Brahmajāla Sutta

Theories About Partial Eternalism

"There are recluses and Brahmans, monks, who, upon four grounds, theorize that the soul and the world are partially eternal. What are the means and references that these honorable recluses and Brahmans use?

Monks, after a great length of time, this world-system will collapse. When that happens, beings are often reborn in the Ābhassara realm. They live there, mind-made, feeding on delight, enveloped by an aura of radiating light, moving through the air, existing in a glorious state. They remain there for a long time.

There comes a time, monks, when, this world-system begins to re-form. When this happens, Brahmā's palace appears, but it is barren. Then a being, due to death or loss of merit, falls from the Ābhassara realm and appears in Brahmā's palace. He lives there, feeding on delight, enveloped by an aura of radiating light, moving through the air, existing in a glorious state. He remains there for a long time.

After a great length of time, he becomes lonely and unhappy. He thinks: 'If only there were others living in this palace with me!' Suddenly, due to death or loss of merit, other beings fall from the Ābhassara realm and appear in Brahmā's palace.

Due to this experience, that first being who entered Brahmā's palace contemplates: 'I am Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Omniscient, the Highest Authority, the Lord, the Maker, the Creator, the Almighty, the Leader, the Elder, the Father of all that exists and will exist. I created these beings that appeared here. Why is that? That is because I thought: "If only there were other beings living in this palace with me!", and then these beings appeared.'

Likewise, those beings that appeared in the palace after Brahmā contemplate: 'This must be Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Omniscient, the Highest Authority, the Lord, the Maker, the Creator, the Almighty, the Leader, the Elder, the Father of all that exists and will exist. He created us. Why is that? That is because he was here first, and we came after him.'

It should be noted, monks, that the first being to appear there enjoys a longer life, is more glorious, and possesses greater power than those who appear after him. After some time, monks, one of those beings who came after the first falls from that palace and appears in this world. He might then leave the household life and become homeless. Living as a recluse, through ardor, endeavor, application, persistence and reflection, he attains such a degree of mental concentration that he remembers his previous life. He does not, however, remember any lives before it.

He reflects: 'That respected Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Omniscient, the Highest Authority, the Lord, the Maker, the Creator, the Almighty, the Leader, the Elder, the Father of all that exists and will exist; he is our creator, steadfast, eternal, and unchanging. He will remain for all eternity. It is we—those beings he created—that are impermanent, mutable, and limited in life.'

This, monks, is the first case on which some recluses and Brahmans theorize that the soul and the world are partially eternal.

What is the second case?

Monks, pleasure corrupts certain gods. They indulge in laughter and play and do so for a great length of time. Their pleasureful lifestyle corrupts them and they lose their ability for self-control. With the loss of their self-control, they fall from that state.

Having fallen from that state, monks, that pleasureful being appears in this world. He might then leave the household life and become homeless. Living as a recluse, through ardor, endeavor, application, persistence and reflection, he attains such a degree of mental concentration that he remembers his previous life. He does not, however, remember any lives before it.

He speculates: 'Responsible gods are steadfast, eternal, and unchanging. They will remain for all eternity. It is we, by having lost our self-control due to being corrupted by pleasure, who are impermanent, mutable, limited in life.'

This, monks, is the second case on which some recluses and Brahmans theorize that the soul and the world are partially eternal.

What is the third case?

Monks, envy corrupts certain gods. They live in a continuous state of jealousy and ill-will towards each other. Living in perpetual irritability corrupts them. As a result, their bodies and minds become feeble and they pass away from that state.

Having fallen from that state, monks, that envious being appears in this world. He might then leave the household life and become homeless. Living as a recluse, through ardor, endeavor, application, persistence and reflection, he attains such a degree of mental concentration that he remembers his previous life. He does not, however, remember any lives before it.

He assumes: 'Loving gods are steadfast, eternal, and unchanging. They will remain for all eternity. It is we—being so consumed by jealousy and anger that our minds and bodies became feeble—who are impermanent, mutable, limited in life.'

This, monks, is the third case on which some recluses and Brahmans theorize that the soul and the world are partially eternal.

What is the fourth case?

Monks, there are recluses and Brahmans who speculate using logic and reason. They theorize: 'The eye, ear, nose, tongue and body are impermanent, unstable, limited in duration and subject to change. However, the heart, mind and consciousness are permanent, steadfast, eternal, and unchanging. These will remain for all eternity.'

This, monks, is the fourth case on which some recluses and Brahmans theorize that the soul and the world are partially eternal.

These, monks, are those recluses and Brahmans who, upon four grounds, theorize that the soul and the world are partially eternal. Recluses and Brahmans who maintain this view do so only within the boundaries of these four cases.

Monks, the Tathāgata understands how these misguided theories were formulated. These are the Dhammas that an outsider, when speaking well of the Tathāgata, might speak."