What Is Intrinsic Sin (Offenses Evil by Nature)?

Whenever one creates unwholesome karma, it is because of an evil mind and afflicted mind; it all belongs to a bad mental disposition, and therefore all of it carries innate offense (svabhāva-āpatti). The retributive result of innate offense is the same whether or not one has received the precepts. Because all sentient beings possess the innate afflictive obstruction (kleśāvaraṇa) of greed, hatred, and delusion, all sentient beings undergo retribution within the cycle of the six realms of rebirth, with beings of the three evil realms constituting the vast majority. For those who have not received the precepts, their mental disposition does not accord with the precepts; when they violate the Dharma, the retribution upon their mental disposition is the same as that of those who violate the precepts.

For example, even if a person has not received the five precepts, after killing someone they must still descend into hell to repay the evil retribution. Upon emerging from hell, when they encounter that person, they must still repay a life for the one who was killed. The same applies to killing animals—all of it carries offense, requiring the undergoing of retribution and the repayment of a life. It is the same with violating precepts in other respects: whatever evil retribution is due must still be undergone. If one has not received the five precepts, but one's bodily, verbal, and mental actions accord with the five precepts and one's mental disposition is wholesome, one will receive wholesome retribution, gaining blessings and enjoying happiness. Moreover, the sentient beings one has benefited will also repay with corresponding benefits.

However, there is still a slight difference between receiving the precepts and not receiving them: if a person who has received the precepts violates them, there is an additional offense—the offense of violating the precepts. Knowingly committing a violation is itself a failure to respect the precepts, and thus it carries offense. Those who knowingly violate, compared with those who violate without knowing, have heavier afflictions, and therefore their retribution will be somewhat heavier.