user471: The first paragraph of the Lonaphala Sutta, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, states:

"Monks, for anyone who says, 'In whatever way a person makes kamma,
  that is how it is experienced,' there is no living of the holy life,
  there is no opportunity for the right ending of stress. But for anyone
  who says, 'When a person makes kamma to be felt in such & such a way,
  that is how its result is experienced,' there is the living of the
  holy life, there is the opportunity for the right ending of stress.

I feel that this is not the best possible translation for this paragraph of the sutta.
Please explain what it really means.

user10100: Translation: 

Bhikkhus, if someone says:  "how many actions a person done are how many
  results a person get back". Bhikkhus, if that be so, there is no
  meditation for enlightenment and there is no apparent path to end
  suffering rightfully. 
Bhikkhus, if a person says: "how many actions a person done, only results 
  which possible to get back, are how many results a person get back".
  Bhikkhus, if that be so, there is no meditation for enlightenment and
  there is no apparent path to end suffering rightfully.
http://www.84000.org/tipitaka/read/v.php?B=20&A=6567&Z=6647&eng=metta_e 
(I modified from that link.)

Why I translate like that?
I combine above titles with their explanation below. Because in ancient theravāda study system culture, sutta's context must relate each others. This is called tanti-bhāsā.

Here bhikkhus, a certain person doing a trifling evil action would pull him to hell. Here bhikkhus, a certain person doing a trifling evil action of the same nature would feel it here and now and mostly nothing would be apparent.
Bhikkhus, what kind of person doing a trifling evil action, on account of it, be pulled to hell?.
Here bhikkhus, a certain person is undeveloped, in body,2 virtues,2 in mind,[3] in wisdom,[4] is insignificant with a small self[5] living in unpleasantness. Bhikkhus, such a person doing a trifling evil action would pull him to hell (uppapajja-vedanīya;  this life's and hell in next life's results of puthujana are possible to get back). 
Bhikkhus, what kind of person doing a trifling evil action of the same nature would feel it here and now and mostly nothing would be apparent?
Here bhikkhus, a certain person (ariya) is developed, in body, virtues, in mind, in wisdom, is with a significant self immeasureable and living in pleasantness. Bhikkhus, such a person doing a trifling evil action of the same nature would feel it here and now (diṭṭhadhamma-vedanīya; this life's results of ariya are possible, but hell in next life is impossible) and mostly nothing would be apparent.

So, "how many actions, ditthadhamma-vedanīya and hell in upapajja-vedanīya, a person done, only results which possible to get back, are how many results a person get back". (puthujana can get both diṭṭhadhamma-vedanīya and hell in upapajja-vedanīya back, but ariya can get just diṭṭhadhamma-vedanīya back.)
Therefore buddha taught in Cakkhu Sutta:


“Monks, if anyone takes faith and is settled in these things (be sotāpanna-ariya), it is said he lives in conformity with faith, has entered the righteous way, the way of Great Beings, has gone beyond the field of ordinary man, and it is not possible that he is doing actions that lead to hell, the animal womb, or the sphere of ghosts be born there. It is not possible that he should die without realizing the fruits of entry in the stream of the Teaching.



user-1: This is how I understand it.  You don't get back exactly what you put in, but you get back the results of it. 
Example,  if you kill someone, it is not necessary that you will get killed back in return but you will get results from your killing which depends on many factors.  This sutta,  Buddha taught us that is possible to work on those many factors that could produce a better results.
Like , if I killed someone, then later worked to become a stream enter, a result that could have sent me to hell next life changed to make me a sickly person.  Etc. A Finger bandit arahat is another example.
It is clear to me that karma is not fate or fixed destinations or replacement of a will from a god.  

471: <p>The first paragraph of the <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Lonaphala Sutta</a>, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, states:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Monks, for anyone who says, 'In whatever way a person makes kamma,
  that is how it is experienced,' there is no living of the holy life,
  there is no opportunity for the right ending of stress. But for anyone
  who says, 'When a person makes kamma to be felt in such &amp; such a way,
  that is how its result is experienced,' there is the living of the
  holy life, there is the opportunity for the right ending of stress.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I feel that this is not the best possible translation for this paragraph of the sutta.</p>

<p>Please explain what it really means.</p>
 10100: <p>Translation: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Bhikkhus, if someone says:  "how many actions a person done are how many
  results a person get back". Bhikkhus, if that be so, there is no
  meditation for enlightenment and there is no apparent path to end
  suffering rightfully. </p>
  
  <p>Bhikkhus, if a person says: "how many actions a person done, only results 
  which possible to get back, are how many results a person get back".
  Bhikkhus, if that be so, there is no meditation for enlightenment and
  there is no apparent path to end suffering rightfully.</p>
  
  <p><a href="http://www.84000.org/tipitaka/read/v.php?B=20&amp;A=6567&amp;Z=6647&amp;eng=metta_e" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.84000.org/tipitaka/read/v.php?B=20&amp;A=6567&amp;Z=6647&amp;eng=metta_e</a> </p>
  
  <p>(I modified from that link.)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Why I translate like that?</p>

<p>I combine above titles with their explanation below. Because in <a href="https://unmixedtheravada.blogspot.com/search/label/Ancient%20Study%20System" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ancient theravāda study system culture</a>, sutta's context must relate each others. This is called tanti-bhāsā.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Here bhikkhus, a certain person doing a <strong>trifling</strong> evil action would pull him to hell. Here bhikkhus, a certain person doing a <strong>trifling</strong> evil action of the same nature would feel it here and now and mostly nothing would be apparent.</p>
  
  <p>Bhikkhus, what kind of person doing a <strong>trifling</strong> evil action, on account of it, be pulled to hell?.</p>
  
  <p>Here bhikkhus, a certain person is undeveloped, in body,<a href="http://www.84000.org/tipitaka/pitaka_item/r.php?B=17&amp;A=5635&amp;w=%CA%D1%B7%B8%D2%B9%D8%CA%D2&amp;eng=metta_e" rel="nofollow noreferrer">2</a> virtues,<a href="http://www.84000.org/tipitaka/pitaka_item/r.php?B=17&amp;A=5635&amp;w=%CA%D1%B7%B8%D2%B9%D8%CA%D2&amp;eng=metta_e" rel="nofollow noreferrer">2</a> in mind,[3] in wisdom,[4] is insignificant with a small self[5] living in unpleasantness. Bhikkhus, such a person doing a <strong>trifling</strong> evil action would pull him to hell (<strong>uppapajja-vedanīya</strong>;  this life's and hell in next life's results of puthujana are possible to get back). </p>
  
  <p>Bhikkhus, what kind of person doing a <strong>trifling</strong> evil action of the same nature would feel it here and now and mostly nothing would be apparent?</p>
  
  <p>Here bhikkhus, a certain person <strong>(ariya)</strong> is developed, in body, virtues, in mind, in wisdom, is with a significant self immeasureable and living in pleasantness. Bhikkhus, such a person doing a <strong>trifling</strong> evil action of the same nature would feel it here and now (<strong>diṭṭhadhamma-vedanīya</strong>; this life's results of ariya are possible, but hell in next life is impossible) and mostly nothing would be apparent.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>So, "how many actions, ditthadhamma-vedanīya and hell in upapajja-vedanīya, a person done, only results which possible to get back, are how many results a person get back".</strong> (puthujana can get both diṭṭhadhamma-vedanīya and hell in upapajja-vedanīya back, but ariya can get just diṭṭhadhamma-vedanīya back.)</p>

<p>Therefore buddha taught in <a href="http://www.84000.org/tipitaka/pitaka_item/r.php?B=17&amp;A=5635&amp;w=%CA%D1%B7%B8%D2%B9%D8%CA%D2&amp;eng=metta_e" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Cakkhu Sutta</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <ol start="4">
  <li>“Monks, if anyone takes faith and is settled in these things <strong>(be sotāpanna-ariya)</strong>, it is said he lives in conformity with faith, has entered the righteous way, the way of Great Beings, <strong>has gone beyond the field of ordinary man, and it is not possible that he is doing actions that lead to hell, the animal womb, or the sphere of ghosts be born there.</strong> It is not possible that he should die without realizing the fruits of entry in the stream of the Teaching.</li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>
 -1: <p>This is how I understand it.  You don't get back exactly what you put in, but you get back the results of it. 
Example,  if you kill someone, it is not necessary that you will get killed back in return but you will get results from your killing which depends on many factors.  This sutta,  Buddha taught us that is possible to work on those many factors that could produce a better results.<br>
Like , if I killed someone, then later worked to become a stream enter, a result that could have sent me to hell next life changed to make me a sickly person.  Etc. A Finger bandit arahat is another example.
It is clear to me that karma is not fate or fixed destinations or replacement of a will from a god.  </p>
