Buddhism teaches us that all dharmas arise because causes and conditions come together. This is how karma and its corresponding effects are produced. There are different kinds of karma: good karma, bad karma, pure karma, unmoving karma, and white karma. Arising from karma are their corresponding effects: wholesome effects, unwholesome effects, pure effects, or even the wondrous effect of unsurpassed bodhi. Causes and conditions give rise to karma; karma in turn ripens as effects—this explains the law of causality. Therefore, if we plant causes that are good, pure, or wholesome, and meet conditions that are also pure and wholesome, then we will achieve success in our studies, careers, or spiritual cultivation.
Our lives are inseparable from the law of causality. Good karma produces wholesome effects, while bad karma produces unwholesome effects. This is a truth. In the past, if we regularly cultivated wholesome dharmas and developed wholesome relationships with others, then things will often go our way. If not, then we must work hard to do so in this life. If we neglected to cultivate wholesome conditions in the past and continue to do so now, that is to be like a pessimistic fatalist, just sitting there waiting for the inevitable.
Proactively cultivate right causes, abide in the reality of truth.
Buddhadharma takes a most proactive approach to causality: by understanding cause and effect, we can create and develop the right causes and conditions—a true bodhisattva practice. We should always perform self-reflection: what kind of causes are we acting upon? What kind of conditions are we creating in relation to other people and affairs we are involved in? The ancients said, "Before realizing buddhahood, develop good affinity with all.” This requires us to make real effort. If we are kind to others, they will be kind in return. Otherwise, if we blame people for mistreating us instead of developing good affinity with them, we will only become more narrow-minded, and our thoughts more befuddled, leading us to accumulate a heap of ignorance and afflictions, unable to find peace in our daily routines.
Besides understanding causes and their effects, we must also face our causality and our present reality. Do not avoid taking responsibility. In society, it is common for people to try and escape from difficult situations by searching for peace elsewhere. So, when they become dissatisfied with their circumstances, they often believe things will improve if they can just get away. But “crows everywhere are equally black.” If we cannot face reality, or believe the grass is always greener on the other side, afflictions will follow us wherever we go.
We must work on the present moment to change our causality. When others mistreat us, examine and reflect on our past actions: have we wronged them in any way? If we start by improving ourselves and being kind to others, our karma with other people begins to change right away. Additionally, we must also uphold the precepts, cultivate samadhi and wisdom, and practice all manner of wholesome dharmas. When we succeed in cultivating wholesome dharmas and attain samadhi, we will have the means to change our causality. Therefore, everything is up to us.
In Buddhism, Dharma realm refers to this very mind. Whatever our mind does, we will experience its corresponding effects in the future. Everything is rooted in this very mind, so unrealized causal effects will eventually manifest, sooner or later. Thus “bodhisattvas fear causes, while mundane beings fear effects.” Our thoughts and actions are both causes. The Shurangama Sutra says “If causes are not grounded in truth, its effects will go awry.” Therefore, our thoughts are very important. We must always maintain right understanding and right view. Always be mindful and adjust the mind accordingly.
Being mindful of our thoughts and adjusting the mind means knowing how to properly regulate our body and mind. Regulating the body and mind is the way—the expedient way. Without this expedient way, there is no ultimate Way. Why is that? If there are no afflictions in the mind, it has reached the ultimate state; if the mind is completely pure, it has reached the ultimate state; if the mind realizes the unconditioned dharma, it has reached ultimate state. But to realize this state, we must begin with our present thoughts and actions.
Think in accord with the principle, always practice wholesome dharmas.
The thirty-seven factors of enlightenment include the noble eightfold path, which tells us to have right thought. What is right thought? It means to “Observe and contemplate all phenomena in accord with principle, free from aberrance and confusion.” According with what principle? According with the principles of worldly truth, absolute truth, and the ultimate truth of the middle way. When we are practicing expedient methods to counteract our afflictions, the four right efforts, four foundations of mindfulness, four bases of samadhi, etc., are also principles we should follow.
What is to "observe and contemplate?" When the mind gives rise to sexual desire, we must immediately observe and contemplate it with awareness—this is to observe and contemplate. The mind of desire and attachment is always there; it is a habitual tendency from beginningless time. Habitual tendencies are like thieves. When we discover them, how should we turn them around? We must do so with right thought—contemplate the body as impure, contemplate feelings as suffering, contemplate the mind as impermanent, and contemplate all dharmas as having no-self.
To contemplate the body as impure, we can consider how the nine orifices of the body all produce impurities, or contemplate the impurities of the thirty-six body parts or the nine stages of decay of a corpse; or we can also look inward and perform self-reflection. Another example is: if we gave rise to ignorance and afflictions, and therefore realize we have a bad temper, how should we counteract it? On one hand, we must cultivate tolerance; on the other, we should practice the four immeasurable minds or the seven-round compassion contemplation—this is using a compassionate heart to eliminate anger. Thinking and contemplating are important aspects of cultivation. In this way, we can “enter contemplation in accord with principle.”
"Observation" means reflecting on ourselves and bringing awareness back to the mind. This can include observing external circumstances, our thoughts, practice, or principle. What is to observe external circumstances and our thoughts? For instance, if we see some object and think about it constantly, perceiving it as something good and valuable that we should possess—when greed arises, we should immediately think, “Impermanence, suffering and emptiness inhere in all external phenomena. This world goes through the stages of arising, abiding, dissolution, and voidness. All sentient beings have birth, aging, illness, and death. There is nothing in this world that is unchanging, everything is impermanent and illusory without substantial existence.” This is to have right thought in accordance with principle.
What is to practice contemplation in accord with principle? When contemplating on the impurity of external phenomena, we should also contemplate on the impurity of our own body. When contemplating on the impurity of others’ minds, we should also contemplate on the impurity of our own mind. Contemplate both the external world and the internal self—this is the principle [of contemplating impurity]. So, practicing contemplation on impurity means to observe, reflect inward, and think according to this principle.
Also, if we become lazy in cultivation, we should contemplate, “Why did I slack off? I should be diligent!” Therefore, right thought is to abide by principle; if not, that means we are giving rise to delusive thoughts.
Another example is if Shifu praises someone for having a heart set on spiritual cultivation and being diligent. You hear this and think, “What’s so great about that guy? Shifu must be saying good things about him on purpose. In fact, I know his practice isn’t that good!” This is called having jealousy and animosity. It is not right thought. On the contrary, if you think, “I should also praise and learn from this person!”, this is to have right thought.
Viewing things from a positive perspective is also to have right thought. The practice of contemplation includes an aspect of comparison. For example, if you know your wisdom inferior to others, you must work hard on it right away. Some people may be able to understand something the first time they hear it, or commit to memory something they read only once. However, we might need to hear or read something multiple times…if we still cannot understand or remember it, then we need to try even harder. The Doctrine of the Mean says, “Though others succeed with one try, we can try a hundred times. Though others succeed with ten tries, we can try a thousand times.” We must have the determination to learn and make it happen.
When we see others as role models we can learn from, this is right thought. Every matter has a positive and negative side. Whereas viewing things from a negative perspective gives rise to afflictions, seeing them in a positive light brings merits that lead to liberation.
Once, there was an Indian king who went hunting in the mountains with one of his ministers. After a long walk, they were hungry and thirsty, so the minister picked some wild fruit for the king. While peeling the fruit, the king, in a moment of absent-mindedness, accidently peeled a piece of skin off from his hand. In pain and bleeding profusely, the king gave rise to anger and berated the minister.
The minister said, “Your Majesty! Your injury may not be such a bad thing.” Hearing these words, the king was infuriated. “I am in pain and losing blood. How can this be ‘not such a bad thing?’ You are a fool to placate me!” Having completely lost his temper, the king ordered the minister back to the palace.
Shortly after, a group of savages searching for a human sacrifice captured the king. Their chief saw that the king was soft and plump and ordered his clothes to be removed. As they were about to cut out the king’s heart, someone spotted his bleeding hand. Sensing it was a bad omen, the chief said, “Sacrificing one like this to our god is a sign of disrespect!” Thus, the savages let the king go.
The king then realized his minister was right. Feeling he had wronged a loyal subject, the king hurried back to the palace. He apologized and asked the minister, “On the mountain, I lost my temper and sent you away. Do you resent me for that?” “Your Majesty, I don’t resent you at all,” said the minister. “In fact, I am filled with gratitude!” “Why?” asked the king. “Had you not sent me away, I would have been the one cut open by the savages as an offering to their god. So thank you for saving my life.” said the minister.
This story shows that blessings and misfortune are not fixed. Whatever we are faced with, whether favorable or unfavorable circumstances, as long as we handle them with right thought and positive thinking, we will always succeed in our endeavors. We can transform bad situations into good ones and make good situations better or even reach perfection. As Buddhism teaches: “All dharmas are created by the mind.”