Retribution Follows the Ripening of Karma

Question: During meditative absorption, such as in the four dhyānas or the state of no-thought, does karmic retribution pause, especially during deep concentration?

Answer: During meditative absorption, if the karmic seeds from the past happen to ripen at that very moment, the karmic retribution must manifest then and there—there is no way to avoid this. Even if a person is performing virtuous deeds, if the conditions for an unwholesome karma ripen, the unwholesome retribution will still manifest immediately. They will have to undergo the unwholesome retribution right away, and the virtuous deed cannot be completed. Matters of cause and effect cannot be defied by anyone; when conditions ripen, retribution must be endured. If the conditions for unwholesome karma are not yet ripe, major wholesome karma may delay the retribution of unwholesome karma, or it may reduce and mitigate the retribution. However, if the unwholesome karma is already fixed, then there is no way to prevent it; nothing and no one can stop it.