The Animals
“Ananda, once ghosts have exhausted their karma as ghost, their mind are finally void of emotions and thoughts, and now it’s time for them to come into this world to repay their debts so as to settle the enmity their original creditors hold against them. And thus, they are born as animals to repay their debts incurred in previous lives.
“Usually a shape-shifting ghost will be reborn as a species of owl, once the material object it was attached to disintegrates and its retribution is finished.
“And a drought ghost will usually be reborn as one of those creatures that are generally considered inauspicious, once the wind subsides and its retribution is finished.
“A sorcery ghost will usually be reborn as a species of fox, once the animal it possessed dies and its retribution is finished.
“A hex-poison ghost will usually be reborn as a venomous species, once the poisonous insect it assumed the form of dies and its retribution is finished.
“And a pestilence ghost will usually be reborn as a species of parasite, once the plague it assumed the form of dies out and its retribution is finished.
“While a hungry ghost will usually be reborn as a species of animal used for food, once the energy it assumed the form of is exhausted and its retribution is finished.
“A paralysis ghost will usually be reborn as a species of animal used for clothing or service, once the gloomy energy it assumed the form of is exhausted and its retribution is finished.
“An elf ghost will usually be reborn as a species of migratory creature, once the perversive energy it assumed the form of is exhausted and its retribution is finished.
“While a servant ghost will usually be reborn as a species of creatures that are generally considered auspicious, once the spells that controlled it are exhausted, and its retribution is finished.
“And a messenger ghost will usually be reborn as a domestic animal or a pet, once the medium or wizard it possessed has died and its retribution is finished.
“Ananda, all this is because one’s karmic fire as ghost has died out, and one is now reborn as animal to further repay the debts incurred during past lifetimes. It is, again, created by false and deluded thinking. If only one could realize Bodhi, one would see that these retributions are fundamentally unreal.
“Such as Bhikṣuṇi Lotus-Fragrance, Heavenly King Viruḍhaka, and Bhikṣu Sunakṣatra, all these three you mentioned previously, whose evil karmas were all created by themselves alone. It did not fall down from the heavens, nor did it emerge from the earth, nor was it imposed on them by anyone else. Their own delusions give rise to it, and they themselves must undergo the retributions. It is merely a cohesion of illusions and delusions manifested in the Bodhi.”
復次阿難鬼業既盡。則情與想二俱成空。方於世間。與元負人怨對相值。身為畜生酬其宿債。物怪之鬼物銷報盡。生於世間多為梟類。風魅之鬼風銷報盡。生於世間多為咎徵一切異類。畜魅之鬼畜死報盡。生於世間多為狐類。蟲蠱之鬼蟲滅報盡。生於世間多為毒類。衰癘之鬼衰窮報盡。生於世間多為蛔類。受氣之鬼氣銷報盡。生於世間多為食類。綿幽之鬼幽銷報盡。生於世間多為服類。和精之鬼和銷報盡。生於世間多為應類。明靈之鬼明滅報盡。生於世間多為休徵一切諸類。依人之鬼人亡報盡。生於世間多於循類。阿難是等皆以業火乾枯。酬其宿債傍為畜生。此等亦皆自虛妄業之所招引。若悟菩提。則此妄緣本無所有。如汝所言寶蓮香等。及瑠璃王善星比丘。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。菩提心中皆為浮妄虛想凝結。
Buddha Mind 