法苑珠林 72.9

72.9

Furthermore, the Samantapāsādikā says: 'First, birth with form; second, formless birth. Birth with form is destructible; formless birth is indestructible. Formless birth relies upon birth with form; form and mind mutually rely upon each other to jointly establish the provisional being, which is called birth. Causing the prior not to respond to the subsequent, and the subsequent not to go to the prior, is called death.' Furthermore, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'The Buddha-nature of sentient beings abides within the five aggregates. If one destroys the five aggregates, this is called killing living beings. If there is killing of living beings, one immediately falls into the evil destinies.' Depending on this birth and death, there are therefore the four forms of birth. Relying upon a shell to be born is called egg-born; being harbored and concealed and then coming forth is called womb-born; flourishing by leaning upon moisture is called moisture-born; suddenly manifesting is called apparitionally born. What is subsumed under sentient beings does not go beyond these four.