Commentary on the Pitāputrasamāgama Sūtra (95)

How Does Karmic Retribution Manifest?

The ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness) is the master of sentient beings. The physical, verbal, and mental karmic actions created by the six consciousnesses—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—serve as contributing conditions. When causes and conditions converge, the six consciousnesses of the next life arise, and the karmic retribution of the next life begins. Upon the initial emergence of consciousness, one immediately knows whether one has been born into hell, the heavens, the animal realm, the ghost realm, or the asura realm. For instance, if destined to be reborn as a human, the initial consciousness arises, sensations manifest, and human karmic retribution becomes present. Without consciousness, there is no experiencer to perceive feelings of pleasure or pain; thus, true retribution has not yet been received. In the human womb, prior to four or five months, there is no conscious mind, and one cannot feel pain or pleasure. Strictly speaking, this stage is not considered true retribution, yet it is still regarded as retribution because the physical body itself is the karmic retribution body—merely lacking a mind to perceive pleasure or pain.

The conscious mind within the same physical body continuously flows and functions. Throughout a single lifetime, the six consciousnesses—such as eye consciousness—continuously operate within the same physical body; this is called "homogeneous mental states." When the final consciousness ceases, the physical body becomes like a log, termed the "dead skandha." The initial arising of consciousness is called the "birth skandha," while the six consciousnesses are collectively termed the "consciousness skandha."