“Poṭṭhapāda, there are these three kinds of reincarnation: a substantial reincarnation, a mind-made reincarnation, and a non-physical reincarnation. And what is a substantial reincarnation? It is physical, made up of the four primary elements, and consumes solid food. What is a mind-made reincarnation? It is physical, mind-made, complete in all its various parts, not deficient in any faculty. What is a non-physical reincarnation? It is non-physical, made of perception.

I teach the Dhamma for the giving up of these three kinds of reincarnation: ‘When you practice accordingly, corrupting qualities will be given up in you and cleansing qualities will grow. You’ll enter and remain in the fullness and abundance of wisdom, having realized it with your own insight in this very life.’ Poṭṭhapāda, you might think: ‘Corrupting qualities will be given up and cleansing qualities will grow. One will enter and remain in the fullness and abundance of wisdom, having realized it with one’s own insight in this very life. But such a life is suffering.’ But you should not see it like this. Corrupting qualities will be given up and cleansing qualities will grow. One will enter and remain in the fullness and abundance of wisdom, having realized it with one’s own insight in this very life. And there will be only joy and happiness, tranquility, mindfulness and awareness. Such a life is blissful.

If others should ask us, ‘But reverends, what is that substantial reincarnation?’ We’d answer like this, ‘This is that substantial reincarnation.’

If others should ask us, ‘But reverends, what is that mind-made reincarnation?’ We’d answer like this, ‘This is that mind-made reincarnation.’

If others should ask us, ‘But reverends, what is that non-physical reincarnation?’ We’d answer like this, ‘This is that non-physical reincarnation.’

What do you think, Poṭṭhapāda? This being so, doesn’t that statement turn out to have a demonstrable basis?”

“Clearly that’s the case, sir.”

“Suppose a man were to build a ladder for climbing up to a stilt longhouse right underneath that longhouse. They’d say to him, ‘Mister, that stilt longhouse that you’re building a ladder for—do you know whether it’s to the north, south, east, or west? Or whether it’s tall or short or medium?’ He’d say, ‘This is that stilt longhouse for which I’m building a ladder, right underneath it.’

What do you think, Poṭṭhapāda? This being so, doesn’t that man’s statement turn out to have a demonstrable basis?”

“Clearly that’s the case, sir.”

When the Buddha had spoken, Citta Hatthisāriputta said, “Sir, while in a substantial reincarnation, are the mind-made and non-physical reincarnations fictitious, and only the substantial reincarnation real? While in a mind-made reincarnation, are the substantial and non-physical reincarnations fictitious, and only the mind-made reincarnation real? While in a non-physical reincarnation, are the substantial and mind-made reincarnations fictitious, and only the non-physical reincarnation real?”

“While in a substantial reincarnation, it’s not referred to as a mind-made or non-physical reincarnation, only as a substantial reincarnation. While in a mind-made reincarnation, it’s not referred to as a substantial or non-physical reincarnation, only as a mind-made reincarnation. While in a non-physical reincarnation, it’s not referred to as a substantial or mind-made reincarnation, only as a non-physical reincarnation.

Citta, suppose they were to ask you, ‘Did you exist in the past? Will you exist in the future? Do you exist now?’ How would you answer?”

“Sir, if they were to ask me this, I’d answer like this, ‘I existed in the past. I will exist in the future. I exist now.’ That’s how I’d answer.”

“But Citta, suppose they were to ask you, ‘Is the reincarnation you had in the past your only real one, and those of the future and present fictitious? Is the reincarnation you will have in the future your only real one, and those of the past and present fictitious? Is the reincarnation you have now your only real one, and those of the past and future fictitious?’ How would you answer?”

“Sir, if they were to ask me this, I’d answer like this, ‘The reincarnation I had in the past was real at that time, and those of the future and present fictitious. The reincarnation I will have in the future will be real at the time, and those of the past and present fictitious. The reincarnation I have now is real at this time, and those of the past and future fictitious.’ That’s how I’d answer.”

“In the same way, while in any one of the three reincarnations, it’s not referred to as the other two, only under its own name.

From a cow comes milk, from milk comes curds, from curds come butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes cream of ghee. And the cream of ghee is said to be the best of these. While it’s milk, it’s not referred to as curds, butter, ghee, or cream of ghee. It’s only referred to as milk. While it’s curd or butter or ghee or cream of ghee, it’s not referred to as anything else, only under its own name. In the same way, while in any one of the three reincarnations, it’s not referred to as the other two, only under its own name. These are the world’s usages, terms, expressions, and descriptions, which the Realized One uses without misapprehending them.”

When he had spoken, the wanderer Poṭṭhapāda said to the Buddha, “Excellent, sir! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes can see what’s there, so too the Buddha has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”