Dighanikaya 30.201

30.201

Purimaṃ jātintiādīsu pubbe nivutthakkhandhā jātavasena ‘‘jātī’’ti vuttā. Tathā bhavanavasena ‘‘bhavo’’ti, nivutthavasena ālayaṭṭhena vā ‘‘niketo’’ti. Tiṇṇampi padānaṃ pubbe nivutthakkhandhasantāne ṭhitoti attho. Idāni yasmā taṃ khandhasantānaṃ devalokādīsupi vattati. Lakkhaṇanibbattanasamatthaṃ pana kusalakammaṃ tattha na sukaraṃ, manussabhūtasseva sukaraṃ. Tasmā yathābhūtena yaṃ kammaṃ kataṃ, taṃ dassento pubbe manussabhūto samānoti āha. Akāraṇaṃ vā etaṃ. Hatthiassamigamahiṃsavānarādibhūtopi mahāpuriso pāramiyo pūretiyeva. Yasmā pana evarūpe attabhāve ṭhitena katakammaṃ na sakkā sukhena dīpetuṃ, manussabhāve ṭhitena katakammaṃ pana sakkā sukhena dīpetuṃ. Tasmā ‘‘pubbe manussabhūto samāno’’ti āha.

In the words, "a previous life" and so forth, the aggregates inhabited previously are called a "birth" on account of rebirth. So too they are a "becoming" on account of existing, or an "abode" on account of being inhabited, or in the sense of a dwelling. The meaning of all three words is: established in the continuity of aggregates inhabited previously. Now, because that continuity of aggregates also proceeds in the deva worlds and the like, but wholesome kamma capable of producing a mark is not easily done there, and is only easily done by one who has become a human being—therefore, showing what kamma was done according to what he had become, he said: "having previously been a human being." Or this is without special purpose: even when having become an elephant, a horse, a deer, a buffalo, a monkey, or the like, the Great Man certainly fulfills the perfections. But because kamma done while established in such a physical existence cannot easily be explained, whereas kamma done while established in a human state can easily be explained, he therefore said: "having previously been a human being."