Immediate Retribution and Karmic Fruition

A flower is an unripe fruit, a state before fruition, and certainly lacks the nutritional value of a fruit; a fruit is the sublimation and crystallization of a flower, possessing higher nutritional value than the flower. In Buddhism, flowers and fruits are often used as metaphors to classify karmic retribution for wholesome and unwholesome deeds. This karmic retribution is divided into blossom retribution and fruit retribution. Blossom retribution refers to the reward or punishment received in the present life, while fruit retribution is the retribution received when karmic conditions mature in future lives. For any karmic action, if there is blossom retribution, there will also be fruit retribution; even without blossom retribution, fruit retribution will still occur. The greater the blossom retribution, the smaller the fruit retribution; if there is no blossom retribution, the fruit retribution will be the greatest.

Retribution is like brewing wine; the longer it ages, the richer and mellower it becomes. It is also like money deposited in a bank; the longer it remains, the higher the interest, and the more substantial the return. For wholesome karma, if the person who performs wholesome deeds is poor, they often wish to receive blossom retribution as quickly as possible, wanting to enjoy it immediately in the present, because their merit and virtue are insufficient, so they urgently need the return. Some people, due to ignorance or because they perform wholesome deeds with an expectant mindset seeking immediate benefits, only seek blossom retribution. Then, after obtaining the blossom retribution, there might still be fruit retribution in future lives, but it could be extremely minuscule.

For those who commit unwholesome karma, the faster and greater the blossom retribution, the slower and smaller the fruit retribution. If such a person has a conscience and understands the principle, they will willingly accept the blossom retribution to eliminate the influence of the unwholesome karma as soon as possible, thereby avoiding the suffering of future fruit retribution. Only the ignorant who do not believe in cause and effect will go to great lengths to evade blossom retribution, harboring a fluke mentality to conceal their unwholesome deeds.

Of course, if the wholesome karma is extremely great, it will naturally induce the appearance of blossom retribution without anyone needing to seek it, and the fruit retribution in future lives will also be immense. If the unwholesome karma is extremely great, it will similarly induce the appearance of blossom retribution, and evasion will be useless. Both wholesome and unwholesome deeds will naturally bring retribution, as long as the time, season, causes, and conditions are complete.