Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.85 9.

Tamotama Sutta

Macalavagga Tamotamasutta “Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Tamo tamaparāyaṇo, tamo jotiparāyaṇo, joti tamaparāyaṇo, joti jotiparāyaṇo.

Disciples, there are these four types of individuals existing in the world. What are the four? One who is in darkness and bound for darkness, one who is in darkness and bound for light, one who is in light and bound for darkness, and one who is in light and bound for light.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti tamaparāyaṇo?

And how is an individual in darkness and bound for darkness?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo nīce kule paccājāto hoti—caṇḍālakule vā venakule vā nesādakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati.

Here, a certain individual is born into a lowly family: such as a family of outcasts, hunters, bamboo workers, cartwrights, or scavengers: poor, with little food and drink, living with difficulty, where food and clothing are obtained with hardship.

So ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

He is ugly, unpleasant to look at, deformed, often sick, blind, crippled, lame, or paralyzed, and does not obtain food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, dwellings, or lighting.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

He engages in misconduct by body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

Having engaged in misconduct by body, speech, and mind, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in a state of misery, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti tamaparāyaṇo.

Thus an individual is in darkness and bound for darkness.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti jotiparāyaṇo?

And how is an individual in darkness and bound for light?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo nīce kule paccājāto hoti—caṇḍālakule vā venakule vā nesādakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati; so ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

Here, a certain individual is born into a lowly family: such as a family of outcasts, hunters, bamboo workers, cartwrights, or scavengers: poor, with little food and drink, living with difficulty, where food and clothing are obtained with hardship. He is ugly, unpleasant to look at, deformed, often sick, blind, crippled, lame, or paralyzed, and does not obtain food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, dwellings, or lighting.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

He engages in good conduct by body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā, manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

Having engaged in good conduct by body, speech, and mind, with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo tamo hoti jotiparāyaṇo.

Thus an individual is in darkness and bound for light.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti tamaparāyaṇo?

And how is an individual in light and bound for darkness?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti—khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe; so ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

Here, a certain individual is born into a high family: such as a family of wealthy nobles, wealthy brahmins, or wealthy householders: rich, with great wealth and property, abundant in gold and silver, abundant in possessions and resources, abundant in wealth and grain. He is handsome, attractive, charming, endowed with the highest beauty and complexion, and obtains food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, dwellings, and lighting.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

He engages in misconduct by body, misconduct by speech, and misconduct by mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya duccaritaṁ caritvā, manasā duccaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati.

Having engaged in misconduct by body, speech, and mind, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, he arises in a state of woe, a bad destination, a realm of suffering, in hell.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti tamaparāyaṇo.

Thus a person is a light with darkness as his destination.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti jotiparāyaṇo?

And how is a person a light with light as his destination?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ucce kule paccājāto hoti—khattiyamahāsālakule vā brāhmaṇamahāsālakule vā gahapatimahāsālakule vā aḍḍhe mahaddhane mahābhoge pahūtajātarūparajate pahūtavittūpakaraṇe pahūtadhanadhaññe; so ca hoti abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato, lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

Here a certain person is born into a high family: either a noble family, a brahmin family, or a wealthy householder family, affluent, with great wealth and possessions, abundant in gold and silver, rich in resources and grain. He is handsome, attractive, and pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion, and he receives food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, and ointments, as well as beds, dwellings, and lighting.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ carati, vācāya sucaritaṁ carati, manasā sucaritaṁ carati.

He engages in good conduct by body, good conduct by speech, and good conduct by mind.

So kāyena sucaritaṁ caritvā, vācāya sucaritaṁ caritvā, manasā sucaritaṁ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati.

Having engaged in good conduct by body, speech, and mind, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, he arises in a good destination, in a heavenly world.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo joti hoti jotiparāyaṇo.

Thus a person is a light with light as his destination.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti. Pañcamaṁ.

These are the four types of persons existing in the world.