Commentary on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamanasūtra) (100)

Original text:大王。识为其主。业为攀缘。二种相因。初识生起。或趣地狱。或堕傍生。琰摩罗界。及阿修罗。若人若天。初识生已。各受其报。同分心品。相续随转。最后识灭。名为死蕴。最初识起。名为生蕴。

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, the ālayavijñāna, as the master of sentient beings, is the cause for the birth of the physical body in the next life; karmic actions are the condition for the birth of the physical body in the next life. When cause and condition converge, the first consciousness of the next life appears, and the physical body of the next life is born. This person either falls into a hell body, an animal body, or a ghost-realm body, or takes an asura body, a human body, or a heavenly body. When the first consciousness of the next life is born, sentient beings begin to receive their respective retributions. Thereafter, the consciousness on this physical body continues to operate without cease, until the final consciousness ceases—this is called the aggregates of death, becoming a corpse and a deceased person. And when the first consciousness arises, it is called the aggregates of birth, that is, the one who is born.