Is karmic obstruction eliminated by the mind consciousness or by the manas?

Karmic obstructions are the obstructions of ignorance (avidyā)—obstructions to one's own mind that are summoned by the evil karma created through the power of ignorance. They obstruct one's own mind from obtaining wholesome retribution, wholesome fruits, and even wholesome karma; wholesome dharmas cannot be accomplished, and moreover they obstruct the wise cognition of all dharmas. Ignorance initially resides in the manas; the root lies in the ignorance of the manas. The ignorance of the mind consciousness originally all comes from the manas. Due to the influence and impetus of the manas's ignorance, the mind consciousness is also tainted by the environment. Once the manas's ignorance is eliminated, the mind consciousness is no longer tainted by the environment, much less tainted by the manas's ignorance, and thus the mind consciousness becomes pure. The ultimate purity of the mind consciousness is the result of the purity of the manas. If the manas is not pure, it will certainly impel and drive the mind consciousness to engage in unwholesome actions; once tainted karmic seeds are formed, there will be karmic obstructions in future lives. Therefore, all karmic obstructions are eliminated only after the manas becomes pure, because the manas is the originator of it all—he who tied the bell must untie it.

When the manas's merit increases, its meditative concentration strengthens, and its wisdom grows, a portion of ignorance is eliminated, a portion of the mind's nature is transformed, a portion of innate afflictive obstruction (kleśāvaraṇa) is removed, and a portion of the obstructions to wholesome dharmas, wholesome karma, wholesome fruits, wholesome retribution, and wholesome conditions is eliminated. The obstructions encountered in learning Buddhism are thereby lightened by a portion. However much of the manas's ignorance is eliminated, that much the mind becomes pure; that much karmic obstructions decrease; and that much wholesome karma increases.

At the time of eliminating self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi), realizing the fruits, and awakening to the true mind and seeing one's nature, meditative concentration and wisdom greatly increase, and the mind's nature simultaneously undergoes a fundamental transformation. With the mind purified and the pure dharma-eye attained, a portion of innate afflictive obstruction is eliminated, and thus the karma leading to the three evil destinies is accordingly eliminated, signifying that one need no longer undergo suffering retribution in the three evil destinies, and the remaining karma need only be retributed within the human realm. Each time sentient beings attain a kind of meditative absorption (samādhi), a portion of their karmic obstructions is eliminated. This includes the second, third, and fourth fruits of the Small Vehicle, the various checkpoints of the Great Vehicle, as well as attaining the bhūmis—the first, second, and third bhūmis. When wisdom grows, views and concepts change, the mind changes, and innate afflictive obstruction is eliminated, the corresponding karma is eliminated. Repentance can also eliminate karmic obstructions from past lives, because the mind—the manas—recognizes its own ignorance, folly, and afflictions and resolves to correct them; when the mind changes, the corresponding karmic obstructions are eliminated, or a portion of them is eliminated.

Karma is divided into fixed karma and unfixed karma. Fixed karma cannot be diverted; it must be retributed to be concluded. But unfixed karma can be diverted and does not necessarily have to be retributed to be concluded; it may be partially eliminated through repentance, with a portion still undergoing retribution. Even fixed karma can be diverted under special circumstances. Special circumstances refer to when a sentient being's mental power is strong, wisdom is strong, meditative concentration is strong, repentance is sincere and weighty, and the mind's nature has been tremendously transformed—then the karma is also diverted. If no karma whatsoever could be diverted, and all of it had to be retributed to be concluded, then no one in the world could become a Buddha. Because sentient beings' karma is too numerous and too heavy, it simply cannot all be retributed and exhausted. Moreover, if karma could not be diverted, then repentance would be useless for sentient beings, and karmic obstructions could not be dissolved.