The Delusion of Crossing Lives and Recollection of Past Lives (pūrvanivāsānusmṛti)

The mind consciousness is subject to the mystery of the intervening aggregates. The so-called "intervening aggregates" refers to the five aggregates being separated—not the same five aggregates of one lifetime. The five aggregates of this present life cease, and the five aggregates of the next life are born anew; the body and the six consciousnesses are all replaced with new ones, so the six consciousnesses do not know the affairs of the previous life and can no longer remember the previous life. This is called the mystery of the intervening aggregates. If one has not additionally cultivated the four dhyānas and eight samādhis, has no recollection of past lives (pūrvanivāsānusmṛti), and was not born with it as retributively endowed, then the six consciousnesses know nothing of the experiences of previous lives. Without the recollection of past lives, one does not know the affairs of past and future lives; with the recollection of past lives, one can know everything about one's own and others' past and future lives.

After sentient beings die in their previous life, the five aggregates of this life become new ones, and the six consciousnesses are also new—they are no longer the six consciousnesses of the previous life—so they certainly do not know the people, things, and affairs of the previous life. Because the six consciousnesses of this life remember and discern all people, things, and affairs upon the five aggregates of this life, and only remember the affairs of this life, they can only know all the dharmas remembered in this life. And the five aggregates of this life are not the original five aggregates of the previous life, so the six consciousnesses naturally cannot have memories of what was done by the five aggregates of the previous life.

However, the manas has existed without ceasing since beginningless kalpas, and within itself it has accumulated the afflictive habits of lifetime after lifetime. Therefore, the five aggregates of this life and the five aggregates of the previous life are continuous with respect to habitual tendencies and afflictions; if one does not study Buddhism and cultivate practice, these habitual tendencies will grow heavier and heavier. The eighth consciousness has also continued uninterruptedly since beginningless kalpas. Therefore, the five aggregates of this life and the five aggregates of the previous life have a connected relationship; they are not two mutually unrelated living beings. So when we study Buddhism and cultivate practice, we must think of our future selves; we cannot live only in this present life while ignoring our own next life. If one does not wish to have the mystery of the intervening aggregates, one must cultivate the recollection of past lives. When one cultivates meditative concentration to the fourth dhyāna and beyond, one can accomplish the recollection of past lives. However, the recollection of past lives has little to do with liberation and wisdom. Before attaining bodhi, there is no need to cultivate superknowledge; otherwise it becomes a condition obstructing the Path.