Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

Subjects of Meditation223to remember [444] his past beginning with one life, he is exceedingly glad.Having found out the way he should not recall to mind his states of existencein the animal world and in the formless realm, and, because of inconscience,births in the plane of the unconscious deities. In this the Venerable ElderSobhita is most excellent. 1The knowledge of the recollection of past lives proceeds in seven objects.They are limited, lofty, immeasurable, past, internal, external and internalexternal.2His lot in the past, the country and the village should be recalled to mind. 3To remember the past is knowledge of the recollection of past lives. Toremember the continuity of aggregates through knowledge is knowledgeof the recollection of past lives. Outsiders remember forty aeons. Theycannot remember more than that, because of their feebleness. The noblehearers remember ten thousand aeons; more than this, the chief hearers;more than this, the Silent Buddhas; and more than this, the Tathagatas,the Supremely Enlightened Ones, who are able to recall to mind their ownand others' previous lives, activities, spheres and all else. 4 The rest rememberonly their own previous lives and a few of the previous lives of others. TheSupremely Enlightened Ones recall to mind everything they wish to recall.Others recall gradually. The Supremely Enlightened Ones, either through1. A. I, 25: Etad aggam bhikkhave mama sdvakanam bhikkhunam pubbenivdsam annussarantanamyadidam Sobhito.2. Cp. Vis. Mag. 433: Pubbenivdsahdnam paritta-mahaggata-appamdna-magga-atita-ajjhattabahiddhana vattabbdrammanavasena atthasu drammanesu pavattati.3. D. I, 81-2; M. II, 20-1: Seyyathapi, Uddyi, puriso sakamhd gdmd ahham gdmam gaccheyya,tarhha pi gdmd ahham gdmam gaccheyya, so tamhd gdmd sakam yeva gdmam paccagaccheyya;tassa evam assa:— Aham kho sakamhd gdmd amum gdmam dgahchim, tatra evamatthasim evam nisidim evam abhasim evam tunhi ahosim, tamhd pi gdmd amum gdmamdgahchim, tatrdpi evam atthasim evam nisidim evam abhasim evam tunhi ahosim, so 9 mhitamhd gdmd sakam yeva gdmam paccagato ti. Evam eva kho, Uddyi, akkhdtd mayasdvakanam patipadd, yatha patipannd me sdvakd anekavihitam pubbenivdsam anussaranti,seyyathidam: ekam pi jdtim... pe ... Tatra ca pana me sdvakd bahu abhihhdvosdnapdramippattaviharanti.4. Cp. S. II, 190-92: Bhutapubbam bhikkhave imissa Vepullassa pabbatassa Pdcinavarhsotveva samahhd udapadi. Tena kho pana bhikkhave samayena manussanam Tivard tvevasamahhd udapadi. Tivardnam bhikkhave manussanam cattarisam vassasahassani dyuppamdnarhahosi. Tivard bhikkhave manussa Pdcinavamsam pabbatam catuhena drohanticatuhena orohanti.Tena kho pana bhikkhave samayena Kakusandho bhagavd araham sammdsambuddholoke uppanno hoti... pe ...Bhutapubbam bhikkhave imassa Vepullassa pabbatassa Vahkako tveva samahhdudapadi. Tena kho pana bhikkave samayena manussanam Rohitassa tveva samahhdudapadi. Rohitassanam bhikkhave manussanam timsavassasahassani dyuppamdnam ahosi.Rohitassa bhikkhave manussa Vahkakam pabbatam tihena drohanti tihena orohanti.Tena kho pana bhikkhave samayena Kondgamano bhagavd araham sammdsambuddhouppanno hoti... pe ...Bhutapubbam bhikkhave imassa Vepullassa pabbatassa Supasso tveva samahhd udapadi.Tena kho pana bhikkhave samayena manussanam Suppiya tveva samahhd udapadi.Suppiyanam bhikkhave manussanam visativassasahassani dyuppamdnam ahosi. Suppiyabhikkhave manussa Supassam pabbatam dvihena drohanti dvihena orohanti.Tena kho pana bhikkhave samayena Kassapo bhagavd araham sammdsambuddho lokeuppanno hoti... pe ...Etarahi kho pana bhikkhave imassa Vepullassa pabbatassa Vepullo tveva samahhdudapadi. Etarahi kho pana bhikkhave imesam manussanam Mdgadhakd tveva samahhdudapadi. Mdgadhakdnam bhikkhave manussanam appakam dyuppamdnam parittam