Four Noble Truths —— The Truth of the Cause of Suffering In Buddhism, “karma” refers to all that we do, say, and think. Throughout our lives, we create a lot of unwholesome karma because of our ignorant urges and cravings. Unwholesome karma is like a seed that bears the fruit of suffering. Thus, our suffering is caused by our own karma, as we are subject to the effects of whatever actions we have done. Karma does not disappear; it only accumulates. However, karma is not all bad. There is also good karma. Whether we taste the fruit of suffering or of joy depends on the karmic seeds we sow. Karma and the Law of Cause and Effect are both concepts that are common to many Indian philosophies. Karma is also one of the great teachings of Buddhism. The teaching on karma is what allows us to create a bright future for ourselves, and can be a source of hope. There are some who will ask, “Didn’t you just say that karma is the cause of suffering? Now, why do you say it gives us hope? Isn’t this contradictory?” If you truly understand the teaching of karma and how it works, you will not doubt that it is indeed very hopeful. The essential teaching of karma is that everyone is responsible for his or her own actions. Throughout history, there has always been one inexplicable question that has confounded philosophers and religious thinkers alike: What is the origin of life and the universe. Various theories have been proposed to explain the origin of the universe and human life, such as the theory of natural elements and the theory of evolution. The Christian religion maintains that the world was created by God. Brahmanism in India holds the view that everything evolved from Brahma. These religions, and others, attempt to explain the initial creation of life and the universe, and to establish a set of laws in which everything is controlled by a god. Alternatively, Buddhism teaches us that human beings themselves, not someone else, are in charge of their own destinies. Even God or Brahma cannot escape the Law of Cause and Effect. In Buddhism, karmic retribution is created by oneself, not by deities. The happiness or suffering in one’s life and the brightness or darkness of one’s future is not bestowed by gods, but determined by the effort that we have made. Wholesome fruit is produced from the seeds of our wholesome deeds. Likewise, unwholesome fruit is produced from the seeds of our unwholesome deeds. No one can give us fortune or misfortune. We create our own good and bad actions; no one else controls us. Thus, we can see that Buddhism has a great deal of respect for free will. It is a religion that believes in self-discipline, and that one will reap the results of one’s own actions. Dr. Hu Shi, the great modern Chinese Scholar, said, “Whatever harvest one wants, one must first plant accordingly.” Karma is like a seed. We have to sow the kind of seed that will produce the type of fruit we would like to harvest. Similarly, our actions will determine our karmic effect. Karma presents equal opportunity and is perfectly accurate. No one is exempt from the effects of karma, even the rich and powerful. The effects of karma apply equally to everyone regardless of position, gender, status, or wealth. Everyone will receive what they deserve and render their own karmic outcome. No one can take someone else’s place, whether it is husband or wife, father or son, teacher or student, or our friends. Our karma is a clear record of our actions, so accurate that not even today’s supercomputers can be compared to it. When everyone understands the concept of cause and effect, the morals of society will improve, crime will decrease, and we will be able to easily establish a joyous and peaceful society. Therefore, the concept of cause and effect plays a very important role in purifying our minds and raising the morality of society. But there are still questions that remain. One may say, “I know a person who has done many bad things in his life. He has not only gone unpunished but enjoys honor and wealth. On the other hand, another person I know has done many good things, but misfortune seems to follow him. How does the Law of Cause and Effect work in these situations?” Actually, this, too, is the Law of Cause and Effect. Why? As mentioned earlier, the Law of Cause and Effect is like planting seeds. Some plants will become lush and green in one year. Some will take several years to grow. Likewise, some karmic results will ripen in this lifetime, some will ripen in the next lifetime, and some will not ripen for many lifetimes to come. The effects of karma may be immediate or delayed, but we cannot refute their existence. There is a proverb in Buddhism that says, “Good begets good, evil begets evil. All causes will give rise to results; it is just a matter of time.” The Law of Cause and Effect is absolutely fair. It is only a matter of time. This is why we talk about cause and effect in terms of past, present, and future lifetimes. Some readers who have received a higher education may react by saying, “This is the 21st century; our technology and civilization are highly advanced. Why should we believe in superstitions like cause and effect?” Actually, the Law of Cause and Effect is the most scientific and accurate of all the natural laws. The Law of Cause and Effect controls every single minute of our lives; we cannot live apart from it. For example, when we are hungry, we eat. After we eat, we are not hungry anymore. When we are tired, we rest. After we rest, we will be full of energy.Every little part of our lives, even our mental activities of perception, emotion, and volition, play out according to the Law of Cause and Effect. Therefore, if we wish to be happy, we should sow good seeds. Then we will taste the sweetness of our own good fruit. When the first child conceived through in vitro fertilization was born the entire world was shocked. Although the child was not conceived inside the mother, the child still required the father’s sperm and the mother’s ovum, together with the support of science, in order to grow. Even a child conceived through in vitro fertilization still requires all the right conditions to be present; thus this method of conception is totally consistent with the Law of Cause and Effect. There is nothing in this world that can escape the Law of Cause and Effect. Once unwholesome karma is done, a bad effect will surely follow. Although the arising and the accumulation of bad karma can bring us suffering, after it reaches fruition there is still room for hope and a bright future. It is similar to a person who borrows money from many people and is heavily in debt. After he repays all his debts, he will be free. It may also be compared to a criminal who is freed after serving a prison term. A person who has committed many bad deeds can still have a beautiful future after he has borne the fruit of his karma. According to the Buddha’s teachings, all phenomena are impermanent. Bad karma is also impermanent and empty, without an innate self-nature. If we stop creating unwholesome karma and instead create wholesome karma, we will be free from suffering one day and can be truly happy. Thus, the Law of Cause and Effect is neither pessimistic nor fatalistic; rather, it is optimistic and progressive. If we want to free ourselves from the depths of the sea of suffering, we must first eradicate the cause of suffering and then cease to generate any more unwholesome karma. Then a life of joy will not be out of reach. Therefore, a full understanding of the original cause of suffering is absolutely necessary to achieve a life of joy. —— 星雲大師 Venerable Master Hsing Yun
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 12:28:53 +0000