法苑珠林 69.36

69.36

As the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra states: 'Good man, when a person relinquishes life and suffers great agony, surrounded by relatives wailing and lamenting, that person is terrified and knows not where to turn for refuge. Although possessing the five sense faculties, they have no awareness; their limbs tremble and cannot support themselves; their body becomes hollow and cold, and the bodily warmth is about to depart. They see the signs of retribution for the good and evil previously cultivated, just as when the sun is about to set, the shadows of mountains, hills, and mounds appear moving to the east, with no reason to go west. Sentient beings' karmic fruits are also like this: when this aggregate ceases, that aggregate continues to arise, just as when a lamp is lit darkness ceases, and when a lamp goes out darkness arises. Good man, it is like a wax seal stamping clay: when the seal contacts the clay, the seal is destroyed and the inscription is formed. Yet this wax seal does not transform to remain in the clay, nor does the inscription emerge from the clay or come from elsewhere; rather, it is through the conditions of the seal that this inscription arises. When the present aggregates cease, the aggregates of the intermediate existence arise. These present aggregates never transform into the five aggregates of the intermediate existence, nor do the five aggregates of the intermediate existence arise of themselves or come from elsewhere; it is because of the present aggregates that the aggregates of the intermediate existence arise. Just as a seal stamps clay, the seal is destroyed and the inscription is formed; though their names do not differ, their times are distinct. Therefore I say that the five aggregates of the intermediate existence are not visible to the physical eye or the divine eye.