Merits and Demerits Do Not Offset Each Other

After releasing lives, can the cycle of birth and death truly be altered? After slandering the Three Jewels, one is destined to fall into hell upon death—can releasing lives avoid this karmic retribution? If one owes another ten thousand yuan, does that debt vanish after releasing lives? After releasing lives, can one attain fruition and realize the mind's true nature? Can one be reborn in the Pure Land? Are the karmic entanglements formed by killing sentient beings in past and present lives resolved?

A single virtuous act cannot replace all virtuous deeds, much less substitute for pure conduct. Only pure conduct can purify the mind, thereby eliminating defilements, transforming impure karmic seeds, and genuinely altering karmic results. Acting without attachment is pure conduct; being free from greed, hatred, and ignorance is pure conduct; transcending delusion is pure conduct. Certainly, after performing acts of releasing lives and doing good, one forms wholesome connections with sentient beings, accumulates merit, and supports the advancement of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, thereby aiding the attainment of fruition and realization of the mind. As merit increases, unwholesome karma may temporarily cease to manifest. Creditor beings from past grudges, moved by respect for one’s virtue, may cease to press for repayment and no longer create obstacles, making the practice of Dharma and cultivation smoother.