What is Karmic Obstruction?

Everyone has karmic obstructions. First there is ignorance (avidyā); because of ignorance, one creates unwholesome karmic actions that are not in accord with the Dharma, and only then do obstructions arise. What kind of karmic actions, and what do they obstruct? In what aspects do these obstructions manifest? Who is it that has the obstructions? What is the principle behind obstruction? And how can obstructions be removed?

So-called obstruction means, for example, that I want to cultivate meditative concentration (samādhi), yet no matter what, I cannot succeed; every time I try to cultivate concentration, obstacles from people, matters, and things appear, or my mind clings and wanders so heavily that I have no way to stop it. I want to cultivate merit, but I simply cannot; I am unable to take any actual action, and every time I resolve to act, a thought arises—forget it, later, there is no need to do this—and so I lapse into slackness. Every time I want to contemplate and practice contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on the Buddha's Dharma, my mind is a chaotic mess, restless and unsettled, with no place to start—I cannot even understand a single passage. Even whenever I want to do good deeds, all kinds of hindrances arise, and I can never accomplish them. In short, none of my plans can be realized; I always make resolutions, but they are useless and change nothing in the slightest. All these hindrances are obstructions, that is, karmic obstructions—psychological obstacles and adverse conditions brought about by one's own ignorant karmic actions of greed, hatred, and delusion in past lives.

How can the evil karma of past lives, having become karmic seeds, influence one's cultivation in this life? Karmic obstruction is also called cause and effect—cause and effect are related and connected. If one creates evil karma with regard to matter A, performing actions not in accord with the Dharma, then the retribution will appear with regard to matter A, and matters concerning A will not succeed. Likewise, if one creates karmic actions that are not in accord with reason with regard to matter B, the retribution will manifest with regard to matter B, and endeavors concerning B will not succeed. For example, if in a past life one slandered the Three Jewels, then in this life one will not feel joy upon encountering the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, and there will be obstructions and resistance when one wishes to draw near to the Three Jewels. Even if one has the heart to cultivate diligently, one cannot understand even the written word; the Buddha's Dharma does not enter the mind. The evil karma of slandering the Three Jewels thus becomes a serious obstruction to one's cultivation in this life.