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受氣之鬼。氣銷報盡。生於世間。多為食類。
受氣這種的鬼，他的氣銷報盡了。「生於世間，多為食類」：因為在往昔，他歡喜貪這個氣，所以現在把這個罪業完了，生在人的世上來大多數都作這個食類。什麽叫食類？這個食類也有兩種說法：第一，是牠自己就會吃，好像豬啊、羊啊，牠就會吃，沒有旁的什麼可以做。第二，是被人吃，好像人吃豬肉，吃羊肉，吃牛肉，吃雞肉，這就是被人所吃的這個東西，作這種生物。那麼牠作這種生物，也是一天到晚被人來吃，被人來養，養牠也就吃牠。
綿幽之鬼。幽銷報盡。生於世間。多為服類。
這種幽鬼，他這個幽銷報盡。「生於世間」：也生到世間。「多為服類」：什麼叫服類呢？這個服也有兩個說法，好像蠶造絲，被人來做件服，這也是一類。又有一類呢，他服從人，好像養這個貓啊，狗啊，牠跟著這個主人，這也是服類。又者呢，牠這個皮可以做衣服，好像羊皮、狐貍皮，可以取暖的這種皮；皮的東西可以做衣服，這也是一個講法。那麼這一類的鬼再生在世間多數作這個。
和精之鬼。精銷報盡。生於世間。多為應類。
「和精之鬼」：這種的鬼——和精之鬼，在前邊都講過了。這是和銷，本來應該是精銷報盡。「生於世間」：就生在世間。「多為應類」：怎麼叫應類呢？就應這個時候，他很知道時候的。在美國這兒，我在秋天也聽見有這個鴻雁。這個雁在空中飛，這麼一排一排的，好像排隊似的，這是雁——鴻雁。鴻雁牠在春天也來，秋天也來，在中國的時候。我在這兒，我就聽到秋天有的時候有的鴻雁叫。春天有這個燕子，到我中國北方，這春天那燕子就來，到人的屋裡邊聚個窩，做一個巢穴。牠在那兒造窩，就生出一些個小燕子，生完了牠就走了。牠這都知道時候的；春北夏南，春天到北方去了，造了窩，然後牠又走了。這燕子，這叫應候鳥。
明靈之鬼。明滅報盡。生於世間。多為休徽。一切諸類。
「明靈之鬼」：這種鬼，他的「明滅報盡」。「生於世間」：再轉到世間，多做這「休徵，一切諸類」：休徵，就是很吉祥的。吉祥，好像中國的麒麟、鳳凰，這都是吉祥的鳥，吉祥的獸，這就是休徵。見著這些個鳥獸，就屬於吉祥。「一切諸類」：成這種類。
依人之鬼。人亡報盡。生於世間。多為循類。
「依人之鬼」：就是那個傳送鬼。「人亡報盡」：那麼人死了，他的報盡了。他「生於世間，多為循類」：這循類也就是很馴順的，很聽話的。好像那狗、貓、馬，都很聽你教導的，成這循類。
阿難。是等皆以業火乾枯。酬其宿債。旁為畜生。此等亦皆自虛妄業。之所招引。若悟菩提。則此妄緣。本無所有。
「阿難」，以上所講這種種的「是等」：這一些一切的眾生。「皆以業火乾枯」：他所造的這個業火乾枯了。「酬其宿債」：償還他前生的債務。「旁為畜生」：他才再托生做畜生。「此等亦皆」：這做畜生這種果報，也都「自虛妄業」：自己的虛妄所造成的業。「之所招引」：才做這個畜生。「若悟菩提」：假設他要是覺悟了菩提覺道。「則此妄緣」：這一切的妄緣「本無所有」：也都沒有了，也都空了。
如波所言。寶蓮香等。及琉璃王。善星比丘。如是惡業。本自發明。非從天降。亦非地出。亦非人與。自妄所招。還自來受。菩提心中。皆為浮虛妄想凝結。
「如汝所言」：像你所說的這個「寶蓮香等」——寶蓮香比丘尼。各位還記得這個寶蓮香比丘尼是一個什麼樣的比丘尼？「及琉璃王」：和這個琉璃大王。「善星比丘」：和這個善星比丘。「如是惡業」：像他們這三個人所造的惡業，生陷地獄。「本自發明」：他自己發明出來的。
「非從天降」：不是從天上給他的。「亦非地出」：他這個惡業也不是從地上出生出來的。「亦非人與」：也不是人給他的。「自妄所招」：是自己妄想所造成，所招感的。「還自來受」：所以他還要自己來受。「菩提心中，皆為浮虛」：在菩提心中，這一些個都是虛幻不實的。「妄想凝結」：這所有的妄想，凝結所造成的。
待續
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Sutra:
"The retribution of the ghost which takes shape in gases is finished when the gases are gone, and it is then reborn in the world, usually as a species of animal used for food.
Commentary:
The retribution of the ghost which takes shape in gases is finished when the gases are gone, and it is then reborn in the world, usually as a species of animal used for food. In the past it was greed leading to arrogance that caused him to commit offenses. Now those offenses are paid for, and it can enter the world of people, but for the most part it gets reborn as an animal used for food. There are two ways to explain "food" here. First, the animal is only interested in food. All it can do is eat, like a pig or a sheep. Second, it is used as food for people. People eat the flesh of the pigs and sheep, and of cattle and chickens. This ghost, then, gets reborn as an animal which people consume. These kinds of animals are often domesticated so that they can be fattened up and then slaughtered and eaten.
Sutra:
"The retribution of the ghost of prolonged darkness is finished when the darkness ends, and it is reborn in the world, usually as a species of animal used for clothing or service.
Commentary:
The retribution of the ghost of prolonged darkness is finished when the darkness ends, and it is then reborn in the world, usually as a species of animal used for clothing or service. When this ghost of darkness works through his retribution he is usually reborn as an animal destined to become clothing or to perform services. The Chinese character
fu [translated here as clothing and service] can be explained in two ways. The first type would include silkworms, since their silk is used for clothing. The other type serves human beings, such as domesticated cats and dogs that follow and serve their masters. Both types belong to this category. Another example of the first type is animals whose hide is used for clothing, such as sheepskin, foxskin, and other such hides that can keep out the cold. This kind of ghost is usually reborn as one of these types of animals.
Sutra:
"The retribution of the ghost which unites with energy is finished when the union dissolves, and it is reborn in the world, usually as a species of migratory creature.
Commentary:
The retribution of the ghost which unites with energy is finished when the union dissolves. This kind of ghost that unites with energy, which has been described above, takes shape when it encounters essential energy. The text reads "when the union dissolves," but actually it should say "when the energy is dissolved."
It is reborn in the world, usually as a species of migratory creature. Migratory creatures have an instinct about time. Here in America I have heard the wild geese calling in the autumn as they fly in formation on their migration. In China the geese migrate north in the spring and south in the autumn. Here in America I've only heard them in the autumn. In the spring the swallows come and nest in the eaves. In Manchuria, where I come from, the swallows come in the spring, build their nests in the eaves of people's houses and rear their young. After the young are reared, they fly away again. They accord with their instincts about time: north in the spring, south in the summer. These are examples of migratory birds.
Sutra:
"The retribution of the ghost of brightness and intellect is finished when the brightness disappears, and it is then reborn in the world, usually as a species of efficacious creature.
Commentary:
The retribution of the ghost of brightness and intellect is finished when the brightness disappears, and it is reborn in the world, usually as a species of efficacious creature. Efficacious creatures are considered to be lucky. Examples in China include the unicorn and the phoenix. This type of ghost becomes these kinds of auspicious birds and beasts.
Sutra:
"The retribution of the ghost that relies on a person is finished when the person dies, and it is reborn in the world, usually as a species of obedient animal.
Commentary:
The retribution of the ghost that relies on a person is finished when the person dies, and it is reborn in the world, usually as a species of obedient animal. A messenger ghost is the kind that relies on a person. When the person it is relying on completes the retribution, that is, when the person dies, then this kind of ghost is usually reborn as an obedient animal. These kinds of animals are docile and respond well to instructions. Examples are dogs, cats, horses and so forth that are obedient and easy to train.
Sutra:
"Ananda, all these are due to the burning out of the karmic fire in payment for debts from past lives. The rebirth as an animal is also occasioned by each being's own false and empty karma. If they awaken to Bodhi, then fundamentally none of these false conditions will exist at all.
Commentary:
Ananda, all these matters discussed above concerning all these kinds of beings
are due to the burning out of karmic fire in payment for debts from past lives. The rebirth as an animal is also occasional by each being's own false and empty karma. The retribution of having to be an animal is karma created by one's own false and empty deeds.
If they awaken to Bodhi, the Way to enlightenment,
then fundamentally none of these false conditions will exist at all. All these false conditions will disappear. They will all be empty.
Sutra:
"You mentioned Precious Lotus Fragrance, King Crystal, and Bhikshu Good Stars. Evil karma such as theirs was created by them alone. It did not fall down out of the heavens or well up from the earth, nor was it imposed upon them by some person. Their own falseness brought it into being, and so they themselves have to undergo it. In the Bodhi mind, it is empty and false--a cohesion of false thoughts.
Commenetary:
You mentioned Precious Lotus Fragrance. You remember what kind of a Bikshu she was? Do you remember how she acted?
King Crystal and Bhikshu Good Stars were the others that you brought up.
Evil karma such as theirs was created by them alone. They fell into the hells alive. But they brought it down on themselves.
It did not fall down out of the heavens or well up from the earth, nor was it imposed upon them by some person. That is now how their evil karma came about.
Their own falseness brought it into being, their own false thinking created it.
And so they themselves have to undergo it. In the Bohdi mind, it is empty and false. In the Bohdi mind, karma such as this is ephemeral and imaginary. It's not real; it is just
a cohesion of false thoughts. The solidification of false thinking is what brings this karma into being.
To be continued
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