法苑珠林 68.29

68.29

Question: Among the paths of karma, which are the antecedent concomitants and which are the subsequent concomitants? Answer: If one initiates the preparatory means of taking life—as when a butcher slaughters a sheep, whether buying it with goods, bringing it to the slaughterhouse, or striking the first blow, or two or three blows, while the sheep's life has not yet ceased—all such unwholesome karma is called the antecedent concomitants. With whichever blow severs its life faculty, at that very thought-moment all manifest karma and unmanifest karma are collectively called the fundamental karmic path. The subsequent physical bodily actions performed thereafter are called the subsequent concomitant karmas of taking life. This applies likewise up to frivolous speech, as should be understood. As for the remaining karmas of covetousness, ill will, and wrong view, there are no antecedent concomitants, because as soon as the mind first arises, it immediately accomplishes the fundamental karmic path.