法苑珠林 5.8

5.8

問曰。云何名六趣。依毘曇論云。趣者名到。亦名為道。謂彼善惡業因道能運到其生趣處。故名為趣。亦可依所造之業趣彼生處。故名為趣。又趣者歸向之義。謂所造業能歸向於天乃至地獄也。

Question: Why are they called the 'six destinies' (gati)?
Answer: According to the Abhidharma treatises, gati means 'arrival' and is also called 'path' (mārga). It means that the paths of good and evil karmic causes can convey and bring one to the place of rebirth; thus it is called a gati. Alternatively, based on the karma one has generated, one proceeds (qu) to that place of rebirth; thus it is called a gati. Furthermore, gati has the sense of 'tending toward', meaning that the karma created can tend toward heaven down to hell.