The Buddha teaches a repeated formula on how doing both kinds of deeds, hearing of the womb-born, moisture-born and spontaneously-born phoenixes, aspiring to their rebirth, and giving generously leads to rebirth in their company, applied across this grouped discourse.

SN 30.4-6 Both Kinds of Deeds (2nd–4th)

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā jalābujānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ …pe… saṁsedajānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ …pe… opapātikānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?

“Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena dvayakārī hoti, vācāya dvayakārī, manasā dvayakārī. Tassa sutaṁ hoti: ‘opapātikā supaṇṇā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: ‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti. So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā jalābujānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ …pe…

“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why someone, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of the womb-born phoenixes …”

saṁsedajānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ …pe…

“… moisture-born phoenixes …”

opapātikānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti?

“… or spontaneously-born phoenixes?”

“Idha, bhikkhu, ekacco kāyena dvayakārī hoti, vācāya dvayakārī, manasā dvayakārī.

“Mendicant, it’s when someone does both kinds of deeds by body, speech, and mind.

Tassa sutaṁ hoti:

And they’ve heard:

‘opapātikā supaṇṇā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā’ti.

‘The spontaneously-born phoenixes are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

They think:

‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti.

‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the spontaneously-born phoenixes!’

So kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the spontaneously-born phoenixes.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo, yena midhekacco kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā opapātikānaṁ supaṇṇānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjatī”ti.

This is the cause, this is the reason why someone, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in the company of the spontaneously-born phoenixes.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Qualities:

Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026