Four modes of birth
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four modes of birth (四生). Sentient beings are born through
(1) the womb, such as humans and other mammals;
(2) the egg, such as birds and reptiles;
(3) moisture, such as fishes and insects;
(4) miraculous formation, such as Gods, Ghosts, and Hell-dwellers.
Source
The four modes of birth (Wyl. skye gnas bzhi) — according to tantric theory, all forms of birth fall into one of four categories:
- womb birth (for humans and certain classes of animals and pretas);
- spontaneous generation from warmth and moisture or heat-moisture birth (for certain “inferior” types of animals), and
- miraculous birth or manifestation (for all gods, hell beings, and beings in the intermediate state, as well as certain classes of preta
and humans such as bodhisattva emanations).