Lectures on the Parent and Child Collection Sutra (184)

How to Attain More Opportunities for Liberation?

Karmic actions do not reside in the east, south, west, north, the four directions, above, below, or anywhere in between. There is no place where karma disappears or exists. If there were a place to store karmic actions, it would be disastrous—wherever such karma is stored, it will inevitably erupt one day. Whomever it attaches to suffers misfortune, for karma has no fixed abode; it comes without a trace and departs without a shadow. Though karmic actions have no dwelling place, at the end of one’s lifespan, all the karma created in this lifetime flashes rapidly through the mind. The conscious mind can perceive it clearly, discerning every detail without missing a single thing. At that moment, one knows exactly where they are destined to go. Thus, the mind fervently hopes that loved ones might help liberate them from karmic obstacles, yet by then, speech is impossible—expression fails. In the intermediate state, one may wish to communicate with family, but the realms of yin and yang are separated; communication is barred, for the two worlds speak different languages.

After consciousness ceases, this life concludes, and the dream of human existence draws to a close. Reflecting now, life indeed seems like a dream. Once the six consciousnesses vanish, one drifts according to karma. As the manas craves a five-aggregate body, the alaya consciousness cooperates to manifest the intermediate state body. Those of extreme virtue or extreme evil lack this intermediate body: the profoundly evil descend directly to hell without an intermediate state—the hell body arises the moment the last breath ceases. The profoundly virtuous, upon death, manifest a heavenly body directly, ascending to enjoy celestial blessings. Once the hell body emerges, even if one regrets their evil deeds and wishes to repent, there is no opportunity. In the intermediate state, repentance is still possible, and loved ones might still offer aid, but without an intermediate body, there is no recourse—the karmic seeds are fixed. Unless one possesses profound awakening and repents while in hell, using the hell body itself, if their strength is great and their mental resolve powerful, they may still escape hell. If one has ample merit, after death, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva may await them at the gates of hell, teaching repentance or Buddhist verses. If they can recite along, their hellish karma may be eradicated, freeing them from hell. If one has taken the Bodhisattva precepts and falls into hell, recognizing which precept was violated, a single moment of heartfelt repentance can also purify karma and liberate them from hell.

Therefore, in daily practice, we must accumulate abundant merit and cultivate wisdom. When facing retribution for past misdeeds, the opportunities for liberation will be plentiful. The true fear lies in lacking merit, failing to apply the Dharma, and not knowing how to repent for one’s karmic actions. By listening often to sutras and teachings, one gains greater wisdom for liberation.