法苑珠林 86.50

86.50

Question: The sūtras say that repentance can extinguish sinful karma. Why is it said only that the mind of wisdom contemplating principle can extinguish all karma? Explanation: Repentance has two kinds. First is repentance through external practice with a deluded mind, which refers to circumambulating, paying homage, and making vows before an image of the Buddha, resolving to sever outer evils. Second is repentance relying on principle with a wise mind, which refers to contemplating the body and mind to sever the fetters. But the karma created may be light or heavy. If discussing light karma, outer repentance also extinguishes it. If discussing heavy karma, if it is convertible, it can also convert the heavy into the light, meaning that karma of the three destinies is lightly undergone among humans. Therefore, the Daśabhūmikā-vibhāṣā says: 'I say that through repentance, sins become light and thin, being undergone for a short duration.' Thus we know that outer repentance converts the heavy into the light, rendering the retribution drawn forth indefinite. Because the fetters are not severed, the power of outflows is weak; it does not exhaust past karma, and retribution must still be undergone later, so it is not completely indefinite. Now we speak specifically of this: contemplating principle severs the fetters; without delusions to moisten karma, karma does not draw forth rebirth. Wherever it is severed, past karma is forever exhausted, and current karma created also does not bring about rebirth; thus regarding the good and evil created in the past and present, only then is the retribution drawn forth definitively indefinite. Relying on this meaning, it is spoken of specifically. Therefore, all wise people wishing to sever the heavy karma of the three destinies from past and present learn contemplation of principle to forever escape the evil paths. For this reason, the first fruit is called 'repudiating the debt'. Hence the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says: 'If there is no suffering below, ignorance and karmic formations do not arise. If formations have arisen and there is no path of cultivation, ignorance and formations do not ripen.' Why is this? Because a srotāpanna does not create karma that brings about retribution of rebirth, and an anāgāmin does not receive rebirth retribution in the lower realms. Furthermore, the Upāsakaśīla-sūtra says: 'If a person possesses all the karmas of the desire realm and attains the fruit of anāgāmin, they can convert future karma to be undergone in the present; so too for an arhat.' Thus we know that contemplation of principle is true repentance. Hence a verse of the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: