法苑珠林 52.13

52.13

Furthermore, the Mahāpradīpa Sūtra states: The Buddha said, “All sentient beings are assigned names according to their forms and kinds, such as birds and sparrows. But among hungry ghost sentient beings, there are no fixed, distinct names. Do not say that devas are permanently devas, humans are permanently humans, or hungry ghosts are permanently hungry ghosts. Just as on one entity there are various names, just as on one person there are various names, and just as on a single deva down to a hungry ghost or animal there are various names, so it is here. There are also many hungry ghosts who have no names at all; in the snap of a finger they transform their bodies and assume various shapes. How could one call them by name? Because their karmic causes and conditions of evil deeds have not ended, in a single thought-moment they transform their bodies in diverse ways.”