Section on Parables – Theme Three: Karma and its Retribution

Parable 1: Heavy Negative Karma with Light Karmic Retribution is like Throwing Salt into the River
 
"Karma" refers to the actions performed by all sentient beings. Good deeds bring happiness, while bad deeds bring suffering. All sentient beings within the cycle of rebirth are bound by karmic retribution. In many sutras of the Madhyama-āgama (Middle Length Discourses), the Buddha discusses karma and its consequences. For example, the Parrot Sutta states: "Sentient beings experience the corresponding results because of the karma they themselves have created." In the Upali Sutra, the Buddha expounds: “One should cultivate the three karmas so as not to create evil deeds or commit wrongful acts. What are the three? They are actions of the body, speech, and mind.” In the Salt Parable Sutra, the Buddha emphasizes that "one receives the karmic retribution according to one's deeds," encouraging us to actively do good, diligently cultivate meritorious deeds, and avoid creating new harmful deeds. This not only enhances our ability to bear suffering in this life, but also benefits our future karmic results.
 
On one occasion, the Buddha was giving a sermon to the monks at Jetavana Monastery in Savatthi: "People will experience the corresponding karmic consequences of their good or bad deeds. If one does not diligently practice the Eightfold Path, one cannot liberate from suffering, completely eradicate afflictions, and attain liberation."
 
If one commits unwholesome deeds in their lifetime; fails to cultivate themselves through morality, concentration, and wisdom; and has a short lifespan with little time for repentance and virtuous deeds---then one will inevitably suffer the bitter consequences of hell. It's like putting a handful of salt into a small cup of water; because there's too much salt and too little water, the water will become so salty that it's undrinkable.
 
Conversely, suppose one commits unwholesome deeds but repents and cultivates virtue, diligently cultivating themselves through morality, concentration, and wisdom. If, in addition, they have a long lifespan and diligently perform many virtuous deeds, when the suffering manifests in this life, the experience will not be as intense. It's like putting a large handful of salt into the Ganges River. Because there is more water than salt, the Ganges water won't become so salty that it becomes undrinkable.
 
The Buddha also used the analogy of stealing a sheep and incurring debt to remind us again of the importance of self-cultivation, morality, concentration, and wisdom, and affirmed the necessity of diligent practice. In this way, when the karmic results ripen and we receive our retribution, the causes and conditions of good deeds can diminish the influence of the karmic consequences.

Parable 2: The Joyful Reward of Good Deeds is Like Ghee Floating on Water
 
The root of the continuous cycle of birth and death for all sentient beings lies in karma. Can the karma created in the past be altered through sacrifices, prayers, or blessings? In the Madhyama-agama, specifically the Gāmaṇī Sūtra (Discourse on Gamini), the Buddha explains that evil deeds bring suffering, whereas good deeds bring joy. Our future depends on our own actions. This reminds us to diligently cultivate ourselves to escape the cycle of delusion, karma, and suffering.
 
Once, a dignified and majestic celestial being named Gāmaṇī came to the Nananda Garden and pleaded with the Buddha: "The Brahmin who presides over the sacrifice is highly powerful, able to allow people to freely travel to a good realm or be reborn in heaven after death. World Honored One, you are the master of the Dharma, please help those deceased beings to be reborn in a good realm or heaven."
 
After hearing this, the Buddha asked Gāmaṇī: "Suppose, in a village, someone usually commits many unrighteous acts, such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and even wrong views—the ten evil deeds. When this person is about to die, many people put their palms together and pray for them, saying, 'Although he has committed many unrighteous acts, may he be reborn in heaven in his next life because of the cause of these evil deeds’. Do you think he will be reborn in heaven because of the merits of the prayers of others?" Gāmaṇī replied, "That is impossible."
 
The Buddha used a large stone as a metaphor, saying, "Very good. It's like someone throwing a heavy boulder into a deep abyss, and then many people praying beside it, hoping the boulder will float to the surface. Do you think the boulder will float because of the power of everyone's prayers? It's like wicked men and women who have committed many evil deeds. They accumulate many evil deeds over time. When they are about to die, even if many people pray for them, dedicate merit to them, or perform rituals for them, wishing them to be reborn in the heavens, it will all be in vain. Because negative karma has negative consequences, committing the ten evil deeds will naturally lead to falling into the lower realms."
 
The Buddha then asked, "There is another type of virtuous man and woman who diligently perform good deeds and avoid the ten evil deeds. When they are about to die, everyone curses them to fall into hell or other lower realms. Do you think they will really fall into hell or other lower realms because of this?" Gāmaṇī replied, "That is impossible."
 
The Buddha said: “Very good. For these virtuous men and women who diligently perform good deeds: even if many people curse them to go to hell or fall into other lower realms at the time of their death, it will be in vain. Because good deeds bring good results, practicing the ten virtuous deeds will naturally lead to rebirth in a good realm. It is like someone breaking a bottle full of ghee and throwing it into a deep abyss; the broken bottle will sink to the bottom, while the ghee will float on the surface. The physical bodies of these virtuous men and women will all perish and disperse after death. However, having familiarized themselves with the Dharma and diligently practiced it during their lives, they will naturally be reborn in the heavens and in a good place due to the results of performing these virtuous deeds.”
 
The Buddha told Gāmaṇī that there are two paths to upward progress and rebirth in a good realm in this world. The first is the path of renouncing killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and even wrong views; the second is the transcendental path, the Noble Eightfold Path, which is the eight paths to the cessation of suffering through diligent practice of right view and right concentration, capable of completely eradicating the causes of suffering and leading to Nirvana. (Wei Ziyin 魏子茵)