Miscellaneous Discussions on Buddhism (Part One)
Chapter Eleven: On Karmic Seeds
1. The principle concerning the withering of karmic seeds is extremely profound; only the profound wisdom of the path can comprehend its deep meaning. Before any sentient being attains Buddhahood, all their obstructive evil karma must be exhausted, repaid, and completely eradicated; not even the slightest trace of evil karma may remain. Only then can Buddhahood be attained. As long as even a minute amount of evil karma exists unextinguished, one cannot become a Buddha. The evil karma accumulated by sentient beings since beginningless kalpas would, upon the verge of attaining Buddhahood, all have to be repaid to be eliminated. However, this is impossible. The evil karma amassed over beginningless kalpas is truly immense, vast as dust particles. If all of it had to be repaid to be eliminated, then even three asamkhyeya kalpas would certainly be insufficient for its complete retribution; such a long period of kalpas could not exhaust or fully repay it. Yet, each Buddha cultivated for only three asamkhyeya kalpas, and their evil karmic seeds were already completely extinguished. How, then, were these karmic seeds eliminated?
Some karmic seeds, due to the prolonged absence of conditions for manifesting, gradually wither and disappear on their own; particularly smaller evil karmic seeds are more prone to withering and vanishing. Very large evil karmic seeds cannot wither away; they must be completely repaid while one is still on the Bodhisattva grounds. Alternatively, heavy karma may transform into light karma, with heavy offenses being lightly repaid and thereby extinguished. All evil karma must be completely eliminated before one can attain Buddhahood. Many great Bodhisattvas, upon descending into the human realm, still have to undergo the retribution of evil karma; this is unavoidable. On the other hand, during the process of cultivation, Bodhisattvas continuously accumulate wholesome karma, so that over countless lifetimes, their wholesome karma far outweighs their evil karma. The conditions for the manifestation of relatively minor evil karmic seeds are perpetually insufficient. Over an immeasurably long time, the manas (mind-root) consistently corresponds with wholesome karmic seeds and does not correspond with evil karmic seeds. The mind-ground gradually becomes purified, and seeds from remote kalpas past wither and disappear.
Some smaller evil karmic seeds will certainly wither if they lack the opportunity to manifest for a long time. The evil habits and unwholesome tendencies of the manas, if deprived of opportunity for expression over a long period while wholesome and good habits are formed, will also cause the original evil habits to vanish. The karmic seeds that can be eliminated refer to the actions performed by the body, speech, and mind in past lives, stored as seeds in the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature repository), which will manifest as evil retribution when conditions mature in the future. Retribution can only occur when causes and conditions ripen. What we must do is purify karma through repentance, perform great wholesome deeds greater than the evil karma of past lives, so that wholesome karmic seeds are always present, and evil karma lacks the opportunity to manifest. This allows us to always receive wholesome retribution, avoiding or minimizing evil retribution, until we have the capacity to bear it in the future. At that time, undergoing evil retribution will not be very painful and will be entirely bearable.
2. Question: The principle of karmic seeds withering seems to contradict the verse: "Even over hundreds of thousands of kalpas, the karma created does not perish; when conditions meet, the retribution returns to be experienced by oneself." Those four lines seem to express that karmic seeds are solid; unless repaid, they absolutely will not vanish. How should this be explained?
Answer: The meaning of karmic seeds withering here is that the habitual force of sentient beings' karma-creation, due to the prolonged absence of conditions for creating karma, gradually weakens, to the point where it finally lacks the power and inertia to create karmic actions again. It is like seeds stored and unused for a long time lose their vitality and will no longer take root or sprout. Those who committed grave evil deeds and attain rebirth in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss via the lowest grade of rebirth remain within the lotus flower in that land for up to twelve great kalpas. There, they immerse themselves in the Buddha Dharma, utterly devoid of any opportunity to create karma. Eventually, the evil in their thoughts vanishes, and they never create karma again. Only then can they emerge from the lotus flower, behold the manifested form of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, and hear the Dharma, though without comprehending its meaning. This is all due to the obscuration caused by past sinful karma.
Because they have long been without karmic actions within the lotus, the inertia for creating evil karma is gone. Evil actions of body, speech, and mind do not arise; it has become their habit, so they do not disturb the purity and tranquility of the Pure Land. However, when they return to the Saha World, the major evil karma from their past may still ripen and require repayment, though the retribution will be relatively light, not too severe. They cannot fall into the three evil realms for retribution; they can only undergo some corresponding suffering within the human realm. This illustrates that heavy offenses can be repaid lightly, and light offenses can vanish. Repentance follows the same principle: through repentance, evil karmic seeds are destroyed or lightened, allowing sentient beings to avoid future evil karmic retribution or experience it lightly, and the karmic seeds disappear. Therefore, not all karmic seeds are eliminated solely through retribution; many are eliminated through other means. Otherwise, by the time of attaining Buddhahood, the evil retribution could never be fully exhausted, making Buddhahood unattainable.
3. Can Seeds Be Purified Before Enlightenment?
Purifying karmic seeds generally occurs after afflictions (kleshas) are severed; only when one no longer creates karma arising from afflictions can the seeds become pure. As afflictive habits are gradually eliminated, the karmic seeds are purified bit by bit. When afflictions are not fully eradicated, the body, speech, and mind still create evil karmic actions, and the seeds cannot be purified. Before enlightenment, because one has not realized the true nature of all dharmas, self-view (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) remains, one still clings to self, and will still create evil karma because of self; thus, karmic seeds cannot be purified. After enlightenment, upon realizing Suchness (Tathatā) and knowing the emptiness of the nature of all dharmas, that the five aggregates are without self, one can gradually subdue afflictions. Evil karma created for the sake of self becomes less and less. Upon entering the Bodhisattva grounds (Bhumis), one ceases to create obvious evil karma, and the seeds begin to purify. However, due to remaining afflictive habits and ignorance (avidyā), the occurrence of subtle evil and unwholesome actions is unavoidable.
Buddhist practitioners should cultivate the habit of introspecting their own mind; this can quickly subdue afflictions. Afterwards, one must diligently strive to eradicate afflictions. Only after cultivating the first dhyana (meditative absorption) can one begin to gradually eradicate afflictions. Otherwise, one merely suppresses afflictions, which will later create greed, hatred, and delusion when conditions arise. After severing self-view and realizing the mind's nature (enlightenment), having the first dhyana grants the capacity to eradicate afflictions. Without this, one only suppresses afflictions, failing to uproot them. If the root remains, afflictions will sprout again. Consider a pool of filthy water: to purify it, one must first stop pouring in more filth, then find a way to clean the existing water. If one keeps adding filth, it's impossible to purify the water. Therefore, purifying seeds occurs after enlightenment. Before enlightenment, one can only suppress afflictions and strive to avoid creating evil karma.
4. Are Seeds Truly Real?
Only the Tathagatagarbha is truly real. The seven great seeds are the inherent seeds of the Tathagatagarbha; they have never undergone birth or cessation and possess the real function of giving rise to all dharmas. Thus, they can be said to be real. As for karmic seeds, they are generated later, subject to birth, cessation, and change; therefore, they are not real. Although Buddha-nature (Buddhata) is also unborn and unceasing, it does not function in the state of Nirvana without residue (nirupadhishesa-nirvana). Therefore, it cannot be said to be completely real. In Nirvana without residue, the seven great seeds still exist, but Buddha-nature is not present. The seven great seeds are like the heart of the Tathagatagarbha, coexisting with it; hence, they can be regarded as real. All else is unreal.
5. What is Fixed Karma, and What is Unfixed Karma?
Karma whose conditions for fruition have not yet ripened is unfixed; it can be eliminated through repentance, eliminated through attaining fruition (phala), eliminated through realizing the mind and seeing nature (enlightenment), eliminated upon entering the Bodhisattva grounds, and eliminated upon attaining any stage of fruition. Karma whose karmic fruit has already ripened is fixed karma; for ordinary people, it must be repaid. However, for those with strong cultivation power, even when the karmic fruit ripens, heavy offenses can be repaid lightly, or the karmic fruit can be transformed; this is uncertain.
For saints (Aryas), all karmic fruits are unfixed; they can be realized, transformed, or avoided, entirely depending on the individual. Ultimately, from the perspective of absolute truth, all karmic fruits are unfixed. If karmic fruits were fixed, sentient beings could not become Buddhas, because the sinful karma of sentient beings accumulated over immeasurable kalpas could never be fully extinguished. If sinful karma cannot be fully extinguished, Buddhahood is unattainable. Yet, in the real world, the Buddhas of the ten directions are immeasurable, and their sinful karma has all been extinguished without remainder. Therefore, it is said that all karmic fruits are unfixed.
6. The purpose of cultivation is to transform the mind, especially to transform the manas (mind-root). When evil karmic seeds manifest, if the mind does not follow the evil karma into its flow, the evil karma is eliminated, and what is stored thereafter are seeds of pure karma. If, through cultivation, the mental factors (caitasika dharmas) are changed to pure ones, then the karma created thereafter stores pure seeds. Once the mind is also transformed and purified, some evil karmic seeds will vanish, while others must be repaid in advance, with heavy offenses repaid lightly, ending upon repayment. For example, upon attaining fruition (e.g., Stream-Entry), karma leading to the three evil realms is eliminated. Various attainments and realizations in the Buddha Dharma all eliminate a corresponding portion of evil karmic seeds. Major evil karma will still undergo light retribution.
Cultivation in this present life also affects the defiled seeds stored from past lives; otherwise, cultivation would be useless. The karmic seeds for birth and death over immeasurable kalpas are boundless and infinite. If cultivation could not alter the karmic seeds from past lives, one would still have to endure boundless and infinite karmas of birth and death. When could they ever be fully exhausted? When could one ever attain Buddhahood?
Cultivation can cut off the flow of birth and death. Without evil karmic seeds, there is no flow of birth and death. Why does the flow of birth and death exist? Because there is ignorance (avidyā) and karmic actions. Why is there evil retribution? Because there is evil karma. What is evil retribution? The suffering of birth and death within the three realms, the cycle of the six paths (gatis), arises from evil karma created due to ignorance, leading to the cycle of the six paths, especially the cycle of birth and death in the three evil realms. To eliminate the suffering of birth and death in the three evil realms, one must cultivate to eliminate the ignorance in the mind-ground. For instance, upon attaining fruition, upon realizing the mind's nature, or upon entering the first Bodhisattva ground, a portion of ignorance is eliminated, the karma leading to the three evil realms is eradicated, and one no longer undergoes suffering in the three evil realms.
