Pain and Pleasure Originate from Afflictions and Karmic Actions

After attaining the fruit of enlightenment, the karma leading to the three evil destinies is eliminated, but this karma must still undergo retribution in the human realm. Regardless of how retribution manifests in the human realm, it is less severe than in the three evil destinies. The most severe retribution among humans is a short lifespan, being killed by others, or tortured to death; yet even this suffering is less severe than the torments of the three evil destinies. Where there is the six-consciousness mind, there is perception, enabling the experience of suffering, pleasure, and neutrality. The same applies to sages. It's just that sages engage the mind less frequently; their minds do not dwell on the five desires and six sensory objects, so their experiences of suffering and pleasure are very subtle. If they pay attention to the six sensory objects, their experiences of suffering and pleasure become somewhat more pronounced.

Where there are defilements, there are karmic actions, leading to wrongdoing. This remains true even after awakening and attaining the fruit. If defilements are subtle, the wrongdoings are fewer; eliminating defilements results in even fewer wrongdoings. After eliminating defilements, residual habitual tendencies of defilements remain, which still result in minor errors. Only when an eighth-stage bodhisattva completely severs the view of self and eradicates the habitual tendencies of defilements is there no longer any karmic action related to the self. Bodhisattvas at the fourth stage and above, possessing the four dhyanas and eight samadhis, along with spiritual powers, experience no suffering. They rarely come to the human realm, especially seventh and eighth-stage bodhisattvas, who have absolutely no need to come to the human realm.