The Karmic Law of Cause and Effect Is Also Illusory

Where do the karmic causes, conditions, and retributions of sentient beings manifest? They manifest in the five aggregates, in form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, and in the eighteen dhatus. The body of the five aggregates is illusory, the eighteen dhatus are illusory, the universe and the vessel-world are illusory; all human affairs, events, and phenomena are entirely illusory. Since the very basis upon which karmic causes, conditions, and retributions depend is illusory, they themselves are also illusory and unreal, arising and ceasing due to causes and conditions. The seeds are deposited by the actions of the five aggregates body. Since the five aggregates body is false and impermanent, the karmic causes, conditions, and retributions are also false and impermanent. Therefore, all karma and its results are illusory. Apart from the Tathagatagarbha, everything else is illusory, conjured by the Tathagatagarbha according to karmic seeds and various causes and conditions; none of it is real dharma. For instance, the good and evil karma created by sentient beings and the corresponding good and evil retributions they experience are all created and experienced within these worldly, illusory dharmas. Since the five aggregates and the worldly realm are illusory, these karmic actions and their results are naturally also illusory.

For example, if one becomes a king in this world in the present life, or ascends to heaven to become a heavenly lord, the five aggregates body of the king or heavenly lord is illusory, the palace and throne are illusory, the universe and vessel-world in which they exist are illusory, the fine clothes and sumptuous food are illusory, all the ministers, officials, and attendants around them are illusory—everything pertaining to the king or heavenly lord is illusory. Again, for example, acts like killing or being killed—these karmic retributions are created and endured by the five aggregates. Where do these evil retributions come from? They are all conjured by the Tathagatagarbha based on karmic seeds and causes and conditions, and they all manifest on the five aggregates body. Experiencing the retribution of good or evil karma gives rise to feelings like suffering or pleasure; these feelings are also conjured by the Tathagatagarbha, all subject to birth, cessation, change, and impermanence. Since this is so, all karmic causes, conditions, and results are neither the self nor anything belonging to the self. This is called the absence of self and the absence of all dharmas.

Knowing that all dharmas are illusory and unreal, one should reduce grasping, reduce deliberate action, reduce mental exertion, and strive to empty the mind. For no matter what you do, it is empty, meaningless, part of the dharmas of birth and cessation, involving no gain or loss. Why not then rest and simplify the mind? Some might say, since everything is empty, why not act more? Creating evil karma is also empty, so why fear creating evil karma? However, if one creates evil karma, the mind cannot remain empty. When the mind is not empty and one experiences the retribution of evil karma, it is excruciatingly painful. At that time, the suffering cannot be emptied; one suffers agony worse than death. No one desires this. Therefore, an empty mind will not create evil karma. By reducing all manipulative mental activity, the mind gradually becomes pure and gradually becomes empty. Only then can suffering be ended and liberation attained.