Karmic Conditions Are the Contributory Causes for the Arising of Dharma

Question: When attempting a high jump aiming for one meter but only managing a few dozen centimeters, is it the manas-indriya that decides to jump only a few dozen centimeters, or is it that the tathāgatagarbha, in accordance with karmic seeds and karmic conditions, can only facilitate a jump of a few dozen centimeters?

Answer: The manas-indriya has the aspiration to jump over one meter. However, if the karmic conditions are not sufficient—meaning the condition and capability of the physical body are insufficient to achieve the goal, or if it is not destined to attain such honor in this lifetime—the tathāgatagarbha can only accord with the prevailing conditions and cannot fulfill the wish of the manas-indriya. This is analogous to someone wishing to attain Buddhahood immediately, yet lacking the necessary karmic conditions, insufficient merit and virtue, or the corresponding wholesome karmic seeds. In such cases, the tathāgatagarbha is powerless to assist, for indeed, one cannot make bricks without straw.