The Sutra of the Compendium of Fathers and Sons: Commentary (121)

Realizing the Emptiness of All Dharmas Eradicates Karmic Retribution in the Three Evil Paths

When all dharmas arise, they have no origin; when they cease, they have no destination. For what reason? Because their fundamental nature transcends all dharmas. When initial consciousness arises, it has no origin; when it ceases, it has no destination. Karmic actions performed have no origin and no destination. Both the dharmas of creating karma and receiving karmic retribution are illusory. Though illusory, they can still cause suffering to be felt; though suffering is felt, it is also a false, illusory sensation.

During the arising and ceasing of all these dharmas, the Ālaya-vijñāna (Storehouse Consciousness) constantly accompanies us, playing a dominant role in the background. Because it is the unborn and undying, truly existent dharma. Without it, all dharmas and all illusory appearances would cease to exist. It is the substantive mind-essence; illusory dharmas depend on the substantive reality to exist. Among the myriad dharmas, only the Ālaya-vijñāna is the substantive dharma, the true reality. All other dharmas are illusory. Even going to hell to receive retribution is illusory. If, while in hell, one truly realizes that hell is empty and illusory, the karma of hell is eradicated, and one is liberated from hell. If one does not realize that hell is illusory, but believes hell to be truly existent, ignorance remains unextinguished, and one continues to suffer in hell. When we truly realize that karmic actions are illusory and that all dharmas are illusory, the karma leading to the three evil paths is eradicated. Without this realization, the three evil paths still seem entirely real within the mind, and one must still go to the three evil paths to receive retribution.

Similarly, when we attain awakening, we also know that all dharmas are empty, all manifested by the Ālaya-vijñāna; only the Ālaya-vijñāna is not empty. Thus, the karma for the three evil paths is also eradicated, and one does not descend into the three evil paths to suffer evil retribution. If one believes the karma for the three evil paths is not empty but truly existent, then one cannot attain the fruition (of realization) nor achieve awakening. Knowing that the karmic actions leading to the three evil paths are false means the three evil paths cease to exist; the karmic actions lose their power. Instead, the karma for the three evil paths merely manifests as karmic retribution in the human realm, where one suffers within the human world.