大般涅槃經集解 57.12

57.12

案僧亮曰：印譬前陰，文譬後陰也。僧宗曰：重為二陰作譬也。以火融蠟滅，而泥文自生，此時而現，不得言蠟文變為泥文。文非泥出者，非泥離蠟自然而出也。不餘處來者，由蠟而來也。以況現陰中陰義也。以行業之火故，令現陰滅、中陰陰生，亦不得言中陰離現而生，亦不得言餘處生，由現陰為因也。寶亮曰：蠟喻死時行人，印喻死時五陰，泥喻中陰行人，泥上之文喻中陰五陰。不變在泥者，死時之陰與行人亦不變作中陰中人也。文非泥出者，中陰五陰不直從人生也。不餘處來者，復不別從餘處得中陰中五陰也。以印因緣而生文者，因死時之陰得中陰陰也。現在陰滅中陰陰生者，合向者印滅，文成句也。是現在陰終不變為中陰五陰者，合向蠟印不變在泥句也。中陰五陰亦非自生者，合向文非泥出句也。不從餘來者，合向不餘處來句也。因現陰下，合向以印因緣而生是文也。

Sengliang comments: The seal is an analogy for the prior aggregates, and the impression is an analogy for the subsequent aggregates. Sengzong says: This again provides an analogy for the two aggregates. By melting the wax with fire, it is destroyed, and the mud's impression arises on its own; it appears at this moment, and one cannot say that the wax impression transforms into the mud impression. That 'the impression does not emerge from the mud' means that it does not emerge naturally from the mud apart from the wax. That 'it does not come from elsewhere' means that it comes on account of the wax. This is an analogy for the meaning of the present aggregates and the intermediate aggregates. Because of the fire of action and karmic activity, the present aggregates perish and the intermediate aggregates arise; one cannot say that the intermediate aggregates arise apart from the present ones, nor can one say that they arise from elsewhere, for they take the present aggregates as their cause. Baoliang says: The wax illustrates the practitioner at the time of death; the seal illustrates the five aggregates at the time of death; the mud illustrates the practitioner in the intermediate state; and the impression on the mud illustrates the five aggregates in the intermediate state. That 'it does not transform into the mud' means that the aggregates and practitioner at the time of death do not transform into the person in the intermediate state. That 'the impression does not emerge from the mud' means that the five aggregates of the intermediate state do not arise directly from the person. That 'it does not come from elsewhere' means that one does not obtain the five aggregates in the intermediate state separately from elsewhere. That 'the impression is produced through the condition of the seal' means that the intermediate aggregates are obtained on the basis of the aggregates at the time of death. 'The present aggregates perish and the intermediate aggregates arise' corresponds to the earlier phrase 'the seal is destroyed and the impression is formed.' 'These present aggregates never transform into the five aggregates of the intermediate state' corresponds to the phrase 'the wax seal does not transform into the mud.' 'The five aggregates of the intermediate state do not arise on their own' corresponds to the phrase 'the impression does not emerge from the mud.' 'They do not come from elsewhere' corresponds to the phrase 'it does not come from elsewhere.' From 'Due to the present aggregates...' downward corresponds to 'produced through the condition of the seal, this impression arises.'"