Viyahapannatti 25.8

25.8.970

At Rājagṛha […] up to [Gautama] spoke thus: “Venerable Sir! How are inhabitants of hell born?”
“Gautama! Just as a leaping person, leaping by means of an action-method produced by volition, abandons that place in subsequent time and dwells having attained the forward place; even so do these souls too, leaping like a leaper, by means of an action-method produced by volition, abandon that existence in subsequent time and dwell having attained the forward existence.”
“Venerable Sir! Of those souls, how is the swift motion, how is the swift range of motion declared?”
“Gautama! Just as a certain young, strong man—thus as in the fourteenth śataka, first uddeśaka—up to they are born with a detour of up to three instants. Of those souls, such is the swift motion, such is the swift range of motion declared.”
“Venerable Sir! How do those souls produce lifespan for the next existence?”
“Gautama! By means of an action-method produced by mental effort and volition, thus indeed do those souls produce lifespan for the next existence.”
“Venerable Sir! How does the motion of those souls proceed?”
“Gautama! By the exhaustion of lifespan, by the exhaustion of existence, by the exhaustion of lifespan duration; thus indeed does the motion of those souls proceed.”
“Venerable Sir! Are those souls born by self-capacity, or are they born by other-capacity?”
“Gautama! They are born by self-capacity, not by other-capacity.”
“Venerable Sir! Are those souls born by their own karma, or are they born by other's karma?”
“Gautama! They are born by their own karma, not by other's karma.”
“Venerable Sir! Are those souls born by self-exertion, or are they born by other-exertion?”
“Gautama! They are born by self-exertion, not by other-exertion.”
“Venerable Sir! How are Asurakumāras born?”
“Just as inhabitants of hell, exactly so, entirely, up to they are not born by other-exertion. Thus, excluding one-sensed beings, up to celestial beings in abodes. One-sensed beings are likewise, with the difference: a detour of four instants. The rest is the same.”
“It is so, Venerable Sir! It is so, Venerable Sir!” up to [Gautama] dwells.