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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

A Question About States of Existence

SN 38.13 · Bhavapañhāsutta

A broad lotus leaf shedding small beads of water.

“Reverend Sāriputta, they speak of this thing called ‘continued existence’. What is continued existence?”

“Reverend, there are these three states of continued existence. Existence in the sensual realm, the realm of luminous form, and the formless realm. These are the three states of continued existence.”

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

“There is.” …

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.