The History of Buddhist Thought c17.8

c17.8

Death spoke to the gods : surely thus all men will become immortal. Now what shall be my share ? They said : henceforth no other shall be immortal with his body, but only when thou shalt have taken that body as thy share. Thus having parted with his body he shall be immortal who is to be immortal through knowledge or karma. Now in that they said this : through knowledge or karma, it is this fire-altar that is the knowledge, and this fire-altar that is the karma.