人死神明不灭，善恶果报不虚
[285] People Deceased [Are With] Consciousnesses Not Ceasing, [While] Good [And] Evil Fruits’ Results [Are] Not False
「中阴」者，即「识神」也。
Those ‘intermediate aggregates’, are the same as [the] ‘consciousness’.
[Note 1: Intermediate Aggregates (中阴): Bardo (i.e. intermediate) state’s beings with mental consciousnesses (i.e. mental aggregates) only, without physical bodies, who exist between the transpired death and the next rebirth. If not delivered or liberated in time, these beings usually take rebirth within 49 days.]
非「识神化为中阴」，即俗所谓「灵魂」者。
[It is] not [that ‘the] consciousness manifests as [the] intermediate aggregates’, then [becoming] those secularly so-called ‘souls’.
[Note 2: While the reality of the ‘consciousness’ (识神/神识) is that it is impermanent (无常) and without self (无我) in terms of the five aggregates (五蕴/五阴), the illusion of the ‘soul’ (灵魂) is that it is permanent and with self.]
[Note 3: This is one wrong extreme view (边见), of existential eternalism, also called the eternalistic view (断见).]
言中阴七日一死生，七七日必投生等，不可泥执。
Speaking [of the] intermediate aggregates, [with] seven days [having] one death [and] birth, [and with] seven seven [i.e. forty-nine] days definitely [having] rebirth [and] others, [these] must not [be] rigidly adhered to stubbornly.
[Note 4: These durations, while typical, do not apply to every single person as there are different conditions in each case. For example, the moment there is guidance (开示) and support-chanting (助念) properly offered and successfully received, there will immediately be rebirth in Pure Land (净土), no matter when it is, within or even beyond the forty-nine days (if there is strong attachment and if karma allows so.]
中阴之死生，乃即彼无明心中，所现之生灭相而言，不可呆作世人之死生相以论也。
[The] death [and] birth of [the] intermediate aggregates, thus then, [is with] that ignorant mind within, that appearing of arising [and] ceasing’s forms then spoken. [They] must not [be] simply regarded as death [and] birth’s forms of [the] world’s people, with [them] discussed.
中阴受生，疾则一弹指顷，即向三途六道中去。迟则或至七七，并过七七日等。
[When the] intermediate aggregates receive birth, [this is] swift then, [like in] one snap [of the] fingers’ moment, immediately towards [the] three realms [and] six paths within going. [If] later, then perhaps until seven seven [days], furthermore, passing seven seven days [and] others.
[Note 5: Six Paths (六道): (i) Hell Path (地狱道), (ii) Hungry Ghost Path (饿鬼道), (iii) Animal Path (畜生道), (iv) Human Path (人道), (v) Asura Path (阿修罗道), (vi) Heavenly Path (天道).]
[Note 6: Three (Lower) Realms (三途): (i) Hell-Being Realm (地狱途), (ii) Hungry Ghost Realm (饿鬼途), (iii) Animal Realm (畜生途), collectively also called the Three Evil Paths (三恶道).]
初死之人，能令相识者，或见于昼夜，与人相接，或有言论。
Of persons [who have] just died, [they are] able [to] lead those [who] know one another, perhaps [to be] seen in day [and] night, with people meeting one another, perhaps having speech.
此不独中阴为然，即已受生善恶道中，亦能于相识亲故之前，一为现形。
This [is] not only [with the] intermediate aggregates as thus, even if [having] already received birth within good [and] evil paths, [they are] also able to [be with] relatives [who] know one another, before [them], one [by one] appearing [i.e. perhaps in dreams or as apparitions].
此虽本人意念所现，其权实操于主造化之神祇。欲以彰示人死神明不灭，及善恶果报不虚耳。
This, although [is with the] original persons’ thoughts that appear, that power [is] truly controlled by gods who manage [nature’s] creations [and] transformations [i.e. through which karma functions]. Desiring [to be] with clear revelation [that when] humans die, [their] consciousnesses [do] not cease, and [that] good [and] evil [karmic] fruits’ results [are] not false.
否则阳间人不知阴间事，则「人死形既朽灭，神亦飘散」之论，必至群相附和。
Otherwise, [the] living world’s people [will] not know [the] netherworld’s matters, then commenting that ‘[when] humans die, [with their] forms already decayed [and] destroyed, [their] consciousnesses [are] also drifted [and] scattered’. [They] will arrive [at that which is the same as the] crowd, echoing [with] one another.
[Note 7: This is the other one wrong extreme view (边见), of existential and moral nihilism, also called the nihilistic view (断见).]
而举世之人，同陷于「无因无果，无有来生后世」之深坑。
Yet, of people throughout the world, [there are those] together falling into [the] deep pit [of there being] ‘without cause [and] without effect, without having [the] next life [and the] life after [the] next’.
将见善者则亦不加惕厉以修德，恶者便欲穷凶极欲以造恶矣。
[There] will [be] seeing [of] those good, then also not with additional caution [and] strictness cultivating virtues, [and] those evil, then desiring [to be] with extreme viciousness [and] extreme desires creating evil.
天地鬼神，欲人明知此事，故有亡者现身于人世，阳人主刑于幽冥等。
[The] heavens [and] earth’s ghosts [and] gods, desiring people [to] clearly know these matters, thus have those deceased appearing in [the] human world, [and those] living people sentenced [with] punishment in [the] netherworld [and] others.
皆所以辅弼佛法，翼赞治道。其理甚微，其关系甚大。
All therefore assist [the] Buddha’s Dharma, [and] assist [in] governing [the] path. Their principles [are] extremely fine, [and] their connections [are] extremely great.
此种事古今载籍甚多，然皆未明言其权之所自，并其事之关系之利益耳。
[On] this kind [of] matters, [in] ancient [and] modern books [are] extremely many. However, [with] all yet [to] clearly speak of that power, where it [is] from, furthermore, of [the] connections [and] benefits of these matters.
净土宗十三祖印光大师
Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
《印光法师文钞》（正编）：复范古农书二；
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings (First Compilation): Second Reply Letter [To] Fàn Gǔnóng;
印光大师文钞菁华录（第两百八十五则）：八、释普通疑惑：论中阴（第五则）
Record [Of] Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence (285th Short Section): 8th [Chapter]: Explanations [On] Common Doubts [And] Confusions: Discussion [On] Intermediate Aggregates (5th Short Section)
[Ref: #285 / 8.5]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
相关典籍
Related Text:
《印光大师文钞菁华录》
Record Of Great Master Yìnguāng’s Collected Writings’ Essence
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