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332
Bhagavati Sūtra
or human existence, and the time taken in transit to reach the hell added to the life in the hell is the total life-span in the hell for that infernal being.
The discussion about the infernal beings is followed by a discussion on knowledge.
Q. Bhante ! How many types of knowledge does a soul with black tinge possess ?
A. Gautama ! He may possess two, viz., mati and śruta, or three, viz., mati, śruta and avadhi, or four, viz., mati, śruta, avadhi and manaḥ-paryāya.
3. The discussion in the Pannavaņā Sūtra is as follows :
Q. Bhante ! Does black tinge, by acquiring blue tinge, alter itself into the latter's shape, colour, smell, substance and touch ?
A. Gautama ! Black alters, ... till touch.
tinge, by
acquiring
blue tinge,
The implication is that if a soul with black tinge acquires blue tinge before it quits a body, then it is born with blue tinge. As it has been said,
jallesaiṁ davväis pariyāittā kālas karei tallese uvavajjai
[The soul acquires at birth a tinge which it took before death.]
Q. Bhante ! (As you say), by acquiring blue tinge, the black tinge assumes the former's shape, ... till touch. What is the reason for this ?
A. Gautama ! Just as milk which is sweet, when mixed with butter-milk, acquires the shape, colour, smell, substance and touch of the latter, in the same way, the black tinge assumes the shape, etc., of the blue tinge when mixed with
it.
