Sacred Texts: Buddhism

Buddhism in Translations - § 35. Existence.

Henry Clarke WarrenPali Canon TranslationsTheravada Buddhism

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This is a scholastic philosophical commentary from the *Visuddhimagga* (Path of Purification), a fifth-century Theravada Buddhist treatise by Buddhaghosa, here analyzing the concept of "existence" (*bhava*) within the framework of dependent origination. The text systematically unpacks the doctrinal proposition "on attachment depends existence," breaking existence into two categories: karma-existence (the volitional acts that cause rebirth) and originating-existence (the psychophysical aggregates that arise from those acts). It then maps existence across a cosmological hierarchy of realms — sensual pleasure, form, and formlessness — each further subdivided by perception-states and the number of "attachment-groups" (skandhas) present. A notably precise claim is that all four types of attachment can generate all types of existence across all realms, explicitly rejecting the view that higher-realm rebirths (form and formlessness planes) are beyond the reach of "fanatical conduct" attachments. The text illustrates this with examples showing how the same attachment to sensual pleasure can produce hellish rebirth through evil karma, human or divine rebirth through meritorious karma, or even Brahma-heaven rebirth through meditative attainment. It is highly technical scholastic Buddhism — useful primarily to those studying Theravada Abhidhamma cosmology, dependent origination analysis, or the mechanics of karmic causation.

Buddhism in Translations - § 35. Existence.

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