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

The tathāgatagarbha operates all dharmas of the world in accordance with matured karmic seeds, giving rise to the five aggregates (pañcaskandha) body that corresponds to those karmic seeds, as well as the living environment. At the same time, it can also alter karmic seeds and actual circumstances in accordance with the mental activities of the manas. When one cultivates wholesome dharmas in this life, seeds are stored at every moment, transforming karmic seeds; this can prevent unripened seeds of unwholesome karma from ripening, and allow seeds of great wholesome karma to ripen, so that wholesome retribution is accomplished. It can also cause the unwholesome karma of future lives to ripen sooner, so that heavy offenses receive light retribution, leaving fewer obstacles for cultivation in later lives and making one's practice progress more rapidly.