太子瑞應本起經 1.23

1.23

"The prince mounted his carriage and went out of the western gate of the city. The Lord of Devas again transformed into a dead man, with the men and women of his household carrying banners, following the cart, weeping and sending him off. The prince asked again: 'What kind of person is this?' His servant said: 'A dead man.' 'What is it to be dead?' He said: 'To be dead is to come to an end. Lifespans have length and shortness; when merit is exhausted, life ends, breath is cut off and the spirit departs, and the physical form dissolves and fades away; therefore it is called dead. Humans and things are governed by a single principle: there is none born that does not end.'"