Commentary on the Mahayana Vijnaptimatrata Sutra
Chapter Ten: How Sentient Beings Are Reborn in the Heavens and Fall into the Hells
Original Text: Daya once more addressed the Buddha, saying: “World-Honored One, when sentient beings abandon their bodies, how do they take rebirth in the various heavens? And how do they fall into the hells and so forth?” The Buddha said to Daya: “When sentient beings are at the point of death, those sustained by meritorious karma abandon their former human vision and attain divine, wondrous vision. With this divine, wondrous vision, they see the Six Desire Heavens and the Six Realms of Rebirth. They see their bodies trembling, see heavenly palaces, the Joyful Garden, the Variegated Flower Garden, and so on. They also see the heavenly beings residing in lotus palaces, surrounded by beautiful attendants and courtesans, laughing, jesting, and playing, with flowers adorning their ears, clad in kausheya silk, wearing armlets, seals, bracelets, and various ornaments. Flowers are constantly in bloom, and all provisions are perfectly arranged.
Explanation: Daya again asked the Buddha: “World-Honored One, after sentient beings abandon their physical bodies, how do they ascend to the various heavenly realms, and how do they descend into the hells?” The Buddha said to Daya: “When sentient beings are at the point of death, those sustained by meritorious karma abandon the function of vision from their human existence and attain a divine, wondrous perception—the divine eye—through which they see the various heavens of the Six Desires, as well as sentient beings of the Six Realms. They see the movements of the heavenly beings' bodies, the heavenly palaces, the Joyful Gardens, the Variegated Flower Gardens, and so on. They also see the heavenly lords seated within lotus palaces, surrounded by naturally beautiful courtesans and attendants, mutually playing and conversing, wearing many flowers on their ears, dressed in the most precious garments, adorned with ornaments on their arms. The utensils they use are of various kinds and are majestic; flowers are constantly blooming, and everything is perfectly arranged.”
They abandon the seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing of the human body and attain the seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing of heavenly beings. In truth, the nature of human seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing is also subtle: form does not reach the eye, the eye does not reach form, yet seeing occurs; the six sense faculties do not reach the six sense objects, yet they perceive the six sense objects—this is indeed strange. The seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing of heavenly beings are certainly even more subtle: they know everything, see everything—they can see the hells, see the heavenly realms, see sentient beings of all Six Realms, see other worlds—truly most subtle.
Original Text: Seeing the heavenly maidens, their minds become defiled with attachment, filled with joy and contentment, their countenances relaxed and joyful, their faces like lotuses, their gaze unwavering, their noses not crooked, their breath not foul, their eyes bright and clear like green lotus leaves. There is no pain in any of their joints; no blood flows from their eyes, ears, nose, or mouth; they do not lose control of urine or feces; their hair does not stand on end nor their pores open; their palms are not deathly yellow; their nails are not blue-black; their hands and feet do not thrash about nor curl up; auspicious signs appear.
Explanation: When a person of merit, at the point of death, sees the heavenly lords and maidens, desire and attachment arise in their mind. Their heart is joyful, their mind is at ease, their countenance is relaxed, their expression is pleasant, their face is like a peach blossom, their gaze is steady, their nose does not collapse, their breath is not foul, their eyes are bright and clear, like green lotus leaves. There is no pain in any of their bones or joints; no blood flows from their eyes, ears, nose, or mouth; there is no excretion of urine or feces; they absolutely do not become frightened with hair standing on end and pores opening wide. Their palms are not yellow like a corpse's, their fingernails are not blue-black, their hands and feet do not thrash about, nor do they curl up—all auspicious signs appear.
Original Text: They see in the sky a lofty palace with hundreds and thousands of colored pillars, exquisitely carved and arrayed, hung with bell-nets. A gentle breeze blows, producing pure, pleasant, and beautiful sounds. Various fragrant flowers adorn the precious palace. Heavenly children, adorned with jewels, play within the palace. Seeing this, they rejoice, smile, revealing teeth like juntu flowers. Their eyes are neither fully open nor closed; their speech is gentle and mellow; their body is not extremely cold nor extremely hot. Though surrounded by relatives, they feel no sorrow or pain. At sunrise, they are about to relinquish their life; what they see is clear, without any darkness; an extraordinary fragrance wafts in from all directions.
Explanation: This dying person sees a lofty palace in the sky. Within the palace are hundreds and thousands of colored beams and pillars, carved with majestic splendor. Bell-nets hang from the pillars; when a gentle breeze blows, the bell-nets produce clear, melodious, and beautiful music. Various fragrant flowers adorn the precious palace. Children from the various heavenly realms, adorned with many kinds of jewels, play and frolic within the palace.
Seeing these sights, this dying person is filled with great joy. When they smile, their teeth are revealed, like juntu flowers. Their eyes are neither open nor closed—half-open, half-shut. Their speech is gentle and rounded. Their body is neither particularly cold nor particularly hot. Relatives surround them, but their mind feels no sorrow or distress. At sunrise, they are about to relinquish their life. At this time, everything they see is bright; there is no darkness. Heavenly fragrance surrounds them, wafting in from all directions.
Original Text: They see the Buddha’s majestic form, rejoicing with reverence and respect. Seeing their loved ones, they joyfully bid farewell, as if merely going on a brief trip and soon returning. They comfort their relatives, saying: “Do not grieve. Such is the nature of the flowing world: what is born must die. Do not create sorrow through discrimination.”
Explanation: At this time, this dying person sees the Buddha’s majestic, adorned, and solemn form, giving rise to joy and reverence in their heart. Then they see their family, loved ones, and dear ones of this life and happily bid them farewell, as if they were merely going out temporarily and would return very soon. They tell their close relatives and neighbors: “Do not be sad. Within the world, the cycle of birth and death is like this—it is all the gathering and scattering of conditions. Where there is birth, there is death; this is the natural way. Do not create distress because of our separation.”
Original Text: Daya, a person of good karma, at the time of death delights in generosity, various gathas, various praises, various clear understandings, various expositions of the true Dharma. Like one neither asleep nor awake, they peacefully relinquish their life. When about to relinquish life, the heavenly father and mother sit together on one seat. A flower naturally appears in the heavenly mother’s hand. Seeing the flower, the heavenly mother turns to the heavenly father and says: “This is most auspicious, a rare and supreme fruit. Know now, heavenly one, the joy of celebrating our son’s birth will not be long.” The heavenly mother then shakes the flower with both hands. As she shakes the flower, the life ends.
Explanation: The Buddha said to Daya: “A person of good karma, at the point of death, delights in generosity. Using various gathas and praises, with various clear expressions, using various words to proclaim the true Dharma taught by the Buddha, they then relinquish their life peacefully, in a state like sleep yet not sleep. As they are about to relinquish their life, their heavenly father and mother sit together. In the heavenly mother’s hand, a flower naturally appears. Seeing the flower in her hand, the heavenly mother turns to the heavenly father and says: ‘We are now most fortunate and auspicious; a very rare and supreme karmic fruit has appeared. Heavenly one, know that we will soon celebrate the birth of our son.’ After the heavenly mother finishes speaking, she shakes the flower in her hands with both hands. As she shakes it, the dying person passes away.”
Original Text: The formless consciousness abandons the sense faculties, carrying the karmic impressions of the sense objects. It abandons the sense spheres, carrying the activities of the sense spheres, and migrates to receive a different retribution. Like mounting a horse, abandoning one and mounting another; like the sun drawing light; like wood producing fire; or like the moon’s reflection appearing in clear water.
Explanation: The formless alaya-vijnana, after abandoning the sense faculties, carries the karmic seeds created by sentient beings within the realm of the six sense objects. It abandons the eighteen dhatus (sense spheres), carrying the karmic seeds of the activities sentient beings performed within the eighteen dhatus, and migrates into another karmic retribution body. It is like riding a horse: dismounting one horse and mounting another; like the sun drawing forth its radiance; like wood producing a flame; like the moon’s reflection appearing in clear water.
Original Text: Sustained by good karma, the consciousness migrates to receive heavenly retribution. Like wind moving through the channels, it swiftly lodges within the flower. The heavenly father and mother, seated together, watch it. Nectar-laden breezes blow upon the flower for seven days. Adorned with jeweled ornaments, the body glitters and shines. The heavenly child, pure and bright, appears in the heavenly mother’s hand.
Explanation: The alaya-vijnana, containing good karma, transfers into the karmic retribution of a heavenly being. Like the wind element moving within the body’s channels, the alaya-vijnana swiftly carries the heavenly body and lodges it upon the flower in the heavenly mother’s hand. The heavenly father and mother sit together on one seat watching their child. Heavenly nectar and gentle breezes blow upon the flower for seven days. Then, heavenly jewels adorn the heavenly child’s body, making it resplendent and dazzling. The heavenly child, pure and bright, then appears in the heavenly mother’s hand.
Original Text: Daya addressed the Buddha, saying: “World-Honored One, how does the formless consciousness, relying on conditions, produce a form? How does the form abide within conditions?”
Explanation: The Bodhisattva Daya asked the Buddha: “World-Honored One, how does the formless, colorless alaya-vijnana, relying on these conditions, give birth to a physical body with form? Why does the physical body with form abide within conditions?”
The conditions for the birth of the physical body include the condition of the heavenly father and mother, the condition of good and evil karma—the alaya-vijnana relies on these conditions to give birth to the heavenly being’s physical body with form. How does the formed five aggregates abide within these conditions? Bodhisattva Daya asked the Buddha this question.
Original Text: The Buddha said to Daya: “Just as when wood is rubbed together, friction produces fire. This fire cannot be found within the wood. If the wood is removed, fire is also unobtainable. Through the harmony of conditions, fire is born. If the conditions are incomplete, fire does not arise. Though one searches for the form of fire within the wood, it is ultimately unseen. Yet everyone sees fire emerge from the wood.
Explanation: The Buddha said to Daya: “It is like two pieces of wood coming together and rubbing against each other; after rubbing, fire is produced. There is no fire within the wood, but if the wood is removed, the fire also ceases. It is the harmony of the conditions of the wood and the friction that produces fire. Relying on the wood and the friction of human effort, fire can be produced. If the conditions are not complete, fire cannot be produced. Yet, searching within the wood for the form of fire, it is ultimately unobtainable. However, everyone can see that fire emerges from the wood.
Why can fire be produced from wood? Because the fire element exists within the wood. For the fire element to manifest, it must rely on certain conditions; without conditions, fire will not arise. For example, natural gas contains the nature of fire, but if we do not ignite it, fire will not be produced. All dharmas must rely on certain conditions to manifest; without these conditions, none of these dharmas can appear. There must be wood, and there must also be the friction of human effort to produce fire. When conditions harmonize, fire appears.
Original Text: So too, Daya. Consciousness relies on the conditions of father and mother, and through the harmony of conditions, produces a form body. Within the form body, consciousness cannot be found. Apart from the form body, there is also no consciousness. Daya, just as before fire emerges, the form of fire is not present, nor is the warmth and touch. All characteristics are absent. So too, Daya. If there is no body, consciousness, feeling, perception, and mental formations do not appear.
Explanation: The Buddha said: “Daya, it is the same with the alaya-vijnana. It must rely on the condition of the union of father and mother to give birth to the five-aggregate body. Searching within this formed five-aggregate body for the alaya-vijnana, it cannot be found. Because the alaya-vijnana does not reside within the physical body; it is formless and without abiding characteristics. Yet, apart from this formed body, there is also no alaya-vijnana to be found. Therefore, the alaya-vijnana is not separate from the five-aggregate body, yet it does not reside within the five-aggregate body while performing its functions and activities.
Daya, before fire emerges, there is no form of fire, nor the characteristic of warmth and touch—no characteristics at all. Similarly, before the physical body is born, the feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness of the five aggregates do not manifest. When the five-aggregate body is complete, then feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness appear, and their functions and activities are all revealed.
Original Text: Daya, it is like seeing the sun disk, its light shining brightly. Yet ordinary people do not see the sun’s body—whether it is black, white, yellow-white, or reddish-yellow—they cannot know. They only know there is a sun through its functions: its illumination, heat, light, rising, setting, cyclic movement, and various activities. Consciousness is likewise known through its various functions.
Explanation: Daya, for example, seeing that sun, its light illuminates the earth, but ordinary sentient beings can only see the light, not the sun’s substance. Whether the sun is black, white, yellowish-white, or reddish-yellow, they do not know. Although sentient beings cannot see the sun’s substance, from the illumination of its light, the heat of the weather, and its brightness, from the cyclic movement of the sun’s rising and setting, and from the various activities it performs, they know there is a sun. The alaya-vijnana is also like this: from the various activities it performs, one can know the existence of the alaya-vijnana.
To verify the function of the sun, one can use a magnifying glass to focus sunlight on a pile of dry grass; after a while, the grass will catch fire. From the function the sun manifests on the dry grass, one knows there is a sun, even though we do not see the sun itself. The alaya-vijnana is also like this; sentient beings cannot see the alaya-vijnana, but from the functions it performs, we know there is an alaya-vijnana. What functions does the alaya-vijnana perform? This requires us to practice meditation to verify it.
Original Text: Daya addressed the Buddha, saying: “What are the functions of consciousness?” The Buddha said to Daya: “Feeling, perception, mental formations, thought, sorrow, and suffering—these are the functions of consciousness. Furthermore, wholesome and unwholesome karmas, perfumed as seeds, manifest consciousness through their functions.” Daya addressed the Buddha, saying: “How does consciousness, upon leaving the body, swiftly receive a new body? When consciousness abandons the former body and the new body is not yet received, at that time, what is the characteristic of consciousness?”
Explanation: The Bodhisattva Daya asked the Buddha: “What exactly are the functions of the alaya-vijnana?” The Buddha said to Daya: “Feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness, sorrow, and suffering—these are the functions of the alaya-vijnana. Furthermore, wholesome and unwholesome karmas, perfumed into seeds, when the seeds function, manifest the alaya-vijnana.” The combined function of true consciousness and deluded consciousness involves the function of the alaya-vijnana, as well as the function of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses.
Daya said to the Buddha: “How does the alaya-vijnana leave the original physical body and then swiftly give birth to the next physical body? When the alaya-vijnana abandons the original body and the new body has not yet arisen, what is the characteristic of the alaya-vijnana at that time?” There is an intermediate state between abandoning the body and receiving the next body. In this intermediate state, what is the characteristic of the alaya-vijnana?
Original Text: The Buddha said to Daya: “It is like a man, long-armed and valiant, clad in sturdy armor, riding a horse swift as the wind, charging into battle. When weapons clash, his mind becomes confused and he falls from his horse. Skilled in martial arts, he swiftly leaps back on. Consciousness abandoning the body and swiftly receiving a body is also like this. Again, it is like a timid person who, seeing the enemy, becomes frightened, mounts his horse, and flees. Consciousness sustained by good karma, seeing the heavenly parents seated together, swiftly takes rebirth there. It is also like this.
Explanation: The Buddha said: “Daya, for example, there is a warrior who is very brave, with two arms that are long, strong, and powerful. He wears hard armor and rides a warhorse that runs as fast as the wind, charging into the enemy formation. Then, when weapons clash, this warrior, due to a confused mind, falls from his horse. But because he is well-trained and highly skilled in martial arts, he swiftly leaps back onto the horse. The alaya-vijnana abandoning the original body and swiftly receiving a new body is also like this: emerging from this body and swiftly taking hold of another body. It is also like a very timid person who, seeing the enemy, feels fear within, mounts his horse, and retreats. The alaya-vijnana nourished by good karma, this person then sees the heavenly father and mother sitting together and swiftly takes rebirth upon the flower in the heavenly mother’s hand. The principle is the same for both.
Original Text: Daya, as you asked: when consciousness abandons the former body and the new body is not yet received, at that time, what is the characteristic of consciousness? Daya, it is like the reflection of a person appearing in water. It has no substance that can be grasped. Hands, feet, face, eyes, and all forms are no different from the person, yet the substance, nature, and activities are absent in the reflection.
Explanation: The Buddha said: “Daya, just as you asked: when the alaya-vijnana abandons the original body and the new body has not yet appeared—at this time, what is the characteristic of the alaya-vijnana? What is the state of the alaya-vijnana between the current body and the body of the next life? Daya, it is like the reflection of a person appearing in water; it has no obstructive form. If you try to grasp the reflection in the water, you cannot grasp it. The hands, feet, face, eyes, and form within the water are identical to the person, but they lack the person’s substance and essence; they cannot perform the activities that a person does.
Original Text: It has no cold, no heat, nor any touch. It does not feel fatigue. It lacks flesh, segments, the great elements, vocal sounds, bodily sounds, or sounds of pleasure and pain. When consciousness abandons the former body and the new body is not yet received, its characteristic is also like this. Daya, this is how, sustained by good karma, one is reborn among the heavens.
Explanation: That reflection has no heat nor coldness, nor any tactile sensations; it does not feel fatigue, thirst, hunger, or cold—it feels none of these. It has no fleshly body and no earth, water, fire, or wind elements. It does not produce any kind of sound; its mouth does not speak, nor does its body make any movement. It has neither the sound of suffering nor the sound of joy. The reflection has no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no eye-consciousness, up to no mind-consciousness; it has no five aggregates; the five skandhas and eighteen dhatus are absent. It is merely a reflection. The essence of the alaya-vijnana is also like a reflection—it is the empty nature mind, formless, without the eighteen dhatus, without the five aggregates, without any dharmas. In the intermediate state between abandoning the old body and receiving the new body, the characteristic of the alaya-vijnana is like this. This is how good karma sustains the alaya-vijnana to give birth to the heavenly body.
Original Text: Daya addressed the Buddha, saying: “How is consciousness reborn in hell?” The Buddha said: “Those who perform evil actions enter the hells. Listen carefully. Daya, sentient beings here who accumulate unwholesome roots, at the time of death, think thus: ‘I am now dying in this body, abandoning my parents, relatives, friends, and loved ones. This is a great sorrow.’
Explanation: Daya said to the Buddha: “How does the alaya-vijnana give birth to a hell body?” The Buddha said: “Daya, beings who commit evil actions, such as killing—severe killing will lead to hell. Also, those who create karma of disrupting the harmony of the Sangha, or karma of destroying the Three Jewels, will fall into hell. Daya, listen carefully: these beings who create evil karma, having accumulated unwholesome actions and unwholesome roots, at the time of death, have this thought arise in their minds: ‘I am now dying here, abandoning my parents, relatives, friends, and all those I love and cherish.’ They feel especially sorrowful and distressed in their hearts.
Original Text: They see the various hells and see their own body that is destined to enter them. They see their feet above and head upside down. They also see a place where the ground is pure blood. Seeing this blood, their mind becomes attached to its taste. Due to this mind of attachment to taste, they are born in hell.
Explanation: After having this thought, this dying person sees the scenes of hell and also sees the body they are about to enter hell with. If their karma destines them to fall into hell, they see themselves with their feet above and head upside down. Simultaneously, they see blood covering the ground in a certain place in hell. After seeing the blood, driven by karma, their mind becomes greedy for this blood color. Due to this greedy mind attached to the taste, they become bound by the hell realm and are thus born in hell, unable to escape.
Original Text: Due to the power of putrid, foul water and stench, consciousness lodges within it. It is like maggots born in feces, foul places, stinking cheese, or stinking wine due to the power of stench. Those entering hell are born within foul substances. It is also like this.
Explanation: Due to the power of their evil karma, at the time of death, this person’s mind suddenly becomes greedy for putrid, foul blood water and filthy, foul water. The alaya-vijnana is then seized within these foul substances, and the hell body is born. It is like maggots born in foul, stinking places, stinking cheese, or stinking wine—due to the power of the stench, worms whose karma corresponds are born within them, dying if they emerge outside the filth. Similarly, beings about to enter hell, due to the force of karma, must also take birth within these foul places, unable to escape; emerging outside hell means death, thus being liberated from the hell body.
The thoughts at the time of death are crucial. A person who has done good deeds throughout their life will have good thoughts at death, their mind recalling the good deeds they have done. A person who has created evil karma will have evil thoughts at death, their mind thinking of the evil deeds they have done. Thus, following their own thoughts, good or evil realms appear. Due to attachment to these good or evil realms, they are seized by these realms and cycle endlessly through birth and death.
Sentient beings enter hell primarily due to the attachment of the manas (mind faculty). At the time of death, the manas has a choice; it can avoid the hells and other evil destinies. However, because the manas has not been cultivated in ordinary times and completely corresponds with karma, at this time it becomes greedy for evil, filthy places and is imprisoned by these evil places, inevitably taking birth in the three evil destinies. In reality, cycling into the three evil destinies is still the result of the manas’ choice. At this time, the manas is completely controlled by karma, obeying the command of karma. Originally, it should not be greedy for blood, foulness, and such things, but at this time it becomes greedy for them, without any alertness. The mind-consciousness (mano-vijnana) beside it also fails to exert the necessary control, so the manas chooses the three evil destiny places and is seized into the three evil destinies.
Original Text: The noble youth Bhadrapala, with palms joined, addressed the Buddha, saying: “What color and form do hell beings have? What are their bodies like?” The Buddha said to Bhadrapala: “Those born in the blood-loving hell have bodies entirely red like blood. Those born in the boiling black river have bodies like black clouds. Those born in the river of boiling milk have bodies mottled with various colors. Their bodies are extremely soft and fragile, like the body of a cherished, pampered infant.
Explanation: The noble youth Bhadrapala, with palms joined, addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, what do the beings in hell look like? What are their bodies like?” The Buddha said: “Bhadrapala, what are the bodies like of those beings who love blood and are born in hell? They are entirely blood-red, covered in blood light. Their karma corresponds to filthy blood, so they are born in the blood-light hell, entirely covered in blood light, their bodies the color of blood. There are many kinds of hells; it depends on what karma sentient beings have created. Beings born in foul-smelling, pitch-black hells have bodies like black clouds, utterly pitch-black. Beings born in the river of boiling milk have bodies with mottled stains, mixed with various colors—all kinds of colors mixed together. Their bodies are extremely soft and fragile, like the body of a child without bones—soft and brittle.
Original Text: Their bodies are tall, exceeding eight cubits. Hair, beard, and body hair are long and hanging. Hands, feet, face, and eyes are incomplete or deformed. If humans of Jambudvipa see them from afar, they die.
Explanation: Their bodies are tall and large, their height exceeding approximately four meters (eight cubits). The hair on their heads and the hair on their bodies are the same length, hanging down continuously. They lack hands or feet, lack noses or eyes; their faces are incomplete, not full and round—all sunken, crooked, and emaciated. Such appearances are all due to the evil karma they created, resulting in such evil and low-merit forms. When people of Jambudvipa are near death and see these hellish scenes appear from afar, they breathe their last and die.
Original Text: Daya addressed the Buddha, saying: “What do hell beings eat?” The Buddha said to Daya: “Hell beings find no pleasure in eating. Frightened, they run about. From afar, they see molten copper, red liquid, and think it is blood. The crowd runs towards it. A voice calls out: ‘All who are hungry, come quickly to eat.’ They run towards it and stop there. Putting their hands to their mouths, the hell guards pour hot copper liquid into their cupped hands, forcing them to drink. The copper liquid enters their stomachs; their bones and joints burst apart; their entire body catches fire.
Explanation: The Bodhisattva Daya asked the Buddha: “World-Honored One, what do hell beings eat?” The Buddha said to Daya: “When hell beings eat, they experience not the slightest bit of pleasure. When hungry, they run about in terror, very fast, solely to search for food. These blood-drinking hell beings who feed on blood, seeing red liquid from molten copper from afar, mistake it for blood. They all run towards it, shouting loudly as they run: ‘All who are hungry, come quickly to eat!’
At this time, these beings still have a little good heart, calling their companions to come and eat. They shout: ‘Whoever is hungry, there’s blood here, come quickly to eat!’ Then they walk to the place of molten copper and stop. They try to bring the copper liquid to their mouths with their hands. The hell guards, who specialize in punishing hell beings, seeing these beings actually coming to find food, pour the hot copper liquid into their hands, forcing them to drink it into their stomachs. After the copper liquid enters their stomachs, their bones and joints are burned until they burst open, and their entire bodies catch fire.
Original Text: Daya, the food consumed by hell beings only increases their suffering; it brings no pleasure. The suffering of hell beings is like this. Consciousness does not abandon them nor destroy them. Though the body is like a pile of bones, consciousness dwells within it without leaving. Unless the karmic retribution is exhausted, the suffering body is not abandoned.
Explanation: Daya, the food consumed by hell beings only increases their suffering; there is not a bit of happiness. This is how they suffer. Even so, the alaya-vijnana does not leave their body to let them die, nor does it let their body be destroyed. After their bodies are burned to a crisp, they immediately become intact again, then go about searching for food again, suffering once more. This suffering always repeats. Their bodies become as thin as a pile of bones gathered together, yet the alaya-vijnana still resides within them, unwilling to abandon the body. If the beings’ karmic retribution is not yet exhausted, the alaya-vijnana will always accompany them, never abandoning the body of suffering.
Original Text: Tortured by hunger and thirst, they see a garden with blooming flowers and fruits, vast, green, and lush. Seeing this, they laugh joyfully, saying to each other: ‘This garden is green and lush; the breeze is cool and pleasant.’ They hastily enter the garden, seeking momentary pleasure. Instantly, the leaves, flowers, and fruits all turn into swords that slash the sinners. Some are split in two; others scream and run in all directions. Hell guards rise in groups, holding vajra clubs, iron rods, iron axes, or iron staffs. Gnashing their teeth in rage, flames shoot from their bodies as they strike the sinners, blocking them from escaping.
Explanation: These hell beings, tormented by hunger and thirst, see a garden with blooming flowers and fruits, vast and green and dense. Seeing this, they laugh joyfully, comforting each other: “This garden is truly green and lush! The breeze is so cool and pleasant!” So they all hurriedly enter the garden to enjoy temporary happiness. But in an instant, the leaves and flowers and fruits all turn into knives and swords, slaughtering these sinners. Some have their bodies cut in two from the middle; some scream in pain, fleeing in all directions. Groups of hell guards together hold vajra clubs, iron rods, iron axes, iron staffs, gnashing their teeth and showing angry expressions, flames shooting from their bodies, desperately beating and killing these sinners, blocking and preventing them from escaping the garden.
Original Text: All this is due to their own karma; they see such things. The hell guards follow behind the sinners, saying to them: ‘Where are you going? You should stay here. Do not run east and west. Where do you think you can flee? This garden is adorned by your karma. Can you escape it?’
Explanation: These scenes are all the result of the hell beings’ own karma; only with evil karma can they perceive such cruel things. The hell guards closely follow behind the sinners, saying to them: “Where are you going? Just stay within this garden. Don’t run around anymore. Where do you think you can escape to? This garden now is the result of the karma you created. Can you escape it?”
Hell beings suffer such punishments and endure such pain. For example, in the Avici hell, the beings’ bodies are extremely vast; the hell is as large as their bodies. All the instruments of torture are applied to the body, then the hell guards use these instruments to punish these beings with evil karma, and the hell beings suffer pain until they faint. But when the karmic wind blows, they revive and then suffer again—no matter what, they cannot die; they cannot die even if they want to. No matter how deeply they faint, the alaya-vijnana does not abandon the body; it remains within their body, not leaving. The beings can only suffer continuously. This is the karmic retribution of hell beings. If their karmic retribution is exhausted, the alaya-vijnana will leave the hell body and be born in another body within another realm to undergo other karmic results.
The hell is filled everywhere with instruments to punish sinners. How do the hell guards appear? They are manifested by the sinner’s alaya-vijnana; there are no actual hell guards. A person without sin karma walking through hell might not see the hell guards, or if they see them, they would not be punished by them. The hell guards and instruments of torture are all illusory appearances and false appearances manifested by evil karma. The Yama kings in the hungry ghost realm are also false appearances manifested by the alaya-vijnana of sentient beings, including the judges—everything is manifested by one’s own mind; it is all illusory appearances and illusory realms.
After realizing the mind and seeing the nature, one knows that all realms are manifested by the alaya-vijnana. What sin karma or suffering karma is there? It is all illusory. If one realizes this principle, the karma of the three evil destinies is eliminated, and heavy offenses are lightly requited. If one killed someone before, originally destined to fall into hell, now they do not need to go to hell to undergo retribution. In the future, within the human realm, they will encounter the person they killed, be killed by them once to repay the debt, and thus the karma is eliminated.
The World-Honored One said in the Diamond Sutra: “If a person is despised by others… it is because karmic offenses from previous lives that should have caused them to fall into the evil destinies are now being eradicated through the present life’s being despised.” Therefore, if someone insults you, slanders you, they are eliminating your karmic obstacles for you. The more diligently you study the Buddha Dharma, the more people will come to eliminate your karma. If you can endure it all without reacting, think how much karma could be eliminated! Originally destined to fall into the three evil destinies, someone comes to insult you, look down on you, say a few slanderous words, and the karma is eliminated—it’s very worthwhile. Therefore, being despised by others is actually a good thing. If someone always flatters, respects, exalts, or praises you, they are eliminating your blessings. Ordinary people like to be praised and dislike being looked down upon; they hold their heads high all day long, puff out their chests, always saying “I, I, I” in their speech—their arrogance is very heavy.
Sentient beings always feel they are important, their family is important, their small group or large group is important, and everything related to themselves is important and the best—this is actually a heavy sense of self. They all take the five-aggregate body as self, competing and comparing with others—wisdom, talent, appearance, money, power, family—taking pride in these, comparing in illusory dharmas, still taking illusory dharmas as real, indestructible dharmas. This is ignorance; because of ignorance, arrogance continuously grows. These dharmas all depend on the five-aggregate body to exist; when the five aggregates cease, these dharmas cease with them. The five-aggregate body is so illusory and unreal; the power, status, property, appearance, and family that depend on the five-aggregate body are even more illusory and unreal.
All sentient beings are actually equal. The essence of sentient beings is the alaya-vijnana Tathagatagarbha. All Tathagatagarbhas are equal in every aspect; only the manifested false appearances are unequal. Nobility and lowliness are false appearances of the five aggregates; these false appearances are impermanent and do not last long. In the end, sentient beings are even more equal—all are Buddhas. Therefore, those who study the Buddha Dharma should no longer cling to false appearances; they should look at the substance of sentient beings—the substance is all Tathagatagarbha and a future Buddha.
If hell beings know that the five-aggregate world is illusory, they can emerge from hell. Because they do not know and still grasp it as real, the hell karma cannot be eliminated. Therefore, although Buddhists may fall into hell, they are more understanding than non-Buddhists in hell, making it easier to get out. If a single thought arises in their mind, thinking that hell is illusory, they can emerge from hell. Understanding that sinful karma is illusory, the sinful karma is also eliminated. Those who have severed the view of self have no karma for hell. Although they created much hell karma in the past, by realizing the non-self of the five aggregates and the non-self of the eighteen dhatus, severing the three fetters, the hell karma cannot bind them. Bodhisattvas and Arhats experience minor suffering in this world because they created much evil karma in the past, yet they do not need to suffer in the three evil destinies; suffering a little in the human realm is also very worthwhile.
Therefore, those who study the Buddha Dharma should quickly sever the view of self to avoid the suffering of the three evil destinies. Because within our alaya-vijnana lie the seeds of actions for the three evil destinies, too numerous to count. The evil karma created throughout beginningless kalpas has mostly not yet undergone retribution. When conditions are complete, they cannot avoid undergoing evil retribution; only after undergoing evil retribution can the evil karmic seeds be eliminated. If one can attain the fruit [of enlightenment], the karmic seeds for the three evil destinies wither, and the three evil destinies are avoided. Only minor suffering is endured in the human realm, with heavy offenses lightly requited, thus settling the matter.
Original Text: So it is, Bhadrapala. Hell beings suffer various torments. After seven days they die, only to be reborn in hell again. This is due to the power of karma.
Explanation: So it is, Bhadrapala. These hell beings, having endured all suffering, die after seven days. After death, they are reborn in hell again, then die and are reborn again—all due to the power of karma.
It is like beings in the Avici hell suffering until they die; blown by the karmic wind, they revive again. As soon as the hell guard shouts for them to revive, they immediately revive; they are not allowed to be unconscious for long, as being unconscious would be a blessing. Human beings dislike being unconscious; hell beings all wish to be unconscious or dead because when unconscious, without the six consciousnesses, they cannot feel pain. If human beings are unconscious, they similarly do not know the six sense objects, yet the manas is unwilling for this, so it tries to wake up. In hell, it is the hell guards who try to make the sinners conscious, also due to karma. After becoming conscious, they can continue to endure the torment of suffering. Hell beings, enduring all kinds of suffering, wish to die quickly, but because of karma, they must continue to endure suffering and cannot die; after death, they must revive again.
Original Text: Like bees gathering nectar return to their hive, beings with evil karma destined for hell, at the time of first death, see the messengers of death come, bind their necks, and drive them on, causing great suffering to body and mind. They enter great darkness, like being captured by robbers and dragged away.
Explanation: Those beings with evil karma are like bees; bees move about everywhere, gathering nectar from flowers, then return to their hive to make honey. Evil karma beings, after death, return to their place of origin. Beings destined for hell after death, just as they die, see the god of death appear before them, fastening ropes and shackles around their necks, then driving and forcing them, causing their body and mind great suffering as they enter the dark hell, like being robbed by thieves, their body being forcibly driven into hell. That messenger of death is like the black and white impermanence ghosts of the ghost realm, seizing this dying sinner and driving them into the great dark hell.
Original Text: They lament: ‘Alas! Alas! How disastrous! How painful! I now abandon the various loves of Jambudvipa, my relatives and friends, and enter hell. I see no path to heaven, only suffering. Like a silkworm spinning silk, I entangle myself and bring death upon myself. I created my own sins; bound by karma, a noose around my neck, I am dragged, driven, and forced into hell.’ Bhadrapala, the suffering of beings with evil karma born in hell is like this.
Explanation: The sinner then says: “Ah! How painful! Disaster has come! I now abandon all that I loved in Jambudvipa, all my relatives and friends, and enter hell. I now see no path to the heavens; I can only see scenes of suffering. It is like a silkworm spinning silk, entangling itself, bringing about its own destruction. I created my own sinful karma, bound by sinful karma, shackles fastened around my neck, about to be dragged into hell by the god of death.” The Buddha said: “Bhadrapala, the suffering appearance of beings with evil karma born in hell is like this.”
This passage returns to the scene just before the dying person breathes their last. Previously, it described the scene within hell. When a person is about to breathe their last, they see the messengers of death come, like hell guards, taking them into great darkness, like being seized by thieves. At that time, they have not yet breathed their last and lament the sinful karma they created in this life, already feeling the suffering of that karma.
