俱舍論頌疏論本 10.84

10.84

"Severance of the marmans by water and so forth" directly clarifies the meaning of death. "Marman" is translated here as "vital joints." Within the body, there are one hundred distinct vital joints; their size is extremely minute, and touching them immediately causes death—these are called marmans. "Water and so forth" includes wind and fire; when any one of these three great elements intensifies, it is like a sharp blade touching those marmans, and because of this, life ends; hence it is called "severance." What is called "severance" here is not like chopping firewood into two pieces, but simply that the three great elements touching those marmans causes the body to lose consciousness, which is termed "severance." The earth element is not said to sever the marmans because there is no fourth internal affliction. The three internal afflictions are wind, heat, and phlegm: phlegm is an increase in water; heat arises based on fire; wind disease is an increase in wind. Because there is no fourth affliction, there is no severance of the marmans by the earth element. Some say this resembles the three disasters of the external vessel: externally there are water, fire, and wind, and internally there are likewise water, fire, and wind; since externally there is no disaster of the earth element, internally there is no affliction of the earth element. This severance of the marmans occurs only among humans, not in the heavens; however, when devaputras are about to die, there are five signs of decay: first, their clothes become stained with dirt and dust; second, their flower garlands wither; third, sweat flows from their armpits; fourth, a foul odor enters their bodies; fifth, they take no pleasure in their original seats. When these five signs appear, they will certainly die.