Part 9 - On tinges (leśyā)

Q. 97. Bhante! Do all the tinged infernal beings have the same intake?

A. 97. Infernal beings in general, tinged infernal beings and those with white tinge, these three form one group; those with black tinge and with deep blue tinge form one group, with this difference in their suffering that some are born with deceit and wrong outlook, while others are born without deceit and with right outlook. As to activities, the distinction between restrained with attachment and restrained without attachment, careless restraiṇed and careful restrained, as applied to human beings, is not to be stated (about infernal beings with black and deep blue tinges, which means that infernal beings with black and deep blue tinges are never restrained without attachment but are restrained with attachment, never careful restrained but careless restrained). Those with ash tinge form a group, with this characteristic that these are to be stated to be similar to the infernal beings in general. Those with red and lotus tinges are to be stated to be similar to infernal beings in general. The difference is that the distinction between those with attachment and those without attachment, as in case of human beings is not applicable here (since infernal beings are all invariably with, attachment).

Couplet:

Misery and span of life are experienced as they arise
As to intake, karma, colour and tinge,
As to identity of suffering, of activities, of life-span
These are to be taken as same with what is aforesaid.

Q. 98. Bhante! How many tinges have been stated?

A. 98. Gautama! Six tinges have been stated. They are to be looked up in chapter two (of the Paṇṇavaṇā Sūtra⁶³), which states these to be black, blue ash, red, lotus/pink and white,...till (what is stated about the tinge) of the fortunate (which is white)⁶⁴.

Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):

63. The details in the Paṇṇavaṇā Sutra are as follows:

infernal beings—black, blue ash;
non-human beings—black, blue, ash, red, pink, white;
earth-, water- and flora-bodies—black, blue, ash, red;
fire- and air-bodies—black, blue, ash;
two-, three- and four-organ beings—black, blue, ash;
five-organ non-human beings—black, blue, ash, red, pink, white;
human beings—black, blue, ash, red, pink, white;
Bhavanapatis and Vāṇavyantaras—black, blue, ash, red; Jyotiṣkas—red;
denigens of first and second heavens—red;
denigens of third, fourth and fifth heavens—pink;
denigens beyond fifth heaven—white.

64. As to fortune, the Paṇṇavaṇā Sūtra states as follows: the top-most position is held by those with white tinge, and then the fortune diminishes by degrees, till the lowest position, with minimum fortune, which is held by those with black tinge. Or, reversing the order, as one goes higher up from the black-tinged ones, fortune increases by degrees, till it is the highest for the white-tinged ones.