为什么说：不是不报，时机未到？

After a person has killed a being or stolen things, the karmic seed of such action will remain in this person’s alaya consciousness. When it will germinate is uncertain, however. The scriptures often used the analogy of harvesting crops to illustrate the timing of karmic effect. There are great varieties of grains and vegetables and the length of time for them to ripen varies. Some may ripen in only one to two months, others five or six months, or even longer. The types of seeds, the geographical location and the climate are all contributing factors to this disparity.

当一个人杀生、偷盗的行为完成以后，在他的阿赖耶识上就会留下这个行为的种子。这颗种子什么时候发芽是不定的。经书中常用粮食的比喻来说明报应的早晚。粮食蔬菜品种繁多，它们成熟的早晚也不相同。有些成熟只需要一两个月，有些却需要五六个月甚至更长时间，这种差异来自于种子本身的不同，以及地理环境和气候等因素。

Likewise, it is stated in the scriptures that ripening of the cause comes in four types. The first is the one that ripens in the same lifetime. For example, karma was committed in youth and the effect takes place in middle or old age. Sometimes karma ripens even sooner, and the effect can be seen immediately. The reason is that certain conditions can expedite the manifestation of fruit. Such fast ripening has something to do with the object and the motivation of the action. There are many such cases told in One Hundred Stories about Karma (Karmasakata). For example, the Sangha and ordinary people are two completely different objects. If it is a serious case of stealing from or slandering the Sangha, the retribution may come right away or in this lifetime. If the same act is committed against ordinary people, one will surely bear the consequence but not necessarily right away or in this lifetime. The different results arise from the difference between the two objects. The other condition is the difference in motivation. If the intention to kill is very strong or has been premeditated for a long time, the retribution will come swiftly, whereas the effect may not be immediately apparent if the motivation to kill is not so fierce.

同样的，经书里讲因的成熟有四种：一是今生报应。比如年轻的时候造业，中老年时得报，有时甚至更快，当下就可以看到果报。这是什么原因呢？某些特殊因缘可以使果迅速出现，这个很快成熟的业，来自于它的对境和动机，在《百业经》中就汇集了很多这样的公案。比如说：僧众和普通人是两个完全不同的对境，如果偷僧众的东西或毁谤僧众的情形很严重的话，就有可能在当下或今生见到报应；如果对境是一般人，果报肯定是有，但不一定马上或在这一生显现，这种差别是由对境不同而产生的。另外是动机的差异，如果杀生的念头非常强烈或蓄谋已久，以这样的动机去杀生，它的报应就会很快成熟，若杀生动机不那么强烈，则虽然有果，但不会很快显现。

The other three types of ripening do not result in karmic effect that will manifest swiftly. The first is ripening in the next life. For example, the effect of committing great evil, such as the five hellish deeds, or great virtue will definitely materialize in the next life. Second, the effect is certain to manifest but the timing of which is uncertain; it may take three or four lifetimes or even longer. Third, there may or may not be any effect. What could be the reason for this uncertainty in view of infallible karma? When a weak cause (or karma) encounters a strong antidote，causality may then be broken.

不很快显现的果又可分为三种：一是下一世一定会成熟的果。比如造五无间罪之类的大恶业或大善业，在下一世一定会报应；二是虽然肯定有果报，但成熟期不定，或许三四代以后，或许更长时间；三是也许有果报，也许没有果报。从因果不虚的角度来看，这是什么原因呢？如果这个因（或业）的能力很微弱，当它遇到强大的对治力时，它的果就不一定发生。

The first three types of karma, that is, the one that ripens in this and next life, and with uncertain timing, are immutable karma. The fourth, with indefinite fruition, is mutable karma.

前面三种称为定业，第四种叫作不定业。