The Principle of Heavy Karmic Offenses Receiving Light Retribution

When sins from later lives are endured in this life, it all belongs to the light retribution of heavy sins. The better one's cultivation, the earlier the karmic retribution is experienced, and the karmic interest is reduced—it is a very good bargain.

If you get into a car accident in this life, you should think: How wonderful! In future lives I will not have to fall into hell to undergo retribution, or suffer sudden premature death or a shortened lifespan. If someone deliberately makes things difficult for you, or wrongs and aggrieves you, or beats and scolds you, you should think: This person is truly good to me—hereafter I will not have to suffer serious illnesses such as cancer, or accidents like car crashes. The sins are dissolved and absorbed in this way—what a bargain.

Small setbacks drawn forth by cultivation will avert great setbacks in future lives; great setbacks drawn forth by cultivation in this life will avert even greater setbacks in later lives, as well as calamities, illness and suffering, death, retribution in the three evil destinies, and so on—a very good bargain indeed. Therefore, no matter what, please continue to work diligently on the Path.