Cause and Effect
From IKTWiki
Existence of Cause and Effect:
Everything happening within and around us is the result of a cause and effect. The concept of cause and effect is actually very logical and spiritually scientific. Human civilization and advancement of knowledge are based on the principle of cause and effect. For example, when we feel hot, we naturally desire to be cool. People would then try to find out what caused the air to be hot and how to make it cooler. Examples of this search to be cooler are the inventions of the electrical fan and air conditioning. Therefore, we learn that by studying a particular effect, one can discover its cause and by changing that cause, one can introduce a new effect.
Everything exists in this world because of different causes and effects. Without cause and effect, all things and matters cannot exist. This is not only the law of science but also a Tao principle in understanding all physical, mental, and spiritual phenomena. Most of the Buddhist teachings are centered on the meanings of cause and effect.
From the physical world, we can see cause and effect most clearly because all scientific theories are based on this and allow us to comprehend the physical order of things. However, within the physical world, there is also an invisible realm of energies, vibrations, and various frequencies. We transact with the physical world through our mental and spiritual minds while interacting with this invisible realm. The interaction of our minds and the invisible realm is governed through “chi” or universal energy. It is the development of our minds to connect with “chi” that will allow us to know the eternal truth of how things manifest according to the true Tao nature and unite us with God.
Therefore, cause and effect is the most important basic eternal law of nature to understand before we can fully begin to realize the Tao. It is the most important factor that influences, governs, and controls our lives starting from a physical base to the highest spiritual point. It is from within and without because all that there is starts from a point even though it will return to that point when we have finally achieved godhood.
It is then from the cause and effect of the physical world for connecting with the Tao through our minds using “chi” so that we may achieve our ultimate Buddha nature that is hidden in each of us. So that we may know that there is no difference between physical and spiritual manifestations because they all are the same. Once this is realized and understood, the flowers of the Tao will easily cover your hearts with their beautiful fragrances. However, before we can understand this, we first need to understand the basic concept of cause and effect for moving beyond its imprisonment and limitations.
State of Cause and Effect:
From within, our character, mental attitude, temperament, ability, intelligence, well being, and our innate appearance are the results of past causes. From without, every situation, event, opportunity, or difficulty we encounter in our every day life are also the results of past causes. These past causes resulted either from our current existence or from past lives.
Our personal fate is the result of our own making based on past intentions, deeds, and causes that result into what is better known as karma. We generate our karma not only as an individual but also as part of a family, group of people, or as a nation. Group karma starts with one or a few individuals and their influences can bring more people to perform the same deed. Group karma can lead to war, natural disasters, or riots but it also can do good to bring peace and resolve calamities.
Confucius in the I Ching explains “The family that accumulates good deeds surely will have remaining prosperity and the family that accumulates bad deeds surely will have remaining tragedy.” Therefore, not only does good prosperity or tragedy affects the person who actually performed the deeds but it also will have a ripple effect on one’s own family and relatives.
There is good karma and there is bad karma depending on the cause and effect resulting from individual or group activities. Nobody can ever escape the laws of cause and effect, no matter how important or trivial the matter is. Our deeds and their resulting effects are like shadows following us through each lifetime until good karma overcomes the bad through spiritual cultivation and practices. True repentance to God will also lessen the effects of bad karma. Obtaining good karma will allow an individual the best spiritual environment to achieve our true Buddha nature where we no longer are bound by the law of cause and effect. Bad karma can never be gotten rid of without earning good karma to offset it.
Principles of Cause and Effect:
Cause is like a seed and effect is like the fruit resulting from growth of the seed. In order for the seed to grow, it requires the proper factors of water, soil, sun, air, and care that we call conditions. Cause and conditions are the two main criteria that bring a resulting effect. It is important to know that a cause does not have to be a physical activity. A cause can be a mental activity that will cause the same intensity of an effect resulting from a physical activity. A good or bad thought can be equally helpful or harmful as a good or bad physical deed.
Cause becomes a seed of intention, attitude or desire planted in our hearts. When the conditions are appropriate and the timing is right, the seed will sprout and grow to become fruitful resulting in the effect. However, if the seed does not have the proper conditions, it will not grow.
For example, if an individual has the intention or desire to be a scientist but without the opportunity and proper conditions, then the person cannot become one. This person needs to encounter or earn the right opportunity and conditions to learn and become a scientist. Another example is that if an individual spends great efforts to earn money but does not have the conditions due to wrongdoings from past karma to deserve any fortune, then his efforts will be in vain. However, if there is intention and this person already achieved the proper conditions from past generosities and performance of good deeds, then it is inevitable that this individual will encounter the right opportunities to reap wealth and good fortunes. This second example points out that bad karma will never go away if the bad conditions are not resolved or offset with good karma.
Relationship of Cause and Effect to Karma:
Good or bad karma carries forward from your current lives to your future lives. They are like deposits and withdrawals in your bank of life. Good deeds result in deposits and bad deeds result in withdrawals. Good or bad deeds may or may not be evident in your current lives but just know that they do not go away. Whatever you do, accumulates and stays with you forever and affects you well or badly depending on the deeds performed. It is not “to do unto others as you expect others to do unto you” but “to do unto others as you would do unto yourself” because whatever you do, will affect you under the law that we all are one. Cause and effect creates karma and karma in turns controls the effects as an influence of conditions. The more good you do, the more favorable conditions you earn for being able to do more good resulting in even greater opportunities to do even greater good but the vice versus is also true.
Therefore, cause or rather the seed is the key in happy spiritual living because good intentions creates good karma that in turn results in even better conditions for even better seeds to grow. A happy thought always results in a good seed for good karma.
