佛言：「行道者當知，五陰出入成敗。譬如人命欲盡在呼吸，欲死便四百四病中前後次第稍發；便見想生恐畏怖，夢中見蜂啄木，烏鵄啄頂腦。一柱樓上自樂見著衣，青黃赤白自身著，見騎馬人牧䭷有聲。持[竺-二+奇]作枕，聚土中臥。死人亦擔死人，亦除溷人，共一器中食；亦見是人共載車行，麻油污泥污足亦塗身；亦見是時時飲；亦見墮網中獵家牽去。或見自身嘻喜歡喜咷；或見道積蟇子自過上；或見斂鹵鹽錢；或見被髮胆裸女人，自身相牽；或有灰傅身亦食；或見狗亦獼猴相逐恐；或見自身滅欲娶嫁。或時見人家中神壞；或時見馬來狧鬚髮；或時見齒墮地；或時見擔死人衣，自著身；或時自身胆裸為塗膩；或見聚土自身轉；或時見革及旃著衣行；或時自見家中門，弊壞車來到，多載油花香。亦見昆弟近自身，嚴先祖人現麁恐顏色，欲來取是取共行。或時塚間行，遽捨花嬰頸；或時見自身，倒墮河水中；或時見墮五湖九江不得底；或時見入菅茅中，裸身相割自敷轉。或時上樹無有蓏、無有華、無有華戲；或時、在壇上舞；或時樹間行獨樂大美，亦持若干幹樹破聚薪；或時入舍，闇冥不得門出；或時上山嶄巖悲大哭；或時鳥梲吞足亦蹈；或時塵坌頭；或時虎遮斷，亦狗猴亦驢，南方行入塚間，見聚炭髮毛分骨擣碎幹華，自身見入鹽王。見鹽王使問，從後現說：『世間已得多樂，根墮或身墮，畏命欲去，不得自在，病追促病已促，意便動，命盡憂近，便見夢令入大怖。』

The Buddha said: "Those who practice the Way should understand how the five aggregates (form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness) arise, operate, and cease. This is like a person whose life is hanging by a thread, dependent on each breath. When death approaches, the four hundred and four illnesses progressively appear. Then visions arise, filled with fear and terror—in dreams, you see bees pecking at wood, crows pecking at your head and brains. You imagine yourself on a single-pillar tower, delighting in seeing yourself dressed in blue, yellow, red, or white. You see someone riding a horse, a cowherd making sounds, using a pillow for a chamber pot, lying down in piled earth. There are dead people and carriers of the dead, those who clean out the latrine, all sharing food from the same vessel. You also see these people riding in a cart together, sesame oil and mud staining your feet and smearing your body. You see yourself drinking constantly, or caught in a net and dragged away by hunters. Sometimes you see yourself laughing with joy and shouting; or you see a path full of frogs you leap over. You see yourself gathering salt and coins, or you see a naked woman with disheveled hair clinging to you. Someone covers themselves in ash and also eats. You see a dog and a monkey chasing each other in terror. Or you see yourself abandoning desires to enter marriage. Sometimes you see the household deities destroyed; sometimes you see a horse licking your hair and beard; sometimes you see your teeth falling to the ground; sometimes you see dead people's clothing draped on your own body; sometimes you are naked and covered in grease; you see yourself rolling in piled earth; sometimes you walk dressed in animal skins and woolen cloth; sometimes you see the gate of your own home broken, and a damaged cart arrives carrying sesame oil and flowers. You see a relative near you with a spirit of an ancestor, fierce and terrifying, about to take you away to journey with them. Sometimes you wander through a cemetery, quickly throwing on a garland around your neck; sometimes you see yourself falling upside down into a river; sometimes you fall into the Five Lakes and Nine Rivers, finding no bottom; sometimes you enter among reeds, naked, cutting each other and turning around. You climb a tree with no fruit, no flowers, and no amusement with blossoms; sometimes you dance on a platform; sometimes you wander among the trees, taking solitary pleasure, deeply enjoyable, gathering and breaking many branches into firewood; sometimes you enter a house in the dark and cannot find the door to leave; sometimes you climb a steep, rugged mountain and weep bitterly; sometimes you swallow a bird and step on it; dust settles on your head; a tiger blocks your way, and you walk south among dogs, monkeys, and donkeys into a cemetery, seeing charred coals, split hair and broken bones, crushed and dried flowers, and you see yourself entering the realm of King Yama.

The messenger of King Yama will question you, and it will be revealed from behind: 'In the world you have already enjoyed much pleasure, but now your roots or your body are falling away. Fearing death, you want to escape yet you cannot be free. Sickness presses upon you; having pressed you, your mind begins to waver. This is the final worry at the end of your life. Thus, dreams bring you into great fear.'"

「人便意中計：『我命欲盡，如是夢，身所見。』便意怖，便身殘。譬如鳥蹋梲己身近，極苦相著，便欲自歸醫。己親屬昆弟見病劇，便遣使到醫舍。呼使者行便有是相，不潔惡衣、長爪亂鬚髮、載壞弊車、著穿弊履；顏色黑眼青，車中駕白牛馬，自手摩抆鬚髮。呼醫已，急駕車使上，從後縛束。但坐惡樂意，不計好樂、不念醫病，已壞身便墮罪器，即遣呼，醫便念：『病痛不得復活。何以故？趣使得相有如是像，跓被服、語言、車蓋、鬚髮衣；亦如是諱日來呼，若四、若六、若九、若十二、若十四來至到，復觸忌諱日，人所不喜醫，復何血忌上相四激反支來喚？是亦不必日時漏刻星宿。須臾疑人取相。何以故？或時是惡日時漏刻，有是人行方便，能治病痛，病痛有時不能得治，是故不必在時日漏刻。故慧人不亦喜用歷日。仙人常勸：「當為求方便治，至死若病痛橫有病，可能得活，若命盡但說去。計如是可至病痛舍，從後束結；說俱入海水，或到或中壞，病亦比海，或愈或死。」』

A person then falls into delusion: "My life is about to end, and these dreams and visions are real." Becoming terrified, they harm themselves. It is like a bird landing on a perch, feeling extreme pain and wanting to seek a healer. When their relatives and siblings see the severity of the illness, they send a messenger to the healer's house. The messenger appears with such signs: dirty clothes, long nails, tangled hair and beard, riding a broken cart with worn-out shoes; their face is dark, eyes are black, driving white oxen or horses, and they smooth their own hair and beard themselves. Calling for the healer, they urge the cart forward quickly, binding everything behind them. Yet all this is due to indulging in harmful pleasures, without considering true happiness, without thinking of healing the illness; having ruined the body, they fall into the vessel of suffering. Then the messenger is sent, and the healer thinks: "The sickness cannot be cured. Why? Because these signs appear—the clothing, speech, carriage canopy, hair and beard—and the person comes on unlucky days, such as the fourth, sixth, ninth, twelfth, or fourteenth, or on taboo days that people dislike. The healer is also called on blood-avoidance days, on ascendant phases, or during contradictory times. But this does not depend solely on the hour, the moment, or the constellations. In only a moment, deluded people seize on signs. Why? Sometimes, even on bad days and hours, a person with skillful means can treat the illness; but illness cannot always be cured. Therefore, it does not rely solely on days and hours. So the wise do not delight in relying on calendars. The sages always advise: 'Seek skillful means to treat the illness; until death or suffering strikes, there may be a chance to live. If life is truly ending, simply let go.' Thinking this way, one can go to the sick person's home, binding all attachments behind. It is like entering the ocean together—some reach the shore, some sink midway. Illness is like that ocean: sometimes one recovers, sometimes one dies."

「行至病者舍，入見病著人，病更惱。從彼舍來說，醫便視病，相遽驚怖驚坐起，著病無有力，不得自在。見如是，便念：『如是經中說死相見，顏色不如，皮皺行，身如土色，舌延出，或語言忘，見身重骨節不隨，鼻頭曲戾、皮黑咤幹，喉舌如骨色，不復知味。口𤍜毛孔赤，筋脈不了了，被髮髮竪，牽髮不復覺，直視背臥，驚怖顏色轉，面皺，髮竪熟視，或語若干說。如經說：「餘命不足道，譬如樹間失火，亦如六相，無說所聞見。」若有沐身未浴身時，譬栴檀香；或時如蜜香；或時多核香；或時那替香；或時根香；或時皮香；或時華香；或時蓏香；或時霍香；或時宿命從行相，筋香、髮香、骨香、肌肉盟血香、大便香；或時鵄香；或時烏香；或時蚖香；或時猪香；或時狗香；或時狖香；或時鼠香；或時蛇香；或時譬如有人。或時啄木聲；或時瓦聲；或時澁聲；或時惡聲；或時鴈聲；或時孔雀聲；或時鼓聲；或時馬聲；或時虎聲。亦有說熟死相中，譬如人死時有死相，為口不知味，耳中不聞聲，一切卷縮，脈投血肉，[浿*昜]頰車張，上頭掉影無有明，臀肉竪，眼黑色黑，大小便不通，節根解，口中上臛青雙噦計。如是病痛相，不可治，設鶣鵲亦一切良醫，并祠祀盡會，亦不能愈是。』

He went to the sick person's home and entered to see someone afflicted by illness, where the disease caused further suffering. Coming out from that house, the physician then examined the patient. Alarmed, they started up in fear, sat up, but the sick person had no strength and was not at ease.

Seeing this, he thought: *This is just as the scriptures describe the signs of death—complexion altered, skin wrinkled, body like the color of earth, tongue extended, sometimes speech forgotten. The body feels heavy, joints no longer follow commands, the nose is crooked and dry, skin black and parched, throat and tongue like the color of bone, no longer able to taste. The mouth is dry, pores are reddened, veins and sinews indistinct. The hair stands on end; when pulled, it is no longer felt. They stare straight ahead, lying on their back, terror-stricken, complexion changing, face wrinkled, hair standing on end, staring intently, sometimes speaking in fragments.*

*As the scriptures say: "The remaining lifespan is not worth mentioning, like a fire breaking out among trees, or like the six signs—nothing to be said or heard or seen."*

*When one has bathed or not yet bathed—like the fragrance of sandalwood, or sometimes like honey-perfume, or like nutmeg, or like camphor, or like root-fragrance, or like bark-fragrance, or like flower-fragrance, or like fruit-fragrance, or like patchouli-fragrance, or sometimes from past karma signs—there are scents of sinews, hair, bones, flesh, blood, excrement; or sometimes like vulture-scent, or crow-scent, or snake-scent, or pig-scent, or dog-scent, or monkey-scent, or rat-scent, or snake-scent.*

*Or sometimes like someone—or like the sound of a woodpecker, or like the sound of tiles, or like a rough sound, or like an unpleasant sound, or like the sound of a goose, or like the sound of a peacock, or like the sound of a drum, or like the sound of a horse, or like the sound of a tiger.*

*There are also descriptions of the signs of approaching death: When a person is dying, there are death omens—the mouth no longer knows taste, the ear no longer hears sounds, everything contracts, the pulse sinks into flesh and blood, the cheekbones protrude, the head shakes, vision fails, the buttocks stiffen, the eyes darken, the black of the eye turns black, urine and stool are blocked, joints separate, and blue froth bubbles from the mouth. These are the signs of incurable sickness. Even if Bian Que, or all other excellent physicians, and all rituals and offerings were assembled together, they could not cure it.*

「病痛家已聞醫語，便棄藥，所事方便便止。親屬知識比隣共會，還繞病困者，悲哀哭視，譬如牛為屠家所殺，餘牛見死牛恐自及，跳場驚怖走入山樹間呌喚；復譬如猪為屠家所殺，餘猪見驚怖畏効死，便聳耳直視；復如魚為捕魚墮網者，餘魚見驚怖，沈走入沙石間𣝆藻中藏；復譬如飛鳥聚行，一鳥為鷹鷂所得，餘鳥驚分散分走。如是昆弟親屬知識隣里，見哀離別視命欲斷，地獄使者已到將入獄，在斯便轉死，箭已射已，生死索行罪便牽往過世。親屬已還收髮草𮉄，若忼愾聲滿口不止，出悲語見愛念，若干種胞頤㵪洟出，呼當奈何！

The sick person had already heard the doctor's advice, so they discarded the medicine and stopped all the remedies they had been applying. Family members, friends, and neighbors gathered together, surrounding the suffering person, weeping and wailing in grief—like a cow being slaughtered by a butcher, and the other cows, terrified by the death they witness, fearing it will happen to them, jump about in panic and flee into the mountains and forests, mooing in distress. Again, it is like a pig being killed by a butcher, while the other pigs, terrified and fearing death, stiffen their ears and stare straight ahead. Again, it is like fish caught in a fisherman's net, while the other fish, frightened, dive deep into the sand and hide among the reeds and weeds. Again, it is like a flock of birds flying together: when one bird is caught by a hawk or a falcon, the other birds scatter in terror and fly away in different directions.

Thus, brothers, relatives, friends, and neighbors, seeing the separation and sorrow as their loved one's life is about to end, witness the arrival of the messengers of the hell realms, who will take them into the underworld. At that moment, the person dies; the arrow has already struck. Their life's actions and past misdeeds pull them onward, leading them from this world to the next. Then the family members return, tearing their hair and throwing dust on themselves, wailing with sorrow-ridden voices, weeping and lamenting endlessly, shedding streams of tears, crying out, "What can we do?"

「病者不復久，內見風起名刀風，令病者散節；復一風起名遽風，令病者斷結；復一風起名鍼風，令病者筋緩；復一風起名破骨風，令病者骨髓傷；復一風起名藏風，令病者眼耳鼻孔皆青，髮毛出入一切是孔令壞斷拔捨；復一風起名復上風，令病者內身，膝脇肩背胸腹臍小腹，大腸小腸肝肺心脾腎，亦餘藏令斷截；復一風起名成風，令病者青血、肪膏，大小便生熟熱寒澁，令幹從處却；復一風起名節間居風，令病者骨骼直掣振，或時舉手足，或把空，或起或坐，或呻號或哭或瞋。已散節，已斷結，已筋緩，已骨髓傷，已精明等去，裁身有餘在，心已冷如木，已棄五行，并心中羸羸，裁有餘微。譬如燈滅有餘明，裁心有餘但有微意，識是人本所行好醜罪福，心便見。今世若有好行意便喜，若惡即時慚；得好處者意喜，墮惡處者意即愁慚。譬如人照淨鏡盡見面像，髮白皮皺生𩩳垢塵，或齒墮或塵齒見身從老，屢如是即自慚，閉目放鏡不欲見，以放鏡憂愁，我已壯去，老到顏色醜，樂已去。如是素行惡，在意從惡行，便憂愁悔受苦惱不可意，自責：『今我墮惡處為無有疑。』若如行者行三好，若干守行願，最好行者多好，即時喜多喜意可自喜：『我今上天亦好處。』譬如賈客，從澁道得脫出，得多利，歸家到門喜；亦譬如田家願，獲五穀著舍中；亦如病痛得愈安隱；亦如負債已償；素行好亦如是合好行；譬如蜜蜂便意生我已到好處。

The sick person does not live long. Inside, a wind arises called the "Knife Wind," tearing apart the joints. Another wind arises called the "Swift Wind," snapping the tendons. Another wind arises called the "Needle Wind," loosening the muscles. Another wind arises called the "Bone-Breaking Wind," injuring the marrow. Another wind arises called the "Hidden Wind," turning the eyes, ears, and nostrils blue, causing all body hair to fall out and the openings to decay and break apart. Another wind arises called the "Upward Wind," tearing apart the body from the inside—the knees, ribs, shoulders, back, chest, abdomen, navel, lower belly, large intestine, small intestine, liver, lungs, heart, spleen, and kidneys—as well as the other organs. Another wind arises called the "Forming Wind," drying up the blue blood, fat, and marrow, as well as urine and feces, both raw and cooked, hot and cold, and coarse or fine, expelling them from their places. Another wind arises called the "Joint-Dwelling Wind," making the bones stiff and trembling, sometimes causing the person to lift a hand or foot, grasp at the air, rise up or sit down, groan, weep, or grow angry. Now the joints are sundered, the tendons snapped, the muscles slack, the marrow injured, and the light of the eyes and senses gone. Only a remnant of the body remains. The mind has grown cold, like a piece of wood. It has abandoned the five elements, and within the heart there is only a faint residue. Like a lamp that has gone out but leaves a faint glow, so the mind barely persists, with only a trace of awareness. Then the person sees, through consciousness, the good and evil deeds and merits and sins done in this life. If they have done good, the mind rejoices. If evil, it feels shame. If destined for a good place, the mind is joyful. If destined for a bad place, the mind is sorrowful and ashamed. It is like someone looking into a clean mirror and seeing their face clearly—white hair, wrinkled skin, grime and dust, or missing teeth, or teeth covered in dirt—seeing that their body has aged. Seeing this, they feel ashamed, close their eyes, and put the mirror down, not wanting to look anymore. Having put the mirror away, they grieve: "My youth is gone, old age has come, my appearance is ruined, and pleasure is gone." Likewise, if a person habitually does evil, and their mind follows evil deeds, they will feel sorrow, regret, and unbearable pain, and blame themselves: "Now I am surely falling into a bad place." But if a person walks in three kinds of goodness, maintaining many virtuous practices and aspirations, and their best conduct is good, then they at once feel much joy and cheer, and are pleased with themselves: "Now I will go to a good place in heaven." It is like a merchant who escapes from a dangerous road, gains great profit, and returns home to his door with joy. It is also like a farmer who has gathered the five grains into his storehouse. Or like a sick person who recovers and is at peace. Or like a person who has paid off a debt. Those who habitually do good likewise experience good results. Like a bee that thinks, "I have reached a good place."

「精已七日不減，二七日精生，薄如酪上酥肥。三七日精凝，如久酪在器中。四七日精稍堅，如酪成。五七日精變化，如酪酥。六七日如酪酥，變化聚堅。七七日變化聚堅藏，譬如熟烏麮。八七日變化滅烏麮，譬如磨石子。九七日在磨石子上生五腄：兩肩相、兩臏相、一頭相。十七日亦在磨石子上生四肘：兩手相、兩足相。十一七日亦在磨石子上生二十四肘：十在手指相，十在足指相，四在耳、目、鼻、口止處相。十二七日是肘為正。十三七日為起腹相。十四七日心脾腎肝心生。十五七日大腸生。十六七日小腸生。十七七日胃生。十八七日生處、肺處、熟處。十九七日髀膝足臂、掌節、手足趺約。二十七日陰臍、乳頸、項形。二十一七日為骨髓應分生，九骨著頭，兩骨著頰，三十二骨著口，七骨著咽，兩骨著肩，兩骨著臂，四十骨著腕，十二骨著膝，十六骨著脇十八骨著脊，二骨著喉，二骨著臗，四骨著脛，十四骨著足，百八微骨生肌中；如是三百節從微著身，譬如瓠。二十二七日骨稍堅，譬如龜甲。二十三七日精復堅，譬如厚皮胡桃。是為三百節連相著，足骨連腨腸，腨腸連臗骨，臗骨連背，脊腰骨連肩，肩連頸脰，頸脰連頭頤，頭頤連齒。如是是骨聚磈礧骨城，筋纏、血澆、肉塗革覆，福從是受，靡不知痛痒，隨意隨風作俳掣。二十四七日為七千筋纏身。二十五七日生七千脈，尚未具成。二十六七日諸脈悉徹具足成就，如蓮花根孔；二十七七日三百六十節具。二十八七日肉栽生。二十九七日肉稍堅滿。三十七日皮膜成臘。三十一七日皮膜稍堅。三十二七日脽䤚肌生。三十三七日耳鼻腹脾脂，節約診現。三十四七日身中皮外生九十九萬孔。三十五七日九十九萬孔，稍稍成現。三十六七日爪甲生。三十七七日母腹中若干風起，或風起令目鼻口開已開入；或復風塵起，令髮毛爪生，端正亦不端正；或復風起盛肌色，或白或黑、或黃或赤、好不好，是七日中腦血肪膏髓，熱寒涕大小便道開。三十八七日母腹中風起，令得如宿命行好惡：若好行者便香風起，可身意令端正可人；惡行者令臭風起，使身意不安不可人，骨節不端正，或𮍆𦜏或僂或𨉝或魋，人見可是。三十八七日為九月不滿四日，骨節皆具足。

*As the scriptures say: "The remaining lifespan is not worth mentioning, like a fire breaking out among trees, or like the six signs—nothing to be said or heard or seen."*

Path of Practice Sutra (道地經)

Path of Practice Sutra (道地經)