The Principle of Karma Elimination

Some say that karmic obstacles are like paintings on a wall—if the wall vanishes, the paintings cease to exist.

The body composed of the five aggregates is like the wall, and karmic obstacles are the afflictions hindering this body of five aggregates. If the body and mind of the five aggregates become empty, and the consciousness and mental faculty become empty, karmic actions naturally dissolve. Karmic obstacles target the body and mind of the five aggregates, attaching to them—in truth, attaching to the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. If the sixth and seventh consciousnesses become empty, does karma vanish? Without a host to cling to, karmic obstacles, finding no body or mind of the five aggregates, disappear—emptied. Without the agent who created the karma, who is left to undergo karmic retribution? With no one to receive retribution, the retribution ceases.

However, the extent to which karmic obstacles are eliminated depends on the degree of emptiness attained in the body and mind of the five aggregates. The emptiness realized by a Stream-Enterer differs from that of a Once-Returner; the emptiness of a Once-Returner differs from that of a Non-Returner; the emptiness of a Non-Returner differs from that of an Arhat. Thus, the elimination of karmic obstacles varies accordingly. Yet, if karmic obstacles are too heavy, one cannot evade debts through emptiness of mind. For example, if someone owes a million and is reborn in the Pure Land, to whom can creditors demand repayment? If one owes a hundred million, with creditors watching every moment, could such a person reach the Pure Land? They certainly could not go far; any attempt to leave would be blocked by creditors barring their way. Only when debts are relatively light will creditors cease expending effort to watch them constantly.