Transforming Afflictive Habits and Karmic Cause and Effect through Cultivation

Answer: Actions are led and governed by the manas. If the manas's afflictive defilements have not been permeated and subdued, then all bodily, verbal, and mental actions are dominated by the manas's afflictive habits. The mind consciousness wishes to control one's own bodily, verbal, and mental actions but cannot do so; therefore, upon seeing one's own bodily, verbal, and mental conduct that is not in accord with reason, one feels shame and self-blame. In fact, this is still blaming the manas; it is just that the mind consciousness does not understand that this is a problem of the manas, and instead assumes it is the mind consciousness's own problem. If it were the mind consciousness's own problem, then once the mind consciousness awakened to it, it could immediately correct it, which would not be difficult. But with regard to the manas's problems, the mind consciousness at times feels helpless and can only study the Dharma more, understand principles more, and master more skillful means to persuade and permeate the manas; only then will the manas's afflictive habits gradually subside.

Most of what we encounter now is something we helplessly must endure; it is our own causes, conditions, and karmic retribution, which cannot be avoided or chosen, and must be passively accepted. The best arrangement would be an arrangement like the Buddha's—karmic retribution and circumstances like the Buddha's. However, within our circumstances and experiences, there are also some elements of chance and unexpected events, through which we can actively or passively change cause and effect. When one's cultivation reaches a certain level, one gains the ability to control and change cause and effect, and at that time both body and mind become relatively at ease.