The Buddha teaches the four noble truths regarding dying as ghosts and reborn as ghosts—suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice leading to its cessation.

SN 56.131 Dying as Ghosts and Reborn as Ghosts

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakā te sattā ye pettivisayā cutā devesu paccājāyanti; atha kho eteva bahutarā sattā ye pettivisayā cutā pettivisaye paccājāyanti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Adiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhasamudayassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhanirodhassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yogo karaṇīyo, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yogo karaṇīyo, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Tiṁsatimaṁ.

Pañcagatipeyyālavaggo ekādasamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Manussato cutā chāpi,
devā cutā nirayato;
Tiracchānapettivisayā,
tiṁsamatto gativaggoti.

Saccasaṁyuttaṁ dvādasamaṁ.

Mahāvaggo pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Maggabojjhaṅgaṁ satiyā,
indriyaṁ sammappadhānaṁ;
Baliddhipādānuruddhā,
jhānānāpānasaṁyutaṁ;
Sotāpatti saccañcāti,
mahāvaggoti vuccatīti.

Mahāvaggasaṁyuttapāḷi niṭṭhitā.

Saṁyuttanikāyo samatto.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakā te sattā ye pettivisayā cutā devesu paccājāyanti; atha kho eteva bahutarā sattā ye pettivisayā cutā pettivisaye paccājāyanti.

“… the sentient beings who die as ghosts and are reborn as gods are few, while those who die as ghosts and are reborn in the ghost realm are many.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Adiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ.

It’s because they haven’t seen the four noble truths.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

What four?

Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhasamudayassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhanirodhassa ariyasaccassa, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.

The noble truths of suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yogo karaṇīyo, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yogo karaṇīyo, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.

That’s why you should practice meditation to understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

Tiṁsatimaṁ.

Pañcagatipeyyālavaggo ekādasamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Manussato cutā chāpi,

devā cutā nirayato;

Tiracchānapettivisayā,

tiṁsamatto gativaggoti.

Saccasaṁyuttaṁ dvādasamaṁ.

The Linked Discourses on the Truths, the twelfth section.

Mahāvaggo pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Maggabojjhaṅgaṁ satiyā,

indriyaṁ sammappadhānaṁ;

Baliddhipādānuruddhā,

jhānānāpānasaṁyutaṁ;

Sotāpatti saccañcāti,

mahāvaggoti vuccatīti.

Mahāvaggasaṁyuttapāḷi niṭṭhitā.

The Great Book is finished.

Saṁyuttanikāyo samatto.

The Linked Discourses are complete.

Topics & Qualities:

Cultivation

Cultivation

The active practice of 'bringing into being' wholesome states. It is the deliberate nurturing of the bright state of mind.

Also known as: development, improvement, meditation, nurturing, growth
Pāli: bhāvanā
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
View all discourses →
Jhana

Jhana

An abiding with a steady, collected awareness that is attained through seclusion from the five hindrances and unwholesome mental states. When supported by right view, a jhāna can be a basis for the wearing away of taints and directing the mind toward the vision of Nibbāna.

Also known as: meditation, undistracted awareness, absorption, mental absorption
Pāli: jhāna, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
View all discourses →
Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026