Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamasūtra) (84)

Nothing Can Be Taken Away at Death; Only Karmic Actions Follow One Along

After the conscious mind comes into being, it continuously operates within the material body until death. When this lifetime comes to an end, after the six consciousnesses—the eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, and mind consciousness—have all ceased, this is called the death-aggregate; the body is then just a piece of wood. When the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousnesses first arise, this is called the birth-aggregate. One birth and one cessation constitute a single lifetime.

At the birth and disappearance of each lifetime, one brings nothing and takes nothing away. Apart from carrying karmic formations along to receive their retribution, everything else vanishes without a trace. Therefore, all dharmas are themselves subject to arising and ceasing; they are empty. Empty things cannot be taken away; only what is real can be taken along. What is it that can be taken along? The tathāgatagarbha has always followed oneself through life after life, carrying the karmic seeds through life after life, actualizing the karmic retribution of life after life. As for where the five aggregates go to receive retribution, the tathāgatagarbha does not care—He does not receive retribution anyway; He merely, in accordance with karma, continuously manifests the bodies of the five aggregates, never ever abandoning sentient beings. So who is the person dearest to us? It is the tathāgatagarbha—so very dear, for He refuses to leave us even for a moment.