法苑珠林 72.25

72.25

As the New *Vibhāṣā-śāstra* says: The intermediate existence has many names: it is called "intermediate existence" (antarābhava), or called "gandharva", or called "seeking existence", or called "mind-made". Question: Why is it called "intermediate existence"? Answer: It abides after the existence of death and before the existence of birth; between the two existences, its own entity arises. Question: Why is intermediate existence called "gandharva"? Answer: Because it sustains itself by feeding on fragrance (gandha). This name belongs solely to the intermediate existence of the desire realm. Question: Why is intermediate existence called "seeking existence"? Answer: Because it seeks birth-existence through the gates of the six sense-bases. Question: Why is intermediate existence also called "mind-made"? Answer: Because it is born from the mind. That is, sentient beings are either born from mind, born from karma, born from maturation (formerly called "karmic retribution"), or born from sexual desire. Those born from mind refers to humans at the beginning of the kalpa, all intermediate existences, the form and formless realms, and transformationally created bodies. Those born from karma refers to the hells; as the sūtras say, beings in the hells are bound by karma and cannot escape, taking birth by karma and not by mental intention. Those born from maturation refers to flying birds, ghosts, and spirits, who, because the force of their maturation is light and agile, can fly through the sky or pass through walls without obstruction. Those born from sexual desire refers to the six heavens of the desire realm, humans, and the like. Because the bodies of all intermediate existences are born from mind and move by riding upon the mind, they are called "mind-made" (formerly called "intermediate shade"). Next, relying on the *Vibhāṣā-śāstra*, it is asked: Are the sense faculties of intermediate existence complete or incomplete? Answer: All intermediate existences are complete in their faculties, because when first receiving maturation, they must be perfect and subtle. Some say they are incomplete: just as an image appears when a seal imprints an object, so too intermediate existence proceeds toward the fundamental existence; therefore, just as in the fundamental existence some faculties are incomplete, [so here]. Among these, the first explanation is rationally superior: in the stage of intermediate existence, seeking a place of birth everywhere through the gates of the six sense-bases, its faculties must have no deficiency. This refers to the eyes and other [cognitive faculties], not the male or female faculties, because the intermediate existence of the form realm lacks those faculties; and in the intermediate existence of the desire realm, those are also variable. Those destined to take birth in the two classes of egg-born and womb-born possess the male faculty while abiding in the existence-stage; only upon entering the egg or womb are they sometimes incomplete. If this were not so, there would be no meaning to being destined to take birth as egg-born or womb-born. Question: What are the modes of movement of the intermediate existences of the various destinies? Answer: The intermediate existence of the hells heads toward the hells with head down and feet up. Therefore the gāthā says: