法苑珠林 72.29

72.29

Next, relying on the treatise, it cites the World-Honoured One's sūtra as stating: When three factors come together in harmony, one can enter the mother's womb: the father and mother both have defiled minds and unite, the mother's body is properly adjusted and free from illness, and it is the proper time, and the gandharva is directly present. At that time, this gandharva's two minds arise alternately, and it enters the store of the mother's womb. Among these, 'three factors coming together in harmony' means: first, the parents' mutual affection and union; second, the mother's body is adjusted at that time; third, the gandharva is directly present at that time. 'The father and mother both having defiled minds and uniting' means that the parents both give rise to lustful craving and join together. 'The mother's body is properly adjusted and free from illness, and it is the proper time' means that when the mother gives rise to craving, her body and mind become joyful and at ease, which is called 'the body being properly adjusted'. Vinaya masters say that because the mother gives rise to craving, her body and mind become turbid; like the turbid waters flowing in spring and summer, being unable to restrain herself is called 'the body being turbid'. The mother's belly is pure, without wind, heat, or phlegm mutually increasing and pressing upon one another; hence it is called 'free from illness'. Because of this, during the nine or ten months, it can sustain and hold the fetus so that it is not damaged. 'It is the proper time' refers to the mother's physical form having impurities, where blood and water regularly flow out month by month. If this is excessive, it becomes too dilute and moist, so the fetus cannot be formed. If this is too little, it becomes too dry and thick, so the fetus also cannot be formed. If this blood and water are neither too little nor too much, neither dry nor moist, only then can the fetus be formed, which is called 'the proper time'. This is because it is the time when the intermediate being enters the womb. That is, in the end, two drops of the mother's blood and water remain, and one drop of the father's semen remains; only when they mutually unite in harmony can the fetus be formed. 'And the gandharva is directly present' means that this intermediate being is present at this very place, not elsewhere, and neither beforehand nor afterward. 'At that time, this gandharva's two minds arise alternately, and it enters the store of the mother's womb' means that when the gandharva is about to enter the womb, two minds of affection and aversion toward the father and the mother arise alternately, and only then can it enter the womb. If it is a male intermediate being, when about to enter the womb, it gives rise to affection toward the mother and aversion toward the father. If it is a female intermediate being, when about to enter the womb, it gives rise to affection toward the father and aversion toward the mother. Next, relying on the treatise, it asks: From what location does the intermediate being enter the mother's womb? Some say: The intermediate being is unimpeded, and enters the womb wherever it pleases. Question: If the body of an intermediate being cannot be obstructed, how does it rely upon and remain inside this mother's womb? Answer: Because it is constrained by karmic force, it stays relying on this. The karmic force of sentient beings is inconceivable; it causes that which is unobstructed to have obstruction. Therefore, this should not be raised as an objection. It should be said that when the intermediate being enters the womb, it must enter through the birth passage, because that is where it is received. By this principle, among twins, the one born later is the elder. Why is this? Because the one that entered the womb first must come out later. Question: From where does a bodhisattva's intermediate being enter the womb? Answer: It enters from the right flank with clear awareness, regarding the mother as mother, because it lacks lustful craving. Others say that it enters from the birth passage, because such is the rule for all who are egg-born and womb-born. Question: From where do the intermediate beings of a cakravartin and a pratyekabuddha enter the womb? Answer: They enter from the right flank with clear awareness, regarding the mother as mother, because they lack lustful craving. Others say that they enter from the birth passage, because such is the rule for all who are egg-born and womb-born. Other masters say: Because a bodhisattva's merit and wisdom are supremely superior, when about to enter the womb they have no inverted perceptions and do not give rise to lustful craving. Although a cakravartin and a pratyekabuddha have merit and wisdom, they are not supremely superior; when about to enter the womb, although they do not have inverted perceptions, they still give rise to lustful craving, so their entry into the womb must be through the birth passage.