Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (179)

What is "different rebirth" (gati-parāvṛtti, rebirth in a different realm)?

For a living being alive in the present moment, when this lifespan comes to an end, in the next period of time it will be born elsewhere, in another place, into whichever realm corresponds to its habitual tendencies and karmic force. The time, place, and physical body all change—this is called "different" (anya). After sentient beings die, their body, time, identity, location, and the space in which they live are often all changed. Hungry ghosts have the realm of hungry ghosts, asuras have the realm of asuras, hell beings have the realm of hells, devas have the realm of devas; animals are together with humans, also on the surface of this earth, but their living environment is still different. When the living environment changes, one switches to a different life form, transforming into another kind of living being—this is called "different rebirth" (prthagjana/anyatva-janman).