Discourse on the Sutra of the Compendium of Fathers and Sons (107)

The Ten Kinds of Evil Karmic Retributions All Manifest at the Time of Death

Original Text: The Buddha said: "Great King, so it is, so it is. When foolish, ordinary beings hear pleasing sounds, they give rise to fondness and delight, generating defilement and attachment. They create evil deeds: three with the body, four with speech, and three kinds of mental karma. After creating such karma, it perishes in an instant. Once this karma perishes, it does not abide in the east, south, west, or north, nor in the four intermediate directions, above, below, or in the middle. Yet, at the final moment when the vitality ceases, the karmic retribution of their own deeds fully manifests before them. It is like awakening from a dream and recalling the things in the dream."

Explanation: The Buddha said: Great King, it is indeed so. Foolish ordinary beings, upon hearing sounds they find agreeable, give rise to fondness and delight in their minds, generating a defiled mind of craving. They create evil karma: committing the ten evil actions — three bodily acts (killing, stealing, sexual misconduct), four verbal acts (divisive speech, harsh words, idle talk, lying), and three mental acts (greed, hatred, delusion). After creating this karma, it vanishes in an instant. Once vanished, the karmic action does not dwell in the east, south, west, or north, nor in the four intermediate directions, above, below, or the center — disappearing without a trace. However, at the final moment when the life faculty ceases, all the karmic retribution created by oneself in this lifetime fully manifests, just like awakening from a dream and still recollecting the events of the dream in one's mind.