Selected Discourses on the Parent-Child Sutra (83)

King, consciousness serves as the master, and karmic actions serve as the conditioning factor. These two kinds act as mutual causes. The initial consciousness arises. [Beings] either proceed to the hells, fall among animals, the realm of Yama, or among asuras; whether human or deva, once the initial consciousness has arisen, each receives their retribution. The mental continuum of the same physical form persists and continues to flow. When the final consciousness ceases, it is called the death aggregate. The initial arising of consciousness is called the birth aggregate.

Explanation: The ālaya-vijñāna is the master that gives birth to the subsequent five aggregates body. Karmic seeds serve as the object-condition. Through the combination of these two causes and conditions, the initial consciousness of the next life arises. Sentient beings either proceed to the hells, fall among hungry ghosts, or are reborn among animals—the three evil paths; or they are reborn among asuras, humans, and devas—the three good paths. Once the initial consciousness arises, sentient beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Then, the consciousness within the same physical form continuously and successively operates. When the consciousness ceases at the end of life, the physical body becomes a corpse, called the death aggregate. The initial consciousness arising within the physical body is called the initial consciousness, and the physical body with the five aggregates is called the birth aggregate.