CAUSE and EFFECT

Today I read “The Unique Characteristics of Buddhism” by Venerable Master Hsing Yun and I realise the following paragraphs are useful and helpful in life by encouraging and appealing for doing good merits.

The existence of everything in this world arises from, and is dependent on, the Law of Cause and Effect. The relationship between cause and effect is a very complicated one, but it works in a very orderly and precise manner.

There are two reasons why the fruit of karma will ripen at different times. One reason is the strength of the cause; it will determine the time when the effect appears. For example, if a melon seed and a peach seed are planted at the same time, the melon seed will grow and produce fruit in the same year; however, it will take several years before the peach tree that grew from a seed can produce fruit. The second reason why the fruit of karma may ripen at different times is because the strength of the conditions can be either strong or weak. If all necessary conditions are present, the fruit will ripen earlier, whereas if the necessary conditions are not present, the ripening will take longer. Either way, there is a saying in Buddhism, “Good begets good; bad begets bad. All causes will give rise to results; it is just a matter of time.”

Cause and Effect are inevitable. Once any deeds are performed, regardless of whether they are wholesome or unwholesome, the seeds of these deeds are stored in the store consciousness and will manifest when the right conditions are present. Secondly, wholesome and unwholesome deeds or actions will not cancel each other out. The unwholesome seeds that have already been planted will give rise to unwholesome fruit. They will not be cancelled by doing good deeds. The only thing we can do is to perform more good deeds, to accumulate more positive conditions. Then the gravity of the fruit of our unwholesome deeds will be lightened, or, if many good deeds are accumulated, the good fruit will ripen quickly and the bad conditions will be weakened. Think of it in this way; you have a glass of salt water, which is similar to unwholesome deeds. If a lot of fresh water, which stands for wholesome deeds, is added to the salt water, then the fresh water will dilute the salt water, making it less salty. Therefore, it is very important to do wholesome deeds and accumulate positive conditions.