[Butiqueso]

I must question Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation here

the Pali word for consciousness is vinnana and not gandhabba

in the suttas, gandhabba is a class of deities

MN 38 states three things are necessary for the development of an embryo:

1. sexual intercourse; 2. the mother in season with ovum; and 3. gandhabba

now, with our knowledge of reproduction, what could this third thing be?



At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, I will teach you about the devas (gods) of the gandhabba order. Listen to that...."

"And what, bhikkhus, are the devas of the gandhabba order? There are, bhikkhus, devas dwelling in the fragrant roots, devas dwelling in the fragrant heartwood, devas dwelling in the fragrant softwood, devas dwelling in fragrant leaves, devas dwelling in fragrant flowers, devas dwelling in fragrant fruits, devas dwelling in fragrant sap and devas dwelling in fragrant scents."


"These bhikkhus are called the devas of the gandhabba order."

SN 31.1

Gandha [Vedic gandha, from ghrā ghrāti to smell, ghrāna smell, & see P. ghāna. Possibly conn. w. Lat. fragro= E. fragrant] smell, viz. -- 1. odour, smell, scent in gen. J iii.189; Dh 54 -- 56=Miln 333; Dhs 605 under ghānâyatanāni); āma˚ smell of raw flesh A i.280; D ii.242; Sn 241 sq; maccha˚ the scent of fish J iii.52; muttakarīsa˚ the smell of faeces and urine A iii.158; catujāti˚ four kinds of scent J i.265; PvA 127; dibba -- g˚puppha a flower of heavenly odour J i.289. -- 2. odour, smell in particular: enumerated as mūla˚, sāra˚, puppha˚, etc., S iii.156=v.44=A v.22; Dhs 625 (under ghandāyatanāni, sphere of odours).