Lectures on the Sutra of the Compendium of Fathers and Sons (127)

The Aggregate of Death and the Aggregate of Birth

Original Text: "Great King. The consciousness acts as the master. Karma acts as the conditioning factor. These two are mutually dependent. The initial consciousness arises. Whether it descends to hell, falls into the animal realm, enters Yama's realm (the hungry ghost realm), or the realm of asuras, humans, or gods. Once the initial consciousness has arisen, each being receives its retribution. The mental continuum of the same physical body persists and continues to function. The final cessation of consciousness is called the aggregate of death. The initial arising of consciousness is called the aggregate of birth."

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, the ālaya-vijñāna is the master giving rise to the five aggregates (skandhas) of the next life. Karmic seeds act as the object-condition. Through the conjunction of these two causes and conditions, the initial consciousness of the next life arises. Beings either descend to hell, fall into the ghost realm, or are reborn among the three evil destinies (hell, hungry ghosts, animals); or they are reborn into the three good destinies: the realm of asuras, humans, or gods. Once the initial consciousness arises, beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Then, the consciousness within the same physical body continuously operates without interruption. When the consciousness ceases at the end of life, the physical body becomes a corpse, called the aggregate of death. The initial consciousness arising within the physical body is called the initial consciousness, and the five aggregates of the physical body are called the aggregate of birth.