The Meaning of Unobscured Karma

Obscured means dim, vague, and unclear. Unobscured signifies mental clarity and an unwavering understanding of cause and effect. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas possess a very clear comprehension of cause and effect. Because they possess the wisdom of consciousness-only and seed cognition, they know with absolute clarity that simultaneously with the performance of every karmic action, a seed is stored within the Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature repository), and when conditions ripen, the karmic retribution will inevitably manifest. Bodhisattvas without this wisdom of consciousness-only and seed cognition, along with ordinary bodhisattvas, lack a clear understanding of this matter, so they sometimes act with a sense of luck, committing some unwholesome karmic deeds. Due to the incomplete eradication of ignorance, the physical, verbal, and mental actions of bodhisattvas still operate within the framework of cause and effect; they cannot transcend the law of karma.