The Scales of Karma

Wǔ Wú Jiān (五無間) — The Five Heinous Sins: Cardinal Karmic Offenses and Spiritual Caution The Five Heinous Sins (五無間 - Wǔ Wú Jiān or 五逆 - Wǔ Nì), also known in Buddhism as the Ānantarika-karma, represent the five gravest moral transgressions. Committing any of these cardinal offenses leads immediately to retribution in the Avīci Hell (無間地獄 - Wú Jiān Dì Yù), the realm of relentless and uninterrupted karmic torment. Understanding and avoiding these destructive actions is paramount to protecting one's conscience, honoring parents, and safeguarding spiritual harmony. The Five Heinous Sins include: 1. 殺父 (Shā Fù) — Matricide / Killing One's Father: Murdering or taking the life of one's father. 2. 殺母 (Shā Mǔ) — Patricide / Killing One's Mother: Murdering or taking the life of one's mother. 3. 殺阿羅漢 (Shā Ā Luó Hàn) — Killing an Arhat: Taking the life of an enlightened saint or holy being. 4. 出佛身血 (Chū Fó Shēn Xiè) — Causing Bloodshed to a Buddha: Harming or injuring a Buddha with malicious intent to cause bleeding. 5. 破和合僧 (Pò Hé Hé Sēng) — Creating Schism in the Sangha: Sowing discord, causing division among monastic communities, or breaking harmony among spiritual practitioners within the Tao community. (Teachings also warn against equivalent cardinal offenses (五無間同類), such as destroying sacred shrines, temples, stealing monastery property, or harming practitioners with a Bodhisattva heart.) #YiPengFoTang #FiveHeinousCrimes #AnantarikaKarma #WuWuJian #KarmicLaw #Buddhism #TaoCultivation #SpiritualWisdom