Selected Lectures on the Scripture of Buddha and His Sons (LXX)

Original Text: O Great King. Consciousness acts as the master. Karma serves as the condition for grasping. These two factors are mutually dependent, giving rise to the initial consciousness. Beings may descend into hell, fall into the animal realm, enter the realm of Yama, or be reborn among asuras, humans, or devas. Upon the arising of the initial consciousness, each being receives its respective karmic retribution. The mental factors of the same category continue to operate successively. When the final consciousness ceases, it is called the aggregate of death. When the initial consciousness arises, it is called the aggregate of birth.

Explanation: The Buddha said: O Great King, the ālaya-vijñāna is the master that gives rise to the five aggregates of the next life's 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 may descend into the three evil paths—hell, the realm of hungry ghosts (Yama's realm), or the animal realm; or they may be reborn in the three good paths—the asura realm, the human realm, or the deva realm. Once the initial consciousness arises, beings begin to receive their respective karmic retribution. Subsequently, the consciousness within the same physical body continues to operate successively. 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.