V.THE GREAT SACRIFICE
44(1)Stations
"Bhikkhus,there are these seven stations for consciousness.
Vinnanatthitiyo.The word is used here in a different sense than at SN 22:54,III54,26,where the four vinnanatthitiyo are the four aggregates functioning as the supports for vinnana.In the present sutta they are planes of rebirth.Mp calls them"grounds for the rebirth consciousness"(patisandhivinnanassa thanani).The original meaning of the seven,as described here,is probably lost. Mp explains them against the background of the Abhidhamma distinction among types of rebirth consciousness,for which see CMA 179-80,210-19.What seven?
(1)"There are,bhikkhus,beings that are different in body and different in perception,such as humans,some devas,and some in the lower world.
This is the first station for consciousness.
Mp:"Human beings are different in body(nanattakayā)because there are no two people whose bodies are exactly alike.They are different in perception(nanattasainino)because in some cases their rebirth perception (patisandhisannā)has three roots, in others two roots,and in still others it is rootless.The devas mentioned are the six sense-sphere devas.The beings in the lower world are certain yakkhas and spirits outside the plane of misery."[40](2)"There are beings that are different in body but identical in perception,such as the devas of Brahmā's company that are reborn through the first [jhāna].
This is the second station for consciousness.
Mp:"These are the devas of Brahma's assembly,Brahma's ministers,and the great brahmās.Their bodies are different in pervasion according to their respective level,but their perception is the same because they all have the perception pertaining to the first jhāna.The beings in the four planes of misery also belong to this group.Their bodies are different,but they all have a [rebirth] perception that is a rootless unwholesome resultant."(3)"There are beings that are identical in body but different in perception,such as the devas of streaming radiance.
This is the third station for consciousness.
Mp takes"the devas of streaming radiance"(devā abhassara)to represent all three classes of devas pertaining to the second jhāna: those of limited radiance,measureless radiance,and streaming radiance.In each plane,their bodies are identical in that they all have the same pervasion(ekavippharo va),but their perception is different in that some are without thought but retain examination(avitakka-vicaramatta),while others are without thought and examination (avitakka-avicara).(4)"There are beings that are identical in body and identical in perception,such as the devas of refulgent glory.
This is the fourth station for consciousness.
Mp:"The devas of refulgent glory(subhakinha)are identical in body,and also identical in perception because they all have the perception pertaining to the fourth jhāna(in the Abhidhamma. scheme of five jhanas).The devas of great fruit(who are reborn through the fifth jhāna of the fivefold scheme)fall under the fourth station of consciousness.The non-percipient beings do not have consciousness and thus are not included."(5)"There are beings that,with the complete surmounting of perceptions of forms,with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement,with non-attention to perceptions of diversity,[perceiving]'space is infinite,'belong to the base of the infinity of space.
This is the fifth station for consciousness.
(6)"There are beings that,by completely surmounting the base of the infinity of space,[perceiving]'consciousness is infinite,'belong to the base of the infinity of consciousness.
This is the sixth station for consciousness.
(7)"There are beings that,by completely surmounting the base of the infirity of consciousness,[perceiving]'there is nothing,belong to the base of nothingness.
This is the seventh station for consciousness.
"These,bhikkhus,are the seven stations for consciousness."
The non-percipient devas and the devas of the base of neither- perception-nor-non-perception are'included among the nine abodes of beings (see 9:24)·but not among the stations of consciousness.