Commentary on the Diamond Sutra. Section XVI: Purification of Karmic Hindrances

First, regarding the title\: The Section on Purifying Karmic Obstacles. Karmic obstacles, as everyone understands, refer to the maturation of the unwholesome karmic seeds created by sentient beings in past lives, which now manifest as retribution, obstructing and hindering their various wholesome endeavors. For those cultivating the Buddha Path, the greatest obstacle is that which hinders their study and practice of the Dharma, obstructs the attainment of correct knowledge and views, and impedes their meditative concentration. In summary, karmic obstacles can hinder all the wholesome retributions (direct results) and circumstantial retributions (supporting conditions) of sentient beings. Obstacles to studying and practicing the Buddha Dharma will lead to even less favorable direct and circumstantial retributions in the five aggregates in future lives. Therefore, purifying karmic obstacles is extremely important. Once karmic obstacles are cleared, the cultivation of the Buddha Path proceeds without hindrance, leading to the attainment of perfect merit and wisdom, the severance of all ignorance, and the accomplishment of the ultimate, unsurpassed, complete perfect enlightenment.

In this section of the Diamond Sutra, the World-Honored One explains that studying the Diamond Sutra, realizing the Diamond True Mind (the mind of reality), and cultivating based on this True Mind will gradually purify karmic obstacles and reduce hindrances. This is because the Diamond Sutra directly shatters sentient beings' attachment to the Four Marks (the mark of self, others, sentient beings, and lifespan). Once the Four Marks are broken, the hindrances created by mundane conditioned phenomena are eradicated. Furthermore, through the merit generated by realizing the True Mind, the Tathagatagarbha, one experiences the mitigation of retribution for heavy offenses, causing the karmic retribution of unwholesome deeds to manifest earlier, thereby eradicating that karmic obstacle. When karmic obstacles are thus eradicated one by one, ignorance is exhausted, there are no more unwholesome karmic retributions, and sentient beings attain Buddhahood.

Original Text: Furthermore, Subhuti, if a virtuous man or virtuous woman receives, upholds, reads, and recites this sutra, yet is despised by others, it is because this person had created karmic offenses in a previous life which should have caused them to fall into the evil destinies. However, because of being despised in this present life, the karmic offenses from previous lives are thereby eradicated, and they shall attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (the unsurpassed, complete perfect enlightenment).

Explanation: Continuing further, Subhuti, if there are virtuous men or virtuous women who are able to receive, uphold, read, and recite this Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra, and who practice according to its profound meaning, if at that time someone slanders, humiliates, abuses, or scorns them, then their unwholesome karma will be eradicated. This person, having created unwholesome karma in a past life, would originally have fallen into the evil destinies to undergo retribution if the unwholesome conditions matured. Now, because they read, recite, receive, and uphold the Diamond Sutra, it causes the karmic conditions created by that past unwholesome deed to mature prematurely. However, due to being scorned by people in the present life, the severe offense results in minor retribution, and the unwholesome karma created in the past life is immediately eradicated. Before long, they will accomplish the Buddha Path.

Why does reciting, receiving, and upholding the Diamond Sutra in this life cause the karmic conditions from past unwholesome deeds to mature early? It is because this person, by reciting, receiving, and upholding the Diamond Sutra, cultivates merit and virtue (merit and wholesome power). One manifestation of this merit and virtue is the premature maturation of unwholesome karmic conditions, resulting in less severe retribution, meaning severe offenses receive minor retribution. Both wholesome and unwholesome karma accrue high interest, also called karmic interest, similar to money deposited in a bank. The longer the deposit period, the higher the interest, and the deposit increases. This deposit is analogous to the karmic retribution of wholesome and unwholesome deeds. The longer wholesome karma remains, the greater the wholesome retribution should be; conversely, the longer unwholesome karma remains, the greater the unwholesome retribution should be.

When cultivation becomes effective, it causes the conditions for unwholesome karma to mature, bringing the retribution forward, and the resultant suffering is minor. Therefore, when creating wholesome karma, one should not hope for the wholesome retribution to manifest quickly in order to enjoy it sooner. This is an unwise state of mind. The sooner one experiences the wholesome retribution, the less one enjoys the high interest and the benefits of compounding interest. Genuine practitioners should not be short-sighted, concerned only with their present retribution. They should instead plan and consider future lives, aiming for the supreme retribution countless eons from now. It is best to be unattached to wholesome results and rewards.

Therefore, this person who recites, receives, and upholds the Diamond Sutra, because their cultivation is effective and their merit and virtue manifest, not only causes the unwholesome karmic conditions to ripen but also transforms the unwholesome karma that should have led to falling into an evil destiny into merely receiving the minor retribution of being scorned by others. That unwholesome karma is thereby eradicated. They undergo this retribution lightly and easily, which is induced by their wholesome karma and merit. If a person continuously strives diligently in cultivation, their merit becomes increasingly vast, their virtue ever greater, and adversities will manifest one after another. Then, all the unwholesome karma from past lives will be eradicated one by one. When all unwholesome karma is eradicated, this person will soon accomplish the Buddha Path; when karma is exhausted, the Buddha Path is achieved.