What are the three obstacles? First: Vipāka obstacle. Second: karma obstacle. Third: Kleshas obstacle.
There are two types of Vipāka obstacle, namely, environmental Vipāka and direct Vipāka. What is direct Vipāka? What is environmental Vipāka? Direct Vipāka is what should receive retribution, is our body. Environmental Vipāka means receiving retribution based on life, that is, clothing, food, housing, transportation, etc. People's direct Vipāka include good and bad bodies, and some are born very handsome and perfect. Everyone sees him, everyone is happy, everyone loves and respects him, it can be said that he is beyond his kind and stands out from all others. Or this person is really wise, that person really has good roots. This is divided into two types. Some people have wisdom but no good roots. What is this? Most of these people are reincarnated into the world by demons and monsters. For example, the mountain spirit became a monster in the mountain. There are also Chimimōryō. These ghosts and gods have been ghosts and gods for many years, and those old goblins and monsters who can eat people have also died and become humans. They are a little smarter, smarter than ordinary people. But he is not smart at all in doing things. He always does stupid things and is very unruly. Whichever thing is most harmful to people, he will do that kind of thing. The so-called disrupting social order, lest there be no chaos in the world, such people have wisdom but no good roots. Some people have good roots but no wisdom. They have good roots because they did good things in their previous lives but did not study the sutras. Therefore, they have no wisdom and are very foolish. Speaking of direct Vipāka, some people have perfect appearance, long life, and wealth. Some were very ugly in appearance and did not live long, and died at a very young age. This all has causes and consequences. Environmental Vipāka is food, clothing, housing and transportation. This kind of environmental Vipāka also comes from the cause and effect of the previous life. If you plant good causes in the previous life, the results in this life will be good; if you plant evil causes in the previous life, the results in this life will be bad. Therefore, when we do things, we must be careful not to sow evil causes, so that we will not suffer the consequences of evil in the future. This is Vipāka obstacle.
Karma obstacle. Karma is the karma of career, the karma of merit. Regardless of whether you are a monk or a layperson, you must do something. When doing this kind of undertaking, there will be many problems and difficulties. When difficult problems occur, troubles will arise and all kinds of unpleasant things will happen. This is called karma obstacle.
Kleshas obstacle. All of us have a kind of Kleshas. Where did this trouble arise? It is born out of greed, born out of anger, born out of infatuation. Why are you troubled? Because there is greed, if you are not greedy, you will have troubles. Why are you troubled? Just because you have a temper and this matter does not suit your will, you will be troubled. Why are you troubled? Just because you are ignorant and do not understand, you have troubles.
Why are you troubled? Because you have a kind of arrogance, a kind of pride, and you look down on others, so you have a kind of trouble. Why are you troubled? And because you have a kind of suspicion, you have doubts about everything. Because of doubts, you have troubles.
And why do you get troubled? Because you have wrong views. This view of yours is incorrect, so you have troubles. If you have right knowledge and right views and true wisdom, you can see everything clearly and clearly, and it is very clear from beginning to end, and you will have no worries. Therefore, troubles arise from greed, anger, ignorance, pride, doubt, and wrong views.
Heart Sutra can remove these three obstacles, remove the obstacles of Vipāka, remove the obstacles of karma, and remove the obstacles of Kleshas. How to break them? Because he has real wisdom, subtle wisdom, a truly immovable mind, and a true heart, he has broken down the three obstacles. Only when we understand the Prajñā Heart Sutra can we have real wisdom and be able to remove the three obstacles.
