Commentary on the Sutra of the Compendium of Father and Son (Lecture 82)

The Aggregates of Death and Birth

Original Text: O King, consciousness acts as the master, while karmic actions serve as the conditions. These two factors mutually interact, giving rise to the initial consciousness. One may descend into the hell realm, fall into the animal realm, enter the realm of Yama (preta realm), or be born among asuras, humans, or devas. Once the initial consciousness arises, each being receives their respective karmic retribution. Homogeneous mental states continue to function in succession until the final cessation of consciousness, which is termed the aggregate of death. The initial arising of consciousness is called the aggregate of birth.

Explanation: The Buddha said: O King, the ālaya-vijñāna serves as the master of sentient beings, being the cause for the birth of the next life's physical form, while karmic actions constitute the conditions for the birth of the next life's physical form. When cause and condition converge, the initial consciousness of the next life arises, and the physical body of the next life is born. Such a being may descend into a hell body, fall into an animal body, descend into a ghost body, or be born in an asura body, human body, or deva body. When the initial consciousness of the next life arises, sentient beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Thereafter, the consciousness within this physical body must continue to function without interruption until the final cessation of consciousness, which is called the aggregate of death, signifying the corpse. When the initial consciousness first arises, it is called the aggregate of birth, indicating a living person.