Part 12 - On celestial positions

Q. 108. Bhante! When assigned to higher spheres, where are the following reborn: the unrestrained would-be celestial beings; the restrained pure, (i.e., one without any lapse, or one who has healed up lapse, if any); the restrained impure (who cares not to heal up the lapse); the restrained-unrestrained pure; the restrained-unrestrained impure; living beings without mind; tāpasas, kāndarpikas, caraka-paribrājakas, kilbiṣikas, tiryakas, ājīvikas, ābhiyogikas; and any other wearing the external marks of a monk⁷⁰?

A. 108. Gautama! The unrestrained would-be celestial beings are, at the lowest, born among the Bhavanavāsis, and, at the highest, in the Graiveyaka-vimānas: the restrained pure are, at the lowest, born in the Saudharma-kalpa, and, at the highest, in the Sarbārthasiddha-vimāna; the restrained impure are, at the lowest, born among the Bhavanavāsis, and, at the highest, in the Saudharma-kalpa; the restrained-unrestrained pure are, at the lowest, born in the Saudharma-kalpa, and, at the highest, in the Acyuta-kalpa; the restrained-unrestrained impure are, at the lowest, born among the Bhavanavāsis, and, at the highest, among the Jyotiṣkas; living beings without mind are, at the lowest, born among the Bhavanavāsis, and, at the highest, among the Vaṇavyantaras; the rest are, at the lowest, born among the Bhavanavāsis, and, at the highest, as follows: the tāpasas among the Jyotiṣkas, the kāndarpikas in the Saudharma-kalpa, the caraka-paribrājakas in the Brahmaloka, the kilbiṣakas in the Lāntaka-kalpa, the tiryakas in the Sahasrāra-kalpa, the ājīvikas and the ābhiyogikas in the Acyuta-kalpa, and the rest in the upper vimānas⁷¹.

Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):

70. Though not so indicated, it may be possible to draw a line at the end of the first four categories who are in the Jaina path and who perform some form and certain amount of restraint; but the remaining ones are heretics and practise no restraint,

71. For the convenience of the readers, the arrangement of lower and upper spheres is indicated below:

Upper Sphere (top-to-bottom): Siddhaśīlā, 5 Anuttaras, 9 Graibeyakas, Acyuta, Āraṇa, Prāṇata, Ānata, Sahasrāra, Śatāra, Mahāśukra, Śukra, Kāpiṣṭha, Lāntaka, Brahmottara, Brahmaloka, Māhendra, Sānatkumāra, Aiśāna, Saudharma, Jyotiṣkas.

[Central Sphere]

Lower Sphere: Ratnaprabhā, Śarkarāprabhā, Vālukāprabhā, Paṅkaprabhā, Dhūmaprabhā, Tamaḥprabhā, Mahātamaḥprabhā.