The Karmic Retribution of an Arrogant Mind

When a person harbors arrogance in their mind, not only do the words they speak become seeds of unwholesome karma, leading to future retribution, but even the expressions representing arrogance become karmic seeds, which will also result in future retribution. Furthermore, the perceptions and thoughts in the mind will also be stored as seeds, leading to future retribution, because when the mind is defiled, the karmic seeds become impure.

One should promptly repent for every instance of arrogance, regardless of its form, as it is worth any cost to avoid future unwholesome retribution. There are even more severe mental actions than arrogance that require repentance to prevent grave retribution in future lives, such as deception and lies—intentional deceit and malicious falsehoods—all of which should be repented immediately. Small causes yield great effects; these matters are no trivial affair, and the retribution is real and inescapable.

In the past, a novice monk once remarked that a monastic master ate like an ox chewing grass, and as a result, he was reborn as an ox for five hundred lifetimes. If the verbal karma of monastics speaking about monastics is so severe, how much more severe is the verbal karma of laypeople speaking about monastics! Everyone must examine themselves and repent for even the slightest fault to avoid future regret when retribution comes. Nowadays, those who slander the Three Jewels are numerous, not few, and they even do so openly, brazenly, self-righteously, unreasonably, and unbelievably. Such people may fall into hell and suffer retribution. If one possessed spiritual powers and could visit hell, they would see that not all beings there are murderers or arsonists; many are sentient beings who practiced Buddhism but committed grave unwholesome karmas in the past. At the time, they were unaware of creating such karma; some even thought it was wholesome karma, believing it was harmless. Among them, many were those who considered themselves quite accomplished in practice.

As long as the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion remain uneradicated, one is capable of creating unwholesome karma. This is especially true for Buddhists who, incited by those they trust, act impulsively in the heat of the moment, daring to do anything while believing it harmless, unaware that the future retribution will be extremely heavy. The more revered a being is in the world, the more beneficial they are to sentient beings, and thus the graver the karmic offense committed against them. Buddhists must first understand karma, carefully guard their physical, verbal, and mental actions, refrain from creating unwholesome karma, and avoid unwholesome retribution—this is the way of the wise. Those who truly understand karma and profoundly believe in it are nearly approaching the stage of a first-stage Bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas below the first stage cannot fully believe in and accept karma, let alone ordinary beings. This is because those who can realize the Tathagatagarbha and directly perceive its functioning know that every physical, verbal, and mental action is instantaneously stored within the Tathagatagarbha without omission, making retribution inevitable. Thus, there is no room for侥幸心理 (a mindset of侥幸).

Frequently reading the accounts of cause and effect in the Buddhist sutras can deepen one's understanding of karma, making one extremely cautious in physical, verbal, and mental actions. Those who are often hot-headed and irrational are everywhere, as the unwholesome habits accumulated since beginningless time are too deep-rooted and difficult to restrain. Know what you know, and acknowledge what you do not know. Regarding matters you do not understand, do not lightly comment or judge. Do not be overly confident; those who are overly confident often suffer losses, bringing harm upon themselves. Overconfidence stems from a strong sense of self—it is the deep-seated and blazing self-attachment, self-love, self-delusion, and self-arrogance. In the end, creating unwholesome karma and suffering unwholesome retribution all come down to the self within the mind. If that self is not subdued, it will continuously emerge to create unwholesome karma.

A sense of superiority within the mind is arrogance; it is the presence of self. As long as the mind clings to even the slightest phenomenon as self, it is arrogance. Arrogance is the most difficult to eradicate and is hard for one to detect oneself, as it is too habitual, often arising naturally without awareness. Most people possess very coarse arrogance, yet very few are aware of their own arrogant minds. Due to insufficient concentration and wisdom, they cannot introspectively observe their obvious or hidden arrogance. If no one points it out, it will be allowed to develop unchecked.