The Transformation of the Mental Activities and Karmic Seeds of the Manas

The tathāgatagarbha operates all dharmas of the world in accordance with matured karmic seeds, giving rise to the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) body and living environment that correspond to those karmic seeds. At the same time, it can also alter karmic seeds and actual circumstances according to the mental actions of the manas. If one cultivates wholesome dharmas in this life, seeds are stored at every moment, modifying the karmic seeds; this can prevent unripe seeds of unwholesome karma from maturing, and allow seeds of great wholesome karma to ripen, so that wholesome retribution is accomplished. It can also cause unwholesome karma of future lives to ripen sooner, so that heavy sins receive light retribution, leaving fewer obstacles for cultivation in later lives and making one's practice progress more rapidly.