宗鏡錄 73.21

73.21

Answer: Briefly, there are two kinds: 1. Paricchedacyuti (delimited birth and death); 2. Acintyapariṇāmikacyuti (inconceivable transformational birth and death). The Vijñaptimātratāsiddhiśāstra says: 'First, delimited birth and death refers to all defiled good and bad karma which, through the supportive power of the kleśāvaraṇa as condition, results in the coarse vipākaphala (maturation fruit) of the three realms. The length of life and body has definite limits according to the power of causes and conditions; hence it is called "delimited." Second, inconceivable transformational birth and death refers to all undefiled karma with discrimination which, through the supportive power of the jñeyāvaraṇa as condition, results in an exquisite, subtle maturation fruit. Through the power of compassionate vows, the body and life are transformed without definite limits; hence it is called "transformational." That which is directly supported and brought about by undefiled samādhi and vows is called "inconceivable" because its wonderful function is difficult to fathom. It is also called manomayakāya (mind-made body), because it is accomplished according to the intention of vows. As the sūtras say: "Just as taking grasping as condition, the cause of karma with outflows continues subsequent existence, thereby giving birth to the three existences; in this way, taking the avidyāvāsanābhūmi as condition, and undefiled karma as cause, there are the three kinds of mind-made bodies of arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas who have attained mastery." It is also called nirmāṇakāya (transformational body), because through the power of undefiled samādhi, it is transformed and made different from the original like an apparition.'