Flowering Retribution and Retributive Fruit

A flower is an unripe fruit, the state before fruiting; naturally it lacks the nutritional value of a fruit. A fruit is the sublimation and crystallization of a flower, and its nutritional value is higher than that of a flower. Buddhism often uses flowers and fruits as metaphors to classify and distinguish the karmic retribution of wholesome and unwholesome deeds. The karmic retribution of wholesome and unwholesome deeds is divided into flowering retribution and retributive fruit. Flowering retribution refers to the reward received in this very life, while retributive fruit refers to the reward received in future lives when the karmic conditions ripen. For a given karmic action, if there is a flowering retribution, there will also be a retributive fruit; even without a flowering retribution, there will still be a retributive fruit. The larger the flowering retribution, the smaller the retributive fruit; without a flowering retribution, the retributive fruit is the greatest.

Retribution is like brewing wine—the longer it ages, the mellower it becomes. It is also like a bank deposit—the longer it is kept, the higher the interest and the richer the returns. With regard to wholesome karma, if a person who performs wholesome deeds is poor, he will hope to receive the flowering retribution as soon as possible, the faster the better, so that he can enjoy it right away; because his merit is insufficient, he urgently needs the reward. Some people, out of ignorance, or because they perform wholesome deeds with an attitude of seeking something in return, wishing to obtain immediate benefits, seek only the flowering retribution. After receiving the flowering retribution, there may still be a retributive fruit in future lives, but it may be extremely small.

For a person who commits unwholesome deeds, the faster and larger the flowering retribution, the slower and smaller the retributive fruit. If such a person has a conscience and also understands the principles, he will willingly bear the flowering retribution so as to eliminate the influence of the unwholesome karma as quickly as possible, thereby avoiding the suffering of the retributive fruit in future lives. Only the ignorant who do not believe in cause and effect will try every possible means to evade the flowering retribution, harboring a fluke mentality and concealing their unwholesome karma.

Of course, if a wholesome deed is very great, it will naturally summon the appearance of a flowering retribution without anyone seeking it, and the retributive fruit in future lives will also be great. Likewise, if an unwholesome deed is very great, it will likewise summon the appearance of a flowering retribution, and evading it is of no use. Both wholesome and unwholesome deeds will naturally have their retribution, as long as the time and conditions are complete.