The nature and appearance of evil karman are identical to the nature and appearance of the Track of Accomplishment. The religious activity of accumulating merits and virtues (which aid in the attainment of the Path) is obviously virtuous, and the course of karman (i.e., being in saṃsāra) is considered to be evil. The reason that the nature and appearance of evil karman are identical to that of good is that good and evil exist interdependently. The essential principle of this identification is about “overturning evil.” Evil is overcome by an act of transformation (i.e., overturning), but not by an act of elimination. This overturning is due to the realization that evil is not an obstacle in aspiring to wholesomeness; rather, it motivates one to carry out religious practice. When evil is treated as the motivation for religious practice, it becomes a positive element rather than a negative element. This emphasizes that evil is not an element to be negated, but a positive element to be affirmed (in a sense that it aids in one’s realization of wholesomeness). Without evil, the existence of wholesomeness is not possible. This identification of good and evil is not simply to display their interdependent relationship, but to reveal a methodological aspect in spiritual practice, i.e., while affirming the positive aspect of this negative element, one turns it over so that this positive aspect can be actualized in practice. The existence of evil allows the good to come into being. Chih-i compares the Track of Accomplishment to the potential for fire contained in bamboo. If the proper conditions are met, and this potential as fire is actualized, it can burn things, like fire can burn bamboo. This illustrates that good is contained in evil, and when good is actualized, it destroys evil. (Vol. 2, Page 254-255)