Rebirth and Karma

Where it surfaces

• On the Terrace of the Sorrowless

  Kamanita speculates that he and Vasitthi were married in a former existence, and Vasitthi describes the coral tree's perfume that recalls past lives.

• The Paradise Bud

  Vasitthi describes rebirth from a lotus bud in the Paradise of Infinite Light, where pure thoughts and deeds nurture the bud while evil causes it to wither.

• XVII: To Homelessness

  Kamanita reflects on how his unworthy deeds have gnawed at the life-bud formed with Vasitthi, and he seeks to destroy rebirth through renunciation.

• In Mid Career

  Kamanita's death and subsequent rebirth in Sukhavati illustrate the karmic consequences of his faith and attachment to heavenly bliss.

• In the Paradise of the West

  Kamanita's awakening in the Paradise of the West represents a rebirth into a blissful state, a direct result of his past actions and spiritual journey.

• XXIII: The Roundelay of the Blest

  Kamanita's awakening in Sukhavati as a result of his past actions and the opening of the lotus.

• The Coral Tree

  Kamanita's vision of multiple past lives and his understanding of his current bliss as a result of good intentions highlight the themes of rebirth and karmic consequence.

• XXV: The Bud of the Lotus Opens

  The lotus bud represents a human soul aspiring to rebirth in Sukhavati, and the fate of the bud reflects the soul's karmic progress.

• XXIX: Amid the Sweets of the Coral Blossom

  The visions of past lives—from human to animal to plant—illustrate the cycle of rebirth and the karmic bonds that unite the pair.

• Angulimala

  Vasitthi reflects on how her husband's evil karma led him to confide in her, and Angulimala speaks of the black karma threads that would have resulted from the murder.

• The Hell of Spears

  The vision of Vajaçravas's punishment in the Hell of Spears directly illustrates the karmic consequences of one's actions and the cycle of rebirth.

• The Blossoms of Paradise Wither

  Kamanita and Vasitthi decide to direct their longings toward rebirth in the Brahma realm, illustrating the karmic power of intention at death.