The Relationship Between Karmic Seeds and Habitual Tendencies

The relationship between karmic seeds and habitual tendencies is extremely profound in principle, belonging to the domain of the seed-wisdom (bīla-jñāna) of Yogācāra. Habitual tendencies arise when a dharma practiced over a long time becomes established, becomes a habit, and this habit then comes to dominate the body, speech, and mind. After performing karmic actions, they are stored as seeds, which deepens and intensifies the karmic seeds, causing one's habitual tendencies in the future to become even heavier.

Habitual tendencies also come from karmic seeds; since something has long been practiced until it became a habit, there must be karmic seeds. Habitual tendencies are manifested by the manas. The manas directs the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses; after these actions are performed, they are stored as karmic seeds, which manifest in later lives—this is called habitual tendency. Karmic seeds are formed through karma created under the direction of the manas; the manas fully corresponds with the karmic seeds. Whatever nature the manas has, the karmic seeds have that nature; whatever nature the karmic seeds have, the manas manifests karmic actions of that nature. If one wants to leave behind karmic seeds of no-self, what should one do? If one wants to form habitual tendencies of no-self, how should one cultivate practice? If in future lives one wants to be born already seeing the five-aggregate world as empty, how should one cultivate practice in this life?

Subhūti, while still in his mother's womb, already knew that the world is empty and tranquil—how deep must that habitual tendency have been? His cultivation and realization of emptiness had lasted for more than innumerable kalpas; throughout such a long period of time his mind was empty, so naturally this good habit of emptiness had continued for as long as innumerable kalpas. Subhūti's habitual tendency of an empty mind had not the slightest connection with the conditioning of his consciousness in this life; even when his consciousness had not yet appeared, his manas was already empty. How relaxed, at ease, and liberated such an empty mind must be!

Emptiness that exists only in theory—when facing worldly dharmas, one is no longer empty; at the time of death, one is no longer empty; after death, even less empty; and in future lives, one is utterly unable to be empty. Therefore, theoretically dwelling in notions like "everything is like a dream, like an illusion," or "suchness and dharma-nature"—that is all self-deception, and it is of no practical use whatsoever. When the moment of truth arrives, one acts just as one always has; at the end of life, one dies just as one always would—it cannot solve the problem of birth and death. These theoretical understandings reveal their true form as soon as one encounters an actual situation; one's original face is fully exposed. That is why it is said to be of no use. But once the manas has realized it, forming karmic seeds, one reaps the benefit life after life: when encountering situations, one does not revert to one's original form, and at the time of taking rebirth one is not deluded. If one is not deluded while dwelling in the womb, not deluded at birth, and not deluded throughout the process of growing up, then one is liberated at all times.