ལས་རྣམ་པར་འབྱད་པ 10

10

pride; arrogance;¹¹⁹ the pride of identification with a self;¹²⁰ the pride of inferiority;¹²¹ dedicating the roots of virtue of one’s positive actions to rebirth in the world of the asuras;¹²² and following an immoral course of conduct yet in an intelligent manner that springs from refined desire—this kind of action leads to rebirth in the realm of the asuras.

“What kind of action leads to rebirth as a human? Here, one cultivates the ten virtuous courses of action. What are the ten? One abandons the ten nonvirtuous actions: the three physical actions of killing, stealing,¹²³ and sexual misconduct; the four verbal actions of lying, slander, harsh speech, and idle talk; and, furthermore, the three mental actions of covetousness,¹²⁴ malice, and wrong views.¹²⁵ This kind of action leads to rebirth as a human.

“What kind of action leads to rebirth as a deva belonging to the realm of sensuous desire?¹²⁶ Here, someone practices well, and brings to perfection, the ten virtuous courses of action—this kind of action leads to rebirth as a deva belonging to the realm of sensuous desire.

“What kind of action leads to rebirth as a deva belonging to the realm of form? Someone practices well the ten virtuous courses of action, accomplishes them, and brings them to perfection to an especially superior degree—this kind of action leads to rebirth as a deva belonging to the realm of form.

“What kind of action leads to rebirth as a deva belonging to the formless realm? One enters the four attainments of the formless states and, having entirely and completely transcended all notions of form, and the notion of materiality having vanished, through disengaging the mind from the notion of distinctness, thinking, ‘Space is infinite,’¹²⁷ one has perfected the sphere of infinity of space and abides in it.¹²⁸ Having entirely and completely transcended the sphere of infinity of space,