Introduction
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa
Introduction to 1.3.6
Tamotamasuttaṃ - From Darkness or Brightness to Brightness or Darkness
Patirūpadesavāso ca, pubbe ca katapuññatā;
Attasammāpaṇidhi ca, etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ.
A suitable place of abode, the merit of past good deeds,
Right aspirations for oneself—this is the highest welfare.1
It is kamma that determines the fate of the beings. It is kamma of the past that regulates the starting point for any respective current existence and, according to the actions in the present existence, kamma for any given future is produced along with the respective results.2
The Tamotamasutta, found in the Aṅguttaranikāyo in the chapter of four (Catukkanipātapāḷi), subdivides beings into four categories as highlighted in the current sutta. Here the Buddha also points to the actions that determine where one gets birth and the potential environment and material background one could end up with. The casts, clans or groups then mentioned here belong to the traditionally ‘considered’ low casts of ancient India: caṇḍālakula, venakula, nesādakula, rathakārakula, pukkusakula. According to Indian ‘tradition’ they rank below those that are mentioned next: khattiyakula, brāhmaṇakula, vessākula3 and suddākula. As already highlighted in the Saṅgāravasutta4 the Buddha clearly refuted the idea of one cast being higher than another merely by birth. He explained that independently from any cast, it is only the actions of body, speech or mind that determine one’s superiority.
When the Buddha, after the request of Brahma Sahampati, surveyed the world of beings in respect to their ability to grasp the sublime Dhamma, he perceived — among the wide range of ignorant beings — those whose mental capacities were able to realise the Dhamma.5 He provided the following simile.
Seyyathāpi nāma uppaliniyaṃ vā paduminiyaṃ vā puṇḍarīkiniyaṃ6 vā appekaccāni uppalāni vā padumāni vā puṇḍarīkāni vā udake jātāni udake saṃvaḍḍhāni7 udakānuggatāni8 anto nimuggaposīni,9
appekaccāni uppalāni vā padumāni vā puṇḍarīkāni vā udake jātāni udake saṃvaḍḍhāni samodakaṃ ṭhitāni,
appekaccāni uppalāni vā padumāni vā puṇḍarīkāni vā udake jātāni udake saṃvaḍḍhāni udakaṃ accuggamma ṭhitāni anupalittāni udakena.10
It is just as a pond of lotus flowers or water roses or white lotus flowers, here some of these lotus flowers or water roses or white lotus flowers are born in the water, grow in the water, do not rise above the surface and remain nourished and immersed under surface,
but some of these lotus flowers or water roses or white lotus flowers are born in the water, grow in the water and rise to the surface of the water,
while some others of these lotus flowers or water roses or white lotus flowers are born in the water, grow in the water, rise above the surface and stand upright and untouched by the water.
The following statement provides an analogy to
the above allegory.
Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṃvijjamānā lokasmiṃ. Katame cattāro? Ugghaṭitaññū, vipañcitaññū, neyyo, pada paramo11 – ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṃvijjamānā lokasmin’ti.12
There are four kinds of individuals, Bhikkhus, that can be found in this world. One who takes up understanding quickly, one who takes up understanding after explanation in full detail, one who needs to be led by instruction and one who is ‘word perfect’ (without understanding it). These are the four kind of individuals, Bhikkhus, that can be found in this world.
The ugghāṭitaññu puggala, with the qualities ready to grasp the Dhamma, is converted easily after a brief outline of the teaching. Such a person then blooms forth above the water that very day with the rising of the sun. Those who fall under the category of vipañcitaññu puggala need more instructions, including exposition, and would then bloom forth only the next day by rising above the surface of the water. The category of ñeyya puggala would only be able to apply Dhamma after repeated instructions over a long period and then would finally emerge from misery. For these people, progress depends on the quality of effort that they are putting forth based on the parāmī (qualities) they possess. Finally, the padaparama puggala will not be able to realise Dhamma in this life and will pass away without rising above the water’s surface. However, this person will gain the seeds for future existences by hearing the Dhamma and accumulating parāmī.
Still, independently of one’s parāmī, the Tamotamasutta should inspire the reader to put forth energy and effort to make use of the present life and the availability of the teaching. Doing so will multiply them by choosing to join the class of tamo jotiparāyaṇo or joti jotiparāyaṇo. The Buddha’s exposition provides the tools for this!
1. Maṅgālasutta: For the full text of these stirring verses and their analyses please refer to 3.6.8 Maṅgālasuttaṃ - The Householder’s Wholesome Blessings.
2. For more details see 2.1.3 Abhiṇhapaccavekkhitabbaṭhānasuttaṃ - Born of One’s Own Kamma as well as 3.5.10 Cūḷakammavibhaṅgasuttaṃ - The Result of Unwholesome and Wholesome Actions – part one and 3.6.9 Cūḷakammavibhaṅgasuttaṃ - The Result of Unwholesome and Wholesome Actions – part two.
3. From vissa: various, many – a man of the people.
4. See 1.3.1 Saṅgāravasuttaṃ - The Questions of Saṅgāravo.
5. See 1.3.2 Orimatīrasuttam - The Hither and the Further Shore.
6. uppaliniyaṃ vā paduminiyaṃ vā puṇḍarīkiniyaṃ: different kind of water-flowers.
7. saṃvaḍḍhāni: saṃvaḍḍhati (pp.,pl.) — grown up, brought up.
8. udakānuggatāni: udaka + anu + g + gatāni — water + not gone out.
9. nimuggaposīni: nimujjati (pp.) + posīni — immersed, sunk + fed, nourished.
10. Pāsarāsisuttaṃ, Opammavaggo, Mūlapaṇṇāsapāḷi, Majjhimanikāyo also titled Ariyapariyesanāsuttaṃ.
11. pada paramo: lit. one for whom words are utmost.
12. Aṅguttaranikāyo, Catukkanipātapāḷ, Ugghaṭitaññūsuttaṃ, Puggalavaggo.