經律異相 49.16

49.16

To the east, west, and south of King Yama's citadel, various hells are arrayed. They have the light of the sun and the moon, yet it is not bright and clear. Only the Black Ear Hell is unreached by their illumination. When a person's life ends, the consciousness is born into the intermediate existence (antarābhava). The intermediate existence is where one has already cast off the death-skandha but has not yet reached the birth-skandha. Those sinners ride upon the intermediate existence body and enter the citadel of Niraya. As for the citadel of Niraya (in the Liang language, it is called the citadel of temporary detention, and is also called the closed citadel), it is where all sinners assemble together in the interval before receiving their punishment. Blown by skilled winds, according to the lightness or heaviness of their karma, they assume large or small bodies. Blown by foul winds, the coarse and ugly forms of sinners are brought about. Blown by fragrant winds, the subtle and delicate bodies of meritorious persons are brought about (from the *Wèn dìyù jīng*).