What is Karmic Power?

Karmic power refers to the habitual force of karmic actions, and is divided into the power of wholesome karma, the power of unwholesome karma, and the power of karma that is neither wholesome nor unwholesome. For example, a car is driving at full speed toward a dangerous place ahead; the speed is very fast, and the driver becomes aware of the danger on the road ahead and feels he should slow down, brake, turn around, and change direction. Yet for two reasons the speed does not decrease, and the car cannot brake or turn around at all. One reason is that although the driver is aware, he lacks the power to act, or his mind is unclear, his hands and feet are in disarray, and his capacity for action is weak; the other reason is that the car's own inertia is too great, or the brakes have failed. These two reasons cause the car to keep speeding toward the dangerous place.

Although many things are consciously recognized, they cannot necessarily be carried out. Being consciously recognized means the mind consciousness knows it, but knowing yet being unable to act is because the manas has not made the decision. How can one actually do it? The car of the five aggregates of sentient beings, driven by the immense power of unwholesome karma accumulated over beginningless kalpas, is heading inertially toward the three evil destinies. Who is the driver of this car, or its owner? It is certainly the manas, the consciousness that is in charge. If one wishes to depart from the track leading to the three evil destinies, turn around, and head toward the three wholesome destinies, toward the pure lands of the Buddhas, then the driver or owner of the car of the five aggregates is extremely crucial. Why would the manas drive the car toward the three evil destinies? Some say the driver is the mind consciousness; but then, when the mind consciousness ceases, is the car of the five aggregates still running or has it stalled? When the mind consciousness is drunk, how is the car to be handled? The mind consciousness can only serve as the co-pilot, as a navigator, guiding and urging the driver to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel.

Sentient beings tend toward the three evil destinies because of the three fetters, which bind the car of the five aggregates as it travels along the road to the three evil destinies. In fact, it is the three fetters of the manas, the driver, that cause the manas to drive the car along the road to the three evil destinies. Therefore, so-called karmic power mainly refers to the karma of the manas. When the manas eliminates the self-view and severs the three fetters, it will turn the car around and drive it onto the wholesome destinies.

When facing the realms of the six sense objects, karmic power manifests. For example, in the face of wealth and sensual pleasures, the manas of different sentient beings has different karmic powers, different habitual forces in dealing with wealth and sensual pleasures. If the power of unwholesome karma is great, one will greedily seize wealth and sensual pleasures; if the power of wholesome karma is great, one will disregard wealth and sensual pleasures, and even give them away in generosity (dāna); those with karma that is neither wholesome nor unwholesome will accord with conditions and take the middle way. When a sentient being's karmic power manifests, all exhortations become like wind past the ears—not entering the ears, not heard. If the power of wholesome karma is great, then even in adverse circumstances one remains undefiled, does not join in the corruption, and still maintains a pure heart. One who dwells in the mire and is not defiled is called a bodhisattva. If the manas does not change the force of its unwholesome karma, and afflictions are not subdued, then wanting to eliminate the self-view, sever the three fetters, and escape the three evil destinies is absolutely impossible. The four right efforts (samyag-vyāyāma) of eliminating evil and cultivating good must be well cultivated; if evil is not eliminated and good is not fulfilled, the three evil destinies cannot be avoided.