翻譯名義集 6.62

6.62

[Gena] or janma, here translated as 'birth' (śēng). The Yogācārabhūmi says: 'The initial arising of the five aggregates is called birth. Arising relying on a shell is called egg-born; issuing forth enclosed within a womb is called womb-born; emerging by relying on moisture is called moisture-born; suddenly appearing from nothing is called apparitional birth. These four modes of birth take the internal karma of mental volition as the direct cause, and external factors—shells, wombs, and moisture—as auxiliary conditions. Their sequence is determined by how many conditions they depend upon: egg-born possesses all four, and therefore is mentioned first; womb-born possesses three; moisture-born possesses two; and apparitional birth possesses only one, namely the karma of mental volition.' The Abhidharmakośa says: 'Humans and animals possess all four. The hells, all celestial beings, and the intermediate state are exclusively apparitionally born. Ghosts can be either womb-born or apparitionally born.' As for humans possessing all four modes of birth, as the Great Treatise (*Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*) says: 'The mother of Viśākhā Mṛgāra gave birth to thirty-two sons. Mṛgāra was the name of the eldest son; his mother laid thirty-two eggs, which split open to give birth to thirty-two boys, all of whom became champions of great strength, and the mother attained the three paths.' Moreover, the *Mahāvibhāṣā-śāstra* says: 'In ancient times in this continent, merchants went out to sea and obtained a female crane, which subsequently laid two eggs from which two young boys emerged, upright and intelligent. When they grew up they went forth into homelessness and attained arhatship; the elder was named Śela and the younger Upasela.' The Great Treatise says: 'Womb-born refers to normal human births; moisture-born refers to individuals like the courtesan Āmrapālī or the Cakravartin King Mūrdhaja.' Moreover, the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says: 'King Mūrdhaja was born from a swelling on the crown of the head.' Regarding apparitionally born, the Great Treatise says: 'When the Buddha was traveling with the fourfold assembly, among the assembly of bhikṣuṇīs was Alavā, who was apparitionally born from the earth. Furthermore, at the beginning of the kalpa, all humans were apparitionally born.' As for animals possessing all four modes, the *Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra* says: 'An apparitionally born garuḍa bird can consume nāgas of all four modes of birth. Nāgas and garuḍas both possess all four modes of birth; running beasts are all womb-born, and flying birds are all egg-born.' Zhengzhen says: 'Between union and separation of emotion and thought, all four modes of birth are fully present. The scriptures simply speak from the predominant perspective.'