Actions of Body, Speech, and Mind and Their Results

The actions of body, speech, and mind, once manifested, constitute karma. Body refers to physical actions and deeds, speech refers to verbal actions and utterances, and mind refers to the mental activities and thoughts generated by the seven consciousnesses. For any sentient being, as long as there are actions and deeds, there is karma, and there will be corresponding retribution. The nature and severity of the retribution depend on the goodness or evil, and the weight, of the actions performed by body, speech, and mind. Physical actions have degrees of good and evil, as well as severity; verbal actions have degrees of good and evil and severity; the mental activities of the seven consciousnesses have degrees of good and evil and severity. Consequently, the retribution will also have degrees of good and evil and severity. Intentional actions bring intentional retribution, unintentional actions bring unintentional retribution; there is no action that escapes retribution. Only the third and fourth fruition saints (Srotāpanna, Sakṛdāgāmin, Anāgāmin, Arhat) who have eradicated the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, and the Bodhisattvas above the first ground (Bhumis), do not commit mental karma or commit it only in an extremely minor way; all others commit mental karma. It is easier to commit verbal karma than physical karma; most people are careless with their speech, while fewer commit many physical misdeeds. If someone commits many physical misdeeds, that person is one whose afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion are extremely heavy.