes back to this place. S\u0101riputta, take an individual who has given up the lower fetters. In this very life they enter and abide in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. They enjoy it and like it and find it rewarding. If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they\u2019re reborn in the company of the gods of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. When they pass away from there, they\u2019re a non-returner, not coming back to this place. This is the cause, this is the reason why some sentient beings pass away from that realm as returners who come back to this place, while others are non-returners who don\u2019t come back.\u201d","title":"Intention","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":655}