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## Chapter Nine:
**[355] Analysis of Karma Results:** This chapter discusses the nature of the universe and its inhabitants, and how to cultivate mindfulness. The nature of Dharma, characterized by qualities like supreme forgiveness, has been explained. Therefore, one should understand the four types of Dharma-based mindfulness, which are practiced by beings who are:
* **Avirata:** Those who are constantly engaged in Dharma.
* **Deshavirata:** Those who are free from attachment to worldly things.
* **Pramatta Samyata:** Those who are mindful but still prone to distractions.
* **Aprammatta Samyata:** Those who are completely free from distractions and fully mindful.
**Dharma-based mindfulness** is the conscious awareness of the karmic results experienced due to the factors of substance, field, time, birth, and motivation. It also involves the continuous contemplation of the nature and structure of the universe.
**Dharma-based mindfulness** is a state of mind that arises from the right understanding of the true nature of reality. It is characterized by detachment from the world, the body, and worldly pleasures. This detachment is cultivated through the practice of **Samyak Drishti** (right faith). Dharma-based mindfulness is infused with the qualities of supreme forgiveness and other virtues, hence the name.
**Four types of Dharma-based mindfulness:**
* **Agyna Vichaya:** This type of mindfulness helps in understanding the true nature of reality.
* **Apay Vichaya:** This type of mindfulness helps in developing detachment from the world, the body, and worldly pleasures.
* **Vipak Vichaya:** This type of mindfulness helps in understanding the intricacies of karmic results and their causes.
* **Sansthan Vichaya:** This type of mindfulness helps in understanding the structure and functioning of the universe.
**The nature of Vipak Vichaya:**
The discussion of karma results in relation to substance, field, and time, as mentioned in the original commentary, emphasizes that the ripening of karma, leading to the experience of various bodies and states of being, does not occur in isolation. It requires the presence of other factors, such as substance, field, etc.
**Example of substance as a factor:**
Imagine a person who is happily playing with their children. Suddenly, the roof of their house collapses, causing them injury and pain. The collapse of the roof is the substance that triggers the experience of pain. This pain is a result of the ripening of the karmic potential for suffering, which is activated by the external factor of the collapsing roof.
**Time as a factor:**
Time plays a role in the ripening of karma in two ways:
1. **The specific time frame for the ripening of a particular karma:** For example, the ripening of the karmic potential for happiness and pleasure typically lasts for six months. After this period, the potential for suffering and sorrow begins to ripen.
2. **The time frame within which the ripening of karma can be altered:** If, within the six-month period, an event occurs that contradicts the ripening of happiness and pleasure, the ripening process can be altered.
**Example of time as a factor:**
Imagine a person who is traveling fearlessly to a new land. However, they find themselves in a dangerous forest at night, where there are wild animals and no safe place to rest. If it were daytime, they would not be afraid. But because it is night, they experience fear. This fear is a result of the ripening of the karmic potential for fear, which is triggered by the external factor of night time.
**Conclusion:**
The ripening of karma is a complex process that is influenced by various factors, including substance, field, and time. Understanding these factors is crucial for cultivating Dharma-based mindfulness and achieving liberation from the cycle of birth and death.