Chapter 14 The Song of Cause and Effect of Karma

The Essence of Happiness and True Freedom

2.2-The.Essence.of.Happiness.and.True.Freedom Chapter14 Cause Effect Karma

Let’s review some of the key points from the previous chapter.

Although human beings have free will, they do not understand the truth of the universe and life. Thus, blindly, reckless behaviours will take place under the influence of free will. Free will generates inertial force and forms karma. In the continuity with the creation of free will, karma accumulated and later habitual karma will form.

When free will reacts with karmic habitualness, it is referred to as the power of habit, or karma.
We know that karma reacts with free will, so the process of creation of free will is affected by karma. The effect of karma is called the Cause of Karma; The result of free will under the influence of the cause of karma, is called the Effect of Karma.

The Effect of Karma will also turn into the cause of new karma, it continues to play in part of the role in the free will, thereby creating new karmic effects. In this way, a variety of endless causes and effects of karma will fabricate in everyone’s mind, in an impeccable manner.

Let's take an example. Let's say that your family lives on the riverside and there are two bridges leading into the town across the river. One bridge is to the east of your home and the other is to the west of your home. Both are only 200 meters away from your home. The distances and road conditions to the town are exactly the same between both bridges. Every day you must ride a bicycle across the river in order to run errands. Today, if you are happy, you may walk on this bridge, or you may also walk on the other bridge tomorrow. After many years, you will have a 50% chance of walking on both bridges. This is an expression of human free will.

However, suddenly one day, a family comes and settles in the east side with a Tibetan mastiff. Every morning, the owner walks the dog on one of the bridges when you cross the river.

Due to the fear, you never cross the bridge to the east again due to its occupation. This fear is the cause of karma; and your free will, with the involvement of the cause of karma, changes your behaviour. Half a year has passed, you meet the owner of the dog coincidently and as a result, you realise that she is your favourite actress who is a beautiful woman. In consequence, you overcome your fear and walk on the bridge to the east every day, expecting to chat with a beautiful woman. On top of that, you have also come to know that her dog doesn’t bite. This is how, free will, in conjunction with other causes of karma, changes your behaviour. In this way, your freedom is affected by karma and has become more restricted.

There is another possibility, you are not afraid of dogs. Not only you are not afraid of dogs, but you also like Tibetan mastiffs. In regard to this, you walk the bridge to the east every day to see the dog and even bring some food for the Tibetan mastiff. The owner of the dog is an ordinary woman. More than half a year has passed, and suddenly one day, you and the dog's owner have a fight and you don't want to see her again. Since then, you have overcome the urge to see Tibetan mastiff, and walk the bridge to the west every day instead.

This is the scenario that human beings are facing; they are becoming increasingly restricted under the influence of karma.

Every living being has its own free will. Life after life, the emergence vicious thoughts have created countless karma, which has formed various causes of karma, and accumulated innumerable and immeasurable karmic habits. We have accumulated various karmic causes such as love or disgust, jealousy or contempt, and fear or hatred toward anyone or people from other ethnicities. We are filled with the cause of karma such as greed, desire and avarice toward variable situations and occurrences in life.

All habitual karma, good, bad, and neutral done in past and present life, causes karma in the next life. Reincarnation, which comes with the innate potential of the four quotients, various talents and hobbies, characters and temperament are all the effect of karma formed by the accumulated cause of karma from one lifetime to another.

All karma, the habitualness of karma in a lifetime, the cause and effect of karma, all interweave and influence each other, all form the long river of human history.
Free will creates everything under the influence of karma, akin to the creations of an artist. The cause and effect of karma grow in cycles, arising and ceasing, performing endless plays in the world, akin to a dancer in a dance.

The karmic habits of human beings lead to the Suffering of Existence, and cause boundless of pain and the Suffering of Change. Everyone will go through birth, old age, sicknesses and death; everyone will experience grief of separation and pleasure of reunion; every career has its ups and downs, and every soul will go through the pleasure, anger, sorrow and joy. The secular world is like a stage, constantly playing the intricate and ever-changing dramas.

The mountains move and the valleys change, so do the sea and the fields.

Fair faces of the past become gray hairs of today.

The moment of joy suddenly arises, but grief and anger attack without warning.

Seasons permeate the day and night; the winters and summers rotate. 

Cloudy or sunny, the weather is unpredictable, the sun and moon are consistently chasing each other.

Human lives are filled with cycles of wealth and poverty, gains and losses, rise and fall. 

Change is an ever-present element in the world and relationships. 

Yesterday’s flattery is today’s resentment.
Humans are unsure of the presence of gods in the world. Maybe some people believe in gods, however, they don’t know how gods exist and function . In their imagination, gods are immortal and free. Actually what everyone envies are not gods, but the yearning for ease of life.Therefore, the "Good Song" in "The Dream of Red Mansions" has been revised to:

All men know how well is it to be at ease,
yet they can’t let go of the fame and honour!

The great ones from ancient and present time, where are they now?
Their graves are just a pile of grass.

All men know how well is it to be at ease, 
yet they can’t let go of gold and silver!

Their lives are just about not having enough, 
when enough is acquired, it’s also the time to close their eyes.

All men know how well is it to be at ease, 
yet they can’t forget their young wives!

Who speak about love and affection everyday,
but follow other men when these men pass.

All men know how well is it to be at ease, 
yet they can’t leave the children and grand children!

Adoring parents are many from past to present, 
who have ever seen their filial children?