Life-continuum, rebirth-linking and death

The life-continuum: a stream that never stops

“Bhavaṅga” comes from bhava (existence, life) + aṅga (factor, cause): “factor of existence”, the consciousness that keeps the stream of life from breaking. It arises when there is no cognitive process, as in deep dreamless sleep, and it fills the gaps between all the cognitive processes of daily life.

Because the life-continuum is resultant consciousness, it is neither wholesome nor unwholesome, and it takes no new object through any door; it keeps the object carried over from rebirth-linking. The Aṅguttara commentary explains the “luminous mind” in the verse above as the life-continuum, which is defiled by defilements that “come in” during cognitive processes — not because the life-continuum itself contains defilement.

One type of consciousness, three functions

Rebirth-linking, life-continuum and death are not three types of consciousness but one type doing different jobs at different points in life: linking to a new existence (rebirth-linking), maintaining the stream (life-continuum) and passing out of the existence (death). All three take the same object — the object that appeared to the dying mind of the previous life.

The 19 rebirth-linking consciousnesses

Rebirth-linking consciousness can be any of 19 resultant types, which determine the plane of rebirth and the basic nature of the mind (the 31 planes are covered in Lesson 12). For the non-percipient beings (asaññasatta), rebirth is purely material, with no consciousness.

• Rootless person in a woeful plane (duggati-ahetuka) — reborn with an unwholesome result, in the woeful planes.
• Rootless person in a happy plane (sugati-ahetuka) — reborn with a rootless wholesome result, such as a human blind or deaf from birth.
• Two-rooted person (dvihetuka) — reborn with a great resultant without wisdom (two roots); able to do good, but unable to attain jhāna or the path in that life.
• Three-rooted person (tihetuka) — reborn with a great resultant with wisdom (three roots), or the result of jhāna; able to attain jhāna and the path in that life (see Lesson 6).

What arises together with rebirth-linking?

For a human conceived in the womb, three groups of kamma-born matter arise together with the rebirth-linking consciousness: a group with body-sensitivity, a group with sex matter and a group with the heart-base (see Lesson 7). Other matter, such as the eye and ear sensitivities, arises later as the body develops.

The Abhidhamma also divides the births of beings into four modes (yoni): womb-born (jalābuja), egg-born (aṇḍaja), moisture-born (saṃsedaja) and spontaneously arising as a fully formed being (opapātika), such as devas and hell beings.

Four kinds of death

The Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha names four causes of death. The commentaries compare them to an oil lamp that goes out for different reasons:

• Expiry of the life-span (āyukkhaya) — like the wick burning out, though oil (kamma) remains.
• Expiry of the reproductive kamma (kammakkhaya) — like the oil running out, though wick remains.
• Expiry of both (ubhayakkhaya) — like wick and oil running out together.
• Destructive kamma (upacchedaka-kamma) — other kamma cuts life short, as in an accident, like wind blowing out the lamp while wick and oil remain.

Three kinds of object at death

Before death, the kamma that is about to produce rebirth presents one of the following objects to the mind through one of the doors. This is the object taken by the very last consciousness, and the rebirth-linking consciousness of the new existence takes the same object.

• Kamma — recalling a deed one has done, such as remembering giving alms with a glad heart.
• Kamma sign (kamma-nimitta) — seeing something connected with that deed, such as monks, offerings of flowers, or a weapon once used to harm.
• Destiny sign (gati-nimitta) — seeing a sign of the place of rebirth, such as a deva's mansion, flames, or a mother's womb.

Which kamma gets to produce rebirth first?

When many kammas are waiting to ripen, the Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha sets an order. Weighty kamma (garuka, such as jhāna or the heinous crimes) ripens first. Without it, kamma done or recalled near death (āsanna) ripens. Without that, habitual kamma (āciṇṇa) ripens. Last comes reserve kamma done only casually (kaṭattā).

The commentaries compare this to cattle in a pen. When the gate is opened, the strongest goes out first; if there is none, the one nearest the gate; failing that, the one used to going out first. (Kamma is covered in detail in Lesson 11.)

The cognitive process at death

The last cognitive process of a life is called the “death-proximate process” (maraṇāsanna-vīthi). Its special feature is that javana is weak and runs for only 5 moments instead of 7. Registration may follow, then death consciousness arises and ceases, and the rebirth-linking consciousness of the new existence follows immediately, with no gap.

The Theravāda does not accept an “intermediate existence” (antarābhava) between death and rebirth; the Kathāvatthu discusses this question directly.

Neither the same person, nor a different one

King Milinda asks Venerable Nāgasena whether the one who is reborn is the same person or a different one. Nāgasena replies, “Neither the same, nor another,” and compares it to milk that turns into curd, butter and ghee: not the same thing, yet continuous with that milk.

The Visuddhimagga adds further similes: rebirth is like an echo, like light passed from one lamp to another, like the impression made by a seal, and like a reflection in a mirror. Nothing moves from the source to the destination, yet the destination could not arise without the source.

Common misunderstandings

• “After death the spirit wanders for seven days before rebirth.” — In Theravāda Abhidhamma, rebirth-linking follows immediately after death. Merit-making ceremonies at 7, 50 and 100 days are a good tradition for those still living, but they don't mean the deceased is still waiting.
• “The life-continuum is the original pure mind, a permanent self.” — No. The life-continuum is resultant consciousness arising and ceasing every moment like any other, and its type can change in a new existence.
• “The life-continuum is the subconscious that stores memories.” — Not quite. The life-continuum does not store memories or drives. What accumulates and lies latent are the latent tendencies and habits (anusaya, vāsanā), which continue in the mental stream.
• “If you recall one bad deed near death, a lifetime of good is wasted.” — No. The object at death determines only the next rebirth; good kamma done can still bear fruit later, and those who do good habitually tend to have good objects appear near death.
• “The mind leaves the old body and enters a new one.” — No. Death consciousness ceases in the old body; rebirth-linking consciousness arises anew, conditioned by kamma. Nothing travels across.