妙法蓮華經玄贊 4.146

4.146

贊曰：下五頌釋有惡無善故不同，中有二：初四頌有惡故不同，後一頌無善故不同。初中復二：初一頌半由處俗塵五欲沈沒故不同，後二頌半求邪出離錯行亂學故不同。此初。由諸欲故純起不善業墜墮惡趣，由雜業故輪迴六趣備受諸苦，四生生長皆有業故，三苦八苦五苦迫故，偏指一生現苦為論，故言受胎之微形，世世常增長。微者劣也。胎謂胎藏，不淨纏裹可厭可惡，微劣生故。《瑜伽論》說初受生者本居中有，中有極長七日命終，極多不過七七日住，造惡業者中有如黑羺光或陰暗夜，造善業者如白衣光或晴明夜，隨當生相所住無礙，見已同類及當生處，造惡業者眼視不淨伏面行，往天趣者向上仰面，往人趣者傍面而行，若造不律儀生地獄中見昔同類，喜樂馳趣遂被拘礙，純苦鬼界傍生亦爾。若餘雜業，隨業善惡何處生長，於其父母隨男隨女生憂生喜以潤當生，攬父母之遺體，迷醉之時便被拘礙。一七日內名羯剌藍，此云雜穢，父母不淨共和名雜，深可厭惡名穢，若已結凝箭內稀故。二七日內名頞部曇，此云疱，猶如豌豆瘡疱之形，表裏如酪未至肉故。三七日內名閉尸，此云凝結，猶如就血稍凝結故，西域呼就血云閉尸，若已成肉仍極柔軟。四七日內名健南，此云凝厚，漸凝厚故，若已堅厚稍堪摩觸。五七日內名鉢羅賖佉，此云形位，猶如埿團，五分相連一身四支，內風向外擊生根形差別相故，即前肉團增長支分相現。六七日內名髮毛爪位，髮毛生故。七七日內名具根位，五根圓滿明盛顯故。至此初復方釣三月，種種成就，若不增減。如是合經三十八七日，在腹圓滿，更經四日，頭趣向下，雙足向上，胎衣遂裂，逼趣產門，種種眾苦于時迫迮，或由先業母食灰鹽，子髮毛稀尠；或由先業母食煖熱，子黑黯色，或赤色生；或由先業母食冷食或近寒室，子多頑白；母習婬欲，子多疥癩癬病等生；母多跳躑威儀不憗，子支缺減繚戾不安。男居右脇倚腹向脊，女居左脇倚脊向腹，隨於父母生愛染故，初既攬父母不淨以為身，後以母之不淨以資長，現緣既爾故業不善，百惡所感三十六物不淨為體，如是惡身不可愛樂，輪轉不窮名世世增長。

Eulogy: The following five verses explain their disparity due to possessing evil and lacking good, which has two parts: first, four verses on their disparity due to possessing evil; second, one verse on their disparity due to lacking good. Within the first, there are again two parts: first, a verse and a half on their disparity due to being submerged in mundane dust and the five desires; second, two verses and a half on their disparity due to seeking perverse emancipation and erring in practice and learning. This is the first. Because of various desires, they generate purely unwholesome karma and fall into evil destinies; because of mixed karma, they transmigrate through the six destinies and experience all sufferings. Because the gestation and growth within the four modes of birth all involve karma, and because they are oppressed by the three sufferings, the eight sufferings, and the five sufferings, [the text] particularly points to the present suffering of a single life to discuss it, and thus says that the minute form received in the womb constantly increases from life to life. 'Minute' means inferior. 'Womb' refers to the womb-receptacle, wrapped in impurities, repulsive and loathsome, because it is an inferior birth. The Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra states that one who first receives birth originally abides in the intermediate existence (antarābhava); the intermediate existence ends in death after at most seven days, and endures for no more than seven times seven days. For those who perform evil karma, the intermediate existence appears like the light of a black ram or a dark, cloudy night; for those who perform good karma, it appears like the light of white cloth or a clear, bright night. According to the signs of their upcoming birth, they abide without hindrance, seeing those of their own kind and the place of their upcoming birth. Those who perform evil karma gaze upon impurities with their eyes and walk with their faces bowed downward; those who go to the celestial destinies walk with their faces upturned; those who go to the human destiny walk sideways. If having broken moral precepts they are born in the hells, they see their former peers and rush joyfully toward them, whereupon they are trapped; it is also thus for the purely painful realm of spirits and animals. As for other mixed karma, according to whether the karma is wholesome or unwholesome and where they are to be born and reared, joy or sorrow arises toward their parents according to whether [the fetus] is male or female, thereby moistening the upcoming birth; grasping the parental remains, when deluded and intoxicated they are thereupon trapped. Within the first seven days it is named kalala, which here translates as 'turbid mixture': the impurities of father and mother blending together is called 'mixture,' and being deeply loathsome is called 'turbid,' because while congealing it is still thin inside. Within the second seven days it is named arbuda, which here translates as 'vesicle', shaped like the vesicle of a pea sore, curd-like both inside and out, not yet having reached the state of flesh. Within the third seven days it is named peśī, which here translates as 'congealed mass', shaped like slightly coagulated blood; in the Western Regions coagulated blood is called peśī, and if it has already formed flesh it is still extremely soft. Within the fourth seven days it is named ghana, which here translates as 'solid mass', because it gradually becomes thick and solid; having become firm and thick, it can withstand slight touching. Within the fifth seven days it is named praśākhā, which here translates as 'limb stage'; like a lump of clay, five parts are connected: the one body and the four limbs; because the inner wind blows outward, causing the differentiated marks of the sense faculties and limbs to arise, the previous flesh lump grows and the marks of limbs appear. Within the sixth seven days it is named the stage of hair and nails, because hair and nails grow. Within the seventh seven days it is named the stage of endowed faculties, because the five sense faculties become complete, bright, and prominent. Up to this point it is just about three months, and various features are accomplished, barring increase or decrease. Passing through thirty-eight periods of seven days in this way, it is fully formed in the womb; passing another four days, the head turns downward and the two feet upward; the amniotic sac then ruptures, and it is forced toward the birth canal. All kinds of intense suffering oppress it at that time: if due to prior karma the mother ate ashes and salt, the child's hair is sparse; if due to prior karma the mother ate hot food, the child is born dark or red in color; if due to prior karma the mother ate cold food or stayed near a cold room, the child is often pale and dull; if the mother indulged in lust, the child is often born with scabies, leprosy, ringworm, and other diseases; if the mother jumped around often without keeping proper comportment, the child's limbs are deformed and twisted, lacking tranquility. A male resides in the right flank leaning against the belly toward the spine; a female resides in the left flank leaning against the spine toward the belly, according to the love and attachment arising toward the parents. Since it initially grasps the parental impurities to form a body, and later relies on the mother's impurities to nourish its growth, the present conditions being thus, its karma is unwholesome. Produced by a hundred evils, it has the thirty-six impure substances as its substance; an evil body such as this is not to be loved or delighted in, and its unending transmigration is called 'constantly increasing from life to life.'