The Relationship Between Karmic Seeds and Habitual Tendencies

The relationship between karmic seeds and habitual tendencies is profoundly abstruse, falling within the scope of Vijñapti-mātratā (Consciousness-Only) and the wisdom of seeds. Habitual tendencies are formed when long-practiced dharmas become established, turning into habits, and these habits then govern body, speech, and mind. After actions are performed, they are stored as seeds, which deepens and intensifies the karmic seeds, leading to heavier habitual tendencies in the future.

Habitual tendencies also originate from karmic seeds. Since they become ingrained over time, karmic seeds must necessarily exist. Habitual tendencies are actualized by the manas (ego-mind). The manas governs the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses. After these actions are performed, they are stored as karmic seeds, which manifest in future lives and are called habitual tendencies. Karmic seeds are formed by the manas governing the creation of karma. The manas is entirely in accordance with the karmic seeds; whatever nature the manas possesses, the karmic seeds possess the same nature; whatever nature the karmic seeds possess, the manas manifests actions of that same nature. How can one leave behind karmic seeds of non-self? How should one cultivate to form habitual tendencies of non-self? How should one cultivate in this present life to be born in a future life already seeing the emptiness of the five aggregates and the worldly realm?

Subhūti knew the emptiness and quiescence of the world while still in his mother's womb. How deep was this habitual tendency? He had realized emptiness over a period exceeding immeasurable kalpas. For such an immensely long time, his mind was empty; naturally, the wholesome habit of emptiness continued for immeasurable kalpas. Subhūti's habitual tendency of mental emptiness had no connection whatsoever with the conditioning of his present-life consciousness. Before consciousness even arose, his manas was already empty. How liberating, at ease, and free such mental emptiness must be!

Theoretical emptiness becomes non-empty when faced with worldly dharmas; it is not empty at the time of death; it is even less empty after death; in future lives, it becomes utterly impossible to be empty. Therefore, theoretically abiding in concepts like "like an illusion, like a dream" or "the true suchness of Dharma-nature" is merely self-deception; it is utterly useless when it comes to actual matters. When matters arise, one still acts as one would; at the time of death, one still dies as one would; it cannot resolve the problem of birth and death. This theoretical understanding reveals its true form when encountering actual events; it exposes its true nature, hence it is said to be useless. Once the manas is realized, karmic seeds are formed, and one benefits from them life after life. When encountering events, one does not revert to one's original state; at the time of rebirth, one is not deluded. If one is not deluded while dwelling in the womb, not deluded at birth, and not deluded during the process of growth, then one is perpetually liberated.