Chapter 8-3 The Law of Causality

Before the heavens punish a person, they will first allow him to experience a period of prosperity and peaceful days. In this way, when he faces retribution, he will feel the pain deeply.   

— Gaius Iulius Caesar

From the Movement of Celestial Bodies, we can clearly see that the universe follows a certain order. Living between Heaven and Earth, one's actions should conform as much as possible to this universal order. The maintenance of this order is sustained by powerful spatial energy. As previously mentioned, when human actions align with this universal order, the energy applied to the human body is positive, resulting in a vibrant spirit, good health, and resilience against disasters. Conversely, when human actions do not align with the universal order, the energy applied to the human body is negative, manifesting as lethargy, illness, and even misfortune.

If this energy is expressed using a "score", Buddhists often call it "blessings". If blessings are the result of "adding points", then the cause of behavior and thoughts is called "karma". In a narrow sense, karma is the low-frequency anti-particles in the body, like "miasma" that stays in the consciousness and repeatedly lowers the frequency of the human body. It can be simply understood as a force that constantly "deducts points" from energy. In a broad sense, it is the force that promotes the continuation of life. There are good karma, bad karma, and neutral karma, fixed karma, unfixed karma, common karma, and individual karma, which can be understood as the force that produces all results.

"One's actions bring their own karma, as with all sentient beings." The "Nirvana Sutra"（《涅槃经》）states: "The retribution of good and evil follows like a shadow; the causality of multiple lifetimes is a cycle that never stops."

You can't take anything with you when you die, except your own  karma. Causality cannot be eliminated. Where there is a cause, there will be an effect, much like action and reaction. In "Unlock Your Higher Wisdom", Teacher Liu-Feng uses an analogy: in three-dimensional space, when you hit a table, your hand hurts simultaneously. The harder you hit, the more painful you feel. The forces are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, almost occurring at the same time. However, in higher dimensional space, time becomes a variable. Here, action and reaction are still equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, but they do not necessarily occur "at the same time". Nevertheless, there is always a result for every cause. Once a "cause" exists, the "effect" will inevitably follow. This is called "undeniable causality". The interactions of energy can occur simultaneously or at different times, but they are always equal.

The Nirvana Sutra states: "There are three types of karma retribution: First, present retribution, where the good or evil deeds performed now lead to immediate suffering or joy; second, future retribution, where deeds from a past life are repaid in this life, or deeds from this life are repaid in the next; third, swift retribution, where deeds are immediately repaid in the present."

In this Dharma-ending Age（末法时代）, energy cycles accelerate, hastening the retribution of karma with more immediate and rapid effects, like shadows following forms and swift responses.

The Law of Causality is driven by karma, and everyone must bear it. The important thing is not whether there is causality, but your internal state when the retribution comes. Those who acknowledge causality do not avoid it. When retribution occurs, they do not get entangled or distressed but can let it go, as if repaying a large debt. Those who do not understand causality wonder why they are so unfortunate and why such misfortune happens to them, leading to depression, irritability, fear and suffering. They might quickly age, lose their appetite, suffer from insomnia and eventually fall ill. This is exactly "Every thought and action is a cause, and all that you experience is the effect."

Bodhisattvas fear causes, while sentient beings fear consequences. Practitioners who deeply understand the "Law of Causality" restrain themselves at the source, guarding their thoughts and actions to avoid planting bad causes. People who do not believe in causality, plant evil causes for the sake of momentary greed, and are always worried about encountering bad luck. As a result, what they fear comes true. When retribution finally comes, they suffer immensely and it is too late to regret, not realizing that these bad lucks are all the karma they created before.

Good and bad are interdependent, energy can be transformed into each other, and cause and effect can also appear in each other. The current retribution is also the origin of another cause. As the saying goes: "Good fortune is the root of misfortune, and misfortune is the root of good fortune." It's like the story of the old man who lost his horse—how can one know it wasn't a blessing?

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Planting in spring and harvesting in autumn, doing good and accumulating virtue is like sowing seeds of fortune, which is a form of practice. Master Hongyi（弘一）said: "Bodhisattvas do not save people after becoming Bodhisattvas, but they become Bodhisattvas after saving many people. Similarly, people do not do good deeds after becoming rich, but they become richer after doing many good deeds. Cultivation does not start after becoming better, but it will gradually become better after practicing. Helping others is actually helping oneself." This teaches us that Bodhisattvas accumulate immense merits in the process of saving people, and only then can they achieve the name of Bodhisattvas. We should allow ourselves to gradually transform and improve on the path of practice.

To establish oneself, one must help others establish themselves; to achieve success, one must help others achieve success. Some people in the world do not wait until they have wealth to do good deeds; rather, they accumulate good karma by doing good deeds, and wealth flows in like a spring. Every kind thought and every act of helping others are like seeds sown, quietly growing. As Mencius（孟子）said: "Those who love others will always be loved; those who respect others will always be respected." When we harbor kind thoughts and widely bestow kindness, wealth naturally gathers. When we rejoice in the joy of others, others will also rejoice in our joy; when we empathize with the worries of others, others will empathize with our worries. In helping others out of their predicaments and bringing them light, we inadvertently elevate our own souls, increase our own energy, and find the meaning of life. Overtime, we will eventually become better versions of ourselves.

Many people believe that repentance（忏悔）in Buddhism can alter causality, but this certainly is a misunderstanding. When you clearly distinguish right from wrong and good from evil in a dualistic world, this cognition and behavior are on the same level, and there is no real elevation. For example, when you judge things based on right and wrong, insisting on what is right means that what is wrong will always exist. Repentance cannot truly eliminate karmic obstacles. Continuously creating karma without awareness is ignorance. Because of ignorance, unconsciously and continuously creating karma forms karmic obstacles. Some people, who are kind and perfectionist, habitually carry burdens, unable to let go of the past or forgive themselves, which is also a form of karmic obstacle.

The purpose of repentance is not self-denial or admitting mistakes. If it remains only on the level of good and evil, right and wrong, it becomes attachment to goodness and appearances, which can lead to confusion. In fact, each of us is inherently complete and does not need self-denial. True repentance is about becoming aware of your own cognition and using internal energy to transform it. This transformation does not require judgment of right and wrong but needs to be viewed from a higher dimension. It involves resolving and changing your thoughts, which has nothing to do with how many times you say "sorry" or "I was wrong".

Understanding this, when we approach any religion or method, whether it be Qigong, fasting, standing meditation, Tai Chi, martial arts, sitting meditation, Zen, mindfulness, chanting, reading scriptures, praying, encountering a particular course, book, or teacher, they are all external aids. We will not reject them, nor will we become attached or dependent on them, but accept them with gratitude and joy. As the saying goes, "All methods lead to Tao, and all techniques contain Tao." Buddhism mentions "84,000 afflictions" and "84,000 Dharmas", where each affliction is an opportunity for awakening, and each method is a return to the higher dimensions of our inner self.

Being kind and generous, doing good deeds whenever possible, is certainly a merit, but "saving people" is not an easy task. Different levels of cognition lead to misunderstandings as soon as one speaks. The lower the cognition, the more stubborn they look at things. If you get into a dispute with them, they will drag you down to their level, using the lowest level of reasoning and language to overwhelm you. If you argue back, you immediately fall to their lower level; if you don't respond, they think you are inferior... Therefore, "Do not discuss the ocean with a frog in a well, and do not talk about ice with a summer insect." When the thoughts are not at the same level, there is no need to conquer each other. Flies never think what they eat is dirty; they consider it food. Mice never think they are stealing; they consider it survival.

If your energy is insufficient, you must let go of the desire to help others and avoid being "foolishly kind". "Do not persuade others to be good unless you have suffered their suffering." We must respect the destiny of others and not intervene lightly in their causality. Do not set yourself up as a teacher, do not force anyone's awakening, and do not punish yourself with others' mistakes.

"Happiness comes from fewer concerns; and disaster comes from excessive worry." When dealing with people, whether they are your closest relatives or friends, don't put your feet into other people's shoes, and don't try to change anyone, because everyone has their own homework and life trajectory, nothing can be forced. We must learn to cherish fate, go with the flow, and not seek connections. Others have their own karma and causality, and you have yours.

You can never wake someone who is pretending to sleep; those who can be awakened are those who want to change. "Even though the rain is widespread, it does not moisten rootless grass; though the Buddha's teachings are vast, they do not save those without destiny." Adults can only understand the world by themselves, not by others. The rest of your life is precious, so please prioritize more energy on yourself, to improve and change yourself.

"A doctor does not knock on doors, a teacher does not seek students, and the Dharma is not lightly passed on." Law of Causality cannot be changed, wisdom cannot be bestowed, and the true Dharma cannot be spoken.

Allow flowers to be flowers, trees to be trees, clouds to come and go, and allow yourself to be yourself, and others to be themselves.

The best contribution you can make to this world is to be the best version of yourself. Guided by your innate mission, align your body and mind, relax completely, unify your spirit, and create freely, fully utilizing the power of your consciousness. Because you are the root of everything. When you change, everything changes.

When you become a light, shining brightly, others who approach you are approaching the light.