Part 2 - Nine sections on matter consciously transformed

Section (Daṇḍaka) One: General classification:

Q. 2. Bhante! How many types of consciously transformed matter are there?

A. 2. Gautama! They are stated to be of five types, viz., matter transformed as the body of one-organ beings, of two-organ beings, till of five-organ beings.

Q. 3. Bhante! How many types of consciously transformed matter are there in the case of one-organ beings?

A. 3. Gautama! They are stated to be of five types, viz., of earth bodies, till of plants.

Q. 4. Bhante! How many types of consciously transformed matter are there in the case of one-organ earth bodies?

A. 4. Gautama! Two types, viz., fine and coarse. Like this, two types for one-organ water bodies, fine and coarse, till two types for one-organ flora.

Q. 5. And how about two-organ beings?

A. 5. Gautama! They are stated to be of many types; and like this of three-organ beings, as well as four-organ beings.

Q. 6. And how about five-organ beings?

A. 6. Gautama! They are stated to be of four types, viz., of infernal beings, of heavenly beings, of sub-human beings (animal) and of human beings.

Q. 7. And how about the consciously transformed matter in the case of five-organ infernal beings?

A. 7. Gautama! They are stated to be of seven types, corresponding to the seven hells, Ratnaprabhā and others, in which they are lodged, till the lowest and last hell.

Q. 8. And, pray, what about the five-organ sub-humans (animals)?

A. 8. Gautama! They are stated to be of three types depending on whether they live in water, on the soil or in the sky.

Q. 9. And how about animals living in water?

A. 9. Gautama! Two types, viz., those born without mating and those born from the mother’s womb.

Q. 10. And of those living on the soil?

A. 10. Gautama! Two types, viz., the quadrupeds and the reptiles.

Q. 11. And how about the quadrupeds?

A. 11. Gautama! Two types, viz., those born without mating and those born from the mother’s womb. So are the reptiles stated to be of two types, viz., those crawling on the belly and those crawling on the arms. Those crawling on the belly may be born either without mating or from the mother’s womb. Similar two types with those who crawl on the arms and also of those who live in the air.

Q. 12. And what about the consciously transformed matter in the case of five-organ human beings?

A. 12. Gautama! Two types, viz., those born without mating and those born from the mother’s womb.

Q. 13. And what about five-organ heavenly beings (gods)?

A. 13. Gautama! They are stated to be of four types, viz., in the case of the Bhavanavāsis, till of the Vaimānikas.

Q. 14. And how about the Bhavanavāsis?

A. 14. Gautama! Ten types, viz, of Asurakumāras, till of Stanitakumāras. And in the same manner, of the eight types of Vāṇavyantaras, from Piśācas, till Gandharvas. And so of the five types of the Jyotiṣkas, viz., of the moons till of the stars. And so of the two types of Vaimānikas, viz., those born within the kalpas and those born beyond the kalpas. And so of the twelve types born within the kalpas, viz., of those in Saudharmakalpa, till Acyutakalpa. And so of the two types born beyond the kalpas, viz., of those in Graiveyaka vimānas and of those in Anuttaraupapātika vimānas. And so of the nine types lodged at Graiveyaka vimānas, from the lowest, till the highest of Graiveyaka vimānas,

Q. 15. Bhante! How many types have been stated to be the consciously transformed matter in the case of five-organ heavenly beings lodged at. Anuttaraupapātika vimānas?

A. 15 Gautama! Five types depending on the place of lodgement, from Vijaya, till Sarvārthasiddha.

Section (Daṇḍaka) Two: with or without attainments:

Q. 16. Bhante! How many types are the consciously transformed matter in the case of fine one-organ earth bodies?

A. 16. Gautama! Two types, viz., those with full attainments and those without full attainments. (Some place the latter first.) Like this, of the coarse one-organ earth bodies, till plant life. State, as necessary, coarse or fine, with or without full attainments.

Q. 17. And how about the two-organ beings?

A. 17. Gautama! Two types, viz., those with full attainments and those without. And likewise with the three-organ beings and also with the four-organ beings.

A. 18. Gautama! The same two, with and without full attainments, and the same holds, till the seventh hell.

Q. 19. And what about the aquatics born without mating?

A. 19. Gautama! The same two, with and without full attainments; and so of the quadrupeds living on the soil and born one way or the other, till sub-human beings living in the air born one way or the other. For each species, state whether with or without full attainments.

Q. 20. And what about the five-organ human beings born without mating?

A. 20. Gautama? They are stated to be of one type, which is, without full attainments.

Q. 21. And what about the five-organ human beings born from the mother’s womb?

A. 21. Gautama! Two types, viz., with and without full attainments.

Q. 22 And what about Asurakumāras and the denizens of other bhavanas?

A. 22. Gautama! Two types, viz., with and without full attainments, till Stanitakumāras; and the same two types for Piśācas, till Gandharvas; the moons, till the stars; the denizens of Saudharmakalpa, till Acyutakalpa; the denizens of Graiveyakas, from the lowest, till the highest; the denizens of Vijaya, till Aparājita.

Q. 23. And what about those lodged at Sarvārthasiddha?

A. 23. Gautama! The same two types, with and without full attainments.

Section (Daṇḍaka) Three: on body types:

Consciously transformed matter found in fine one-organ earth bodies without full attainments takes gross, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies. Consciously transformed matter found in the fine one-organ earth bodies with full attainments takes the form of gross, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies. This holds, till the four-organ beings, exception being the coarse one-organ air bodies which take gross, fluid, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies[?]. The rest as aforesaid. Consciously transformed matter found in the five-organ infernal beings of Ratṇaprabhā hell who are without full attainments takes fluid, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies. And so also those with full attainments, and so in all the seven hells. Consciously transformed matter in the case of the aquatics born without mating who are without full attainments takes gross, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies; and the same holds of aquatics born without mating who are with full attainments; and also of aquatics born from the mother’s womb, without full attainments, exception being aquatics born from the mother’s womb and with full attainments, who, like birds flying in the air, take four body forms. Like the last item, the quadrupeds, the reptiles crawling on their breast, those crawling on their arms and aerial (flying) animals, all take four body forms. Consciously transformed matter found in the five-organ human beings born without mating, with or without full attainments, takes gross, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies; so also those born from the mother’s womb and without full attainments; but those with full attainments take five body forms. What has been said of the infernal beings should be repeated for the heavenly beings, from Asurakumāras, till Stanitakumāras, with as well as without full attainments; the Piśācas, till the Vyantaras, the moons, till the stars, the denizens of Saudharmakalpa, till Sarvārthasiddha, with as well as without full attainments, all of them take fluid, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies.

Section (Daṇḍaka) Four: regarding sense organs:

Consciously transformed matter taking the form of fine one-organ earth bodies without full attainments has only the organ of touch; and the same holds of those with full attainments, fine as well as coarse, and repeat the same for all one-organ beings, till plant life, all of which have only the organ of touch. Consciously transformed matter taking the form of two-organ beings, with as well as without full attainments, has the organs of touch and taste. Repeat this, till four-organ beings, adding one more organ of sense from one to the next higher species, (smell and sight). The denizens of Ratnaprabhā hell, with as well as without full attainments, have all the five organs, including the organ of hearing; and the same holds of animals, human beings and heavenly beings, till of those lodged at Sarvārthasiddha, all of whom are with full attainments, and endowed with all the five organs, from touch, till hearing.

Section (Daṇḍaka) Five: regarding body and sense organs:

Consciously transformed matter of fine earth bodies, who are without full attainments, and who take gross, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies, is endowed only with the organ of touch. the same applies to fine earth bodies who have full attainments and gross, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies. This should be repeated for coarse earth bodies, with as well as without full attainments; and for all beings, stating the number of bodies that they take and the number of sense organs they are endowed with; and repeat this in due order, till the denizens of Sarvārthasiddha, with full attainments, who take fluid, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies and who are endowed with five sense organs, from touch, till hearing.

Section (Daṇḍaka) Six: on colour, till body structure:

Consciously transformed matter taking the form of fine one-organ earth bodies without full attainments may be black, blue, red, yellow or white in hue; fragrant or foul in smell; hot, bitter, pungent, sour or sweet in taste; hard, soft, cold, hot, heavy, light, rough or smooth in touch; and surface-like (flat), circular, triangular, square or rectangular in shape. Repeat the same for fine one-organ earth bodies with full attainments, and continue in due order, till the denizens of Sarvārthasiddha, with full attainments, starting with black in hue, till rectangular in shape.

Section (Daṇḍaka) Seven: on body and colour:

Consciously transformed matter taking the form of fine one-organ earth bodies who are without full attainments, and who take gross, fiery and kārman bodies, may be black in hue, till rectangular in shape. Repeat the same for fine one-organ earth bodies who have full attainments and who take gross, fiery and kārman bodies. State as many body-types in each case as there really are, and repeal the same, till Sarvārthasiddha Anuttaraupapātika gods, with full attainments, starting with black in hue, till rectangular in shape.

Section (Daṇḍaka) Eight: on sense organs and colour:

Consciously transformed matter taking the form of fine one-organ earth bodies who are without full attainments, and who are endowed with the organ of touch, may be black in hue, till rectangular in structure. Repeat the same for fine one-organ earth bodies who have full attainments, and continue in due order stating as many organs as may be relevant, and repeat the same, till Sarvārthasiddha Anuttara-upapātika gods, with full attainments, who may be black in hue, till rectangular in shape.

Section (Daṇḍaka) Nine: on body, sense organs and colour:

Consciously transformed matter taking the form of fine one-organ earth bodies who are without full attainments, who take gross, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies, and who are equipped with the organ of touch, may be black in hue, till rectangular in structure. Repeat the same for fine one-organ earth bodies who have full attainments, who take gross, fiery and kārmaṇ bodies and who are equipped with the organ of touch, and proceed in that order stating as many body-types and sense-organs in each case as may be relevant, till Sarvārthasiddha Anuttaraupapātika gods, with full attainments, who may be black in hue, till rectangular in shape.

Such are the Nine Daṇḍakas.

Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):

Q. 2-23. Nine sections are given to matter consciously transformed. Section one deals with matter consciously transformed in the case of one to five-organ beings. Section two deals with their attainments. Section three deals with body form. Section four deals with their organs of senses. Section five deals with body form and sense organs together. Section six deals with colour, smell, taste, touch and shape. Section seven brings together body form and colour, smell, taste, touch and shape. Section eight brings together the organs of senses and colour, smell, taste, touch and shape.