What Happens Outside Any Process

Thus the compendium of occurrence has been told by way of process consciousness, in the course of existence. Now it will be told at rebirth-linking.

In the compendium of the process-freed, four sets of four should be understood: the four planes, the fourfold rebirth-linking, the four kinds of kamma, and the fourfold advent of death.

Among these, the four planes are: the woeful plane, the sensuous blissful plane, the fine-material-sphere plane, and the immaterial-sphere plane.

Among these, the woeful plane is fourfold: hell, the animal kingdom, the sphere of petas, and the host of asuras.

The sensuous blissful plane is sevenfold: the human [realm], the Realm of the Four Great Kings, the Realm of the Thirty-Three, the Yāma [realm], Tusita, Nimmānarati, and Paranimmitavasavatti. This — eleven kinds altogether [4 woeful + 7 blissful] — is reckoned as the sense-sphere plane.

Brahmā's Retinue, Brahmā's Ministers, and Mahā Brahmā are the first-jhāna plane. Minor Lustre, Infinite Lustre, and Radiant Lustre are the second-jhāna plane. Minor Aura, Infinite Aura, and Steady Aura are the third-jhāna plane. Great Reward, the non-percipient beings, and the Pure Abodes are the fourth-jhāna plane. Thus the fine-material-sphere plane is sixteenfold.

The Durable, the Serene, the Beautiful, the Clear-Sighted, and the Highest — these are the fivefold Pure Abodes.

The realm of infinite space, the realm of infinite consciousness, the realm of nothingness, and the realm of neither-perception-nor-non-perception: thus the immaterial-sphere plane is fourfold.

Worldlings are never found in the Pure Abodes at all, nor are stream-enterers or once-returners. Noble ones are not found in the non-percipient realm or the woeful planes. In the remaining places, both noble ones and non-noble ones are found. Herein, this is the fourfold [scheme of] planes.

Rebirth-linking is fourfold: rebirth-linking in the woeful plane, in the sensuous blissful plane, in the fine-material sphere, and in the immaterial sphere.

Herein, the unwholesome-resultant investigating citta accompanied by equanimity, at the moment of descent into the woeful plane, becomes the rebirth-linking; thereafter, [becoming] the life-continuum, at the end it becomes the death [consciousness] and is cut off. This alone is the single woeful rebirth-linking.

The wholesome-resultant investigating citta accompanied by equanimity occurs as rebirth-linking, life-continuum, and death for congenitally blind and similarly deficient humans in the sensuous blissful plane, and for [certain] earth-bound [spirits] and fallen asuras.

The eight great resultants occur as rebirth-linking, life-continuum, and death everywhere in the sensuous blissful plane. These nine are the sensuous-blissful rebirth-linkings. This — tenfold altogether [1 woeful + 9 blissful] — is reckoned as sense-sphere rebirth-linking.

The life-span of the gods of the Four Great Kings is five hundred celestial years — by human reckoning, nine million years. Four times that is the life-span of the Thirty-Three; four times that again, the Yāma gods; four times that, Tusita; four times that, Nimmānarati; four times that, Paranimmitavasavatti.

The first-jhāna resultant occurs, as rebirth-linking, life-continuum, and death, in the first-jhāna plane. So too the second-jhāna resultant and the third-jhāna resultant, in the second-jhāna plane; the fourth-jhāna resultant, in the third-jhāna plane; the fifth-jhāna resultant, in the fourth-jhāna plane. For non-percipient beings, however, materiality itself occurs as rebirth-linking; so too, during the course of existence and at the moment of death, only materiality occurs and ceases. These are the six fine-material rebirth-linkings.

The first-immaterial resultant, and so on, occur, in due order, as rebirth-linking, life-continuum, and death in the first-immaterial plane and so on. These are the four immaterial rebirth-linkings.

The life-span of the gods who have reached the base of infinite space is twenty thousand aeons; of those who have reached infinite consciousness, forty thousand aeons; of those who have reached nothingness, sixty thousand aeons; of those who have reached neither-perception-nor-non-perception, eighty-four thousand aeons.

The rebirth-linking, the life-continuum, and likewise the death-consciousness in a single birth: these are one [and the same citta], and likewise of one object. Herein, this is the fourfold rebirth-linking.

By way of function: productive, supportive, obstructive, and destructive.

By way of the manner of giving result [priority in ripening]: weighty, death-proximate, habitual, and reserve kamma.

By way of the time of giving result: immediately-effective, subsequently-effective, indefinitely-effective, and defunct kamma — these four are called kamma [by time].

Likewise, by way of the place of giving result: unwholesome, sense-sphere wholesome, fine-material-sphere wholesome, and immaterial-sphere wholesome.

... produces, [each] according to plane, a like result at rebirth-linking and in the course of existence. Herein, this is the fourfold kamma.

Through the expiry of the life-span, through the expiry of the kammic force, through the expiry of both together, and through a severing kamma: thus the advent of death is fourfold.

And so, for those who are dying, at the time of death there presents itself, according to circumstance, through one or another of the six doors, by the power of kamma: either the kamma that is to produce rebirth-linking in the next existence; or a sign of kamma — a visible form or the like, formerly apprehended, that served as the instrument in the performance of that kamma; or a sign of destiny — [something] to be obtained and made use of in the immediately arising existence.

Thereafter, taking up that very object thus presented, the stream of consciousness flows on, again and again, mostly inclining toward it, in accordance with the kamma that is ripening — whether pure or defiled — and in conformity with the existence to be obtained. Or that very productive kamma reaches the door in the manner of being freshly done.

For one thus close to death, at the end of a cognitive process, or at the dissolution of the life-continuum, the death consciousness — the completion of the present existence — arises in the manner of passing away, and ceases.

Immediately after it has ceased, taking up that very object so apprehended, supported by a base or baseless as the case may be, generated by a volitional formation rooted in the latent tendency of craving and enveloped by the latent tendency of ignorance, seized upon by its associated states, forerunning the co-arisen states as their support — the mind called rebirth-linking, linking the two existences together, arises and becomes established, just as it arises, in the new existence.

For fine-material-sphere rebirth-linking, the object is only a sign of kamma that has become a concept. Likewise, for immaterial rebirth-linking, the object is only a sign of kamma — a sublime state or a concept, as fits the case.

For non-percipient beings, only the vital nonad becomes established as rebirth-linking. Hence they are called "reborn with matter [alone]." Immaterial beings are called "reborn with mind [alone]." The rest are called "reborn with both matter and mind."

From an immaterial death, [rebirth occurs] excluding the lower immaterial [realms], including the highest immaterial rebirth-linking, and likewise [rebirth] in the sense sphere with three roots. From a fine-material death, [rebirth occurs] excluding the rootless. From all three-rooted [deaths] in the sense sphere, [rebirth may occur anywhere]; but the rest [two-rooted or rootless deaths], only within the sense sphere. Herein, this is the procedure of death and rebirth-linking.

Thus, for those who have taken rebirth-linking in this way, from immediately after the cessation of the rebirth-linking [citta] onward, that same citta, taking up that same object — being, as a factor of existence, called the continuity of the life-continuum — flows on unbroken like the current of a river, for as long as no cognitive process occurs, until the arising of the death consciousness. At the end, in the manner of passing away, it becomes the death consciousness and ceases. Thereafter, rebirth-linking and the rest occur again, revolving in due order, like the wheel of a cart.

Rebirth-linking, life-continuum, cognitive processes, and death — thus here, and likewise in the next existence, again rebirth-linking and life-continuum: this stream of consciousness keeps turning.

But having reflected on this as unstable, and having reached the undying state, the wise — their bonds of craving thoroughly cut off — long disciplined in virtue, attain peace.

Thus ends, in the Compendium of the Things Contained in the Abhidhamma, the fifth chapter, called the Compendium of the Process-Freed.