Venerable Sāriputta answers the wanderer Jambukhādaka on a question about states of existence, explaining the Dhamma and the practice that leads to extinguishment.

SN 38.13 A Question About States of Existence

“‘Bhavo, bhavo’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati. Katamo nu kho, āvuso, bhavo”ti?

“Tayome, āvuso, bhavā. Kāmabhavo, rūpabhavo, arūpabhavo ime kho, āvuso, tayo bhavā”ti.

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti?

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti.

“Katamo, panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti? “Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāya, seyyathidaṁ sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti. “Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāya. Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Terasamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“‘Bhavo, bhavo’ti, āvuso sāriputta, vuccati.

“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘continued existence’.

Katamo nu kho, āvuso, bhavo”ti?

What is continued existence?”

“Tayome, āvuso, bhavā.

“Reverend, there are these three states of continued existence.

Kāmabhavo, rūpabhavo, arūpabhavo

Existence in the sensual realm, the realm of luminous form, and the formless realm.

ime kho, āvuso, tayo bhavā”ti.

These are the three states of continued existence.”

“Atthi panāvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti?

“But, reverend, is there a path and a practice for completely understanding these three states of existence?”

“Atthi kho, āvuso, maggo atthi paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti.

“There is.” …

“Katamo, panāvuso, maggo katamā paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti?

“Ayameva kho, āvuso, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāya, seyyathidaṁ

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāyā”ti.

“Bhaddako, āvuso, maggo bhaddikā paṭipadā, etesaṁ bhavānaṁ pariññāya.

Alañca panāvuso sāriputta, appamādāyā”ti.

Terasamaṁ.

Qualities:

Formless

Formless

A meditative domain that transcends all perception of material form, progressing through the bases of infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither-perception-nor-non-perception. These states represent refined levels of collectedness beyond attachment to physical phenomena.

Also known as: immaterial, surpassing forms
Pāli: arūpa
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026