Conviction and Retribution for Sinful Karma Are Not Decided by the Buddha

The Buddha is the most compassionate, magnanimous, and revered sage within the Three Realms, capable of forgiving all sentient beings and bearing no grudge against any. If sentient beings casually take items belonging to the Buddha, it objectively constitutes stealing the Buddha's property, incurring the gravest offense. Defining this act as theft of the Buddha's possessions and the resulting negative consequences is not a matter of the Buddha's forgiveness; rather, it is governed and determined by the law of cause and effect, not set or decided by the Buddha. Stealing the Buddha's property or the property of the Three Jewels is infinitely more severe than stealing from ordinary sentient beings. Moreover, the more virtuous, compassionate, and tolerant the victim, the greater the offense incurred by stealing their possessions. Therefore, after committing such an offense, one cannot assume innocence or the absence of karmic retribution simply because the victim is generous and forgiving.

The conviction for theft is not determined by the Buddha, nor by the Dharma protectors, nor even by the owner of the property. It is inherently determined by the law of cause and effect, upheld by the Tathāgatagarbha. The Buddha does not intervene in significant karmic outcomes. For minor consequences, it depends on the sincerity of the thief's repentance, their virtuous roots, and their karmic connection with the Buddha. The Buddha may remove some obstacles, the Dharma protectors may offer some shielding, but the remainder must be repaid through karmic retribution. Repentance is the most effective method for reducing retribution. Only by extinguishing the thieving mind and eliminating the root source of the transgression can the karmic offense be partially or fully eradicated.

From this, it is understood that items offered to the Buddha by sentient beings belong to the Buddha, who is the rightful owner. Even the person who made the offering cannot casually take them back; otherwise, it constitutes stealing the Buddha's property. If one wishes to use items after offering them to the Buddha, one must state during the offering: "I offer these items to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. After the Buddha has completed the Buddhist activities and consumed their essence, I will retrieve the remaining coarse portions for my own use. The parts unusable to the Buddha shall be returned to me." After making this declaration, once the incense has burned out, one may remove the offerings. Alternatively, one may substitute other items in exchange for those used by the Buddha.

Since the Buddha consumes the essence of the offerings, we should understand what constitutes this essence. We must be careful not to disturb this part; it must be left for the Buddha's enjoyment. Otherwise, it deceives the Buddha. The Buddha inherently breathes in the fragrance and savors the essence. If you inhale the aroma and taste the deliciousness of the offerings meant for the Buddha, the essence required by the Buddha will be diminished or entirely gone. Consuming the offerings before the Buddha is disrespectful and does not generate merit. When the Buddha uses the offerings, sentient beings gain merit. Even if the Buddha does not use them, sentient beings still gain merit due to the sincere intention behind the offering. However, the magnitude of the merit gained differs significantly.