The Practice of Dharma Can Eradicate Evil Karma

Cultivation transforms the mind, particularly the transformation of the mental faculty. When the seeds of unwholesome karma manifest, if the mind does not follow the flow of that unwholesome karma, the evil karma is eradicated, and what remains are the seeds of pure karma. If, through cultivation, the mental factors are changed and purified, then the seeds stored after actions are performed become pure seeds. After the mind is also transformed and purified, some seeds of unwholesome karma will be eradicated, while others will ripen ahead of time, with severe karmic retribution being mitigated; once retribution is complete, it is finished. For example, upon attaining the fruition, the karma leading to the three evil destinies is eradicated. Various practices and realizations in the Dharma will correspondingly eradicate a portion of the seeds of unwholesome karma. Major unwholesome karma will still have to undergo minor retribution.

In the cultivation of this present life, it also affects the defiled seeds stored from past lives; otherwise, cultivation would be of little use. The seeds of karmic actions accumulated over countless eons are immeasurable and boundless. If cultivation cannot alter the karmic seeds from past lives, and the immeasurable and boundless cycle of birth and death must still be endured, then when could it ever be exhausted? When could one ever attain Buddhahood?

Cultivation can cut off the stream of birth and death. Without the seeds of unwholesome karma, there is no stream of birth and death. Why does the stream of birth and death flow? Because there is ignorance and karmic actions. Why is there unwholesome retribution? Because there is unwholesome karma. What is unwholesome retribution? The suffering of birth and death within the Three Realms, the cycle of rebirth in the Six Destinies—it is due to the unwholesome karma created through ignorance that the cycle of the Six Destinies arises, especially the cycle of birth and death in the three evil destinies. To extinguish the suffering of birth and death in the three evil destinies, one must, through cultivation, eradicate the ignorance in the mind-ground. For instance, upon attaining the fruition, at the moment of enlightenment, or upon entering the First Bhūmi, a portion of ignorance is eradicated, the karma leading to the three evil destinies is eradicated, and one no longer undergoes suffering in the three evil destinies.