More Remains in Lives to Come: Why Do the Wicked Grow Rich While the Good Meet Misfortune?

Have you ever wondered why some people do evil yet keep growing wealthy, while those who do good meet misfortune? If we look only at this life, cause and effect (karmic law) can seem hard to understand. But today's lesson, through two destinies from the Dhammapada, offers a different answer: it is in lives to come that the fruits of karma truly reveal themselves.

The Butcher Chunda: Reaping Bitter Fruit in This Very Life

Thầy Chân Quang tells of a butcher named Chunda, who slaughtered pigs with utterly cruel methods: beating them until their bodies were soft and bruised, pouring boiling water into them to remove the entrails, flaying the skin, and only then cutting off the head. He was rich and successful, and he despised those who practiced the spiritual path. But when his blessings from merit ran out, he writhed like a pig for seven days, crying out and rolling about, appearing to everyone as though he were being beaten and scalded with boiling water. He died with a darkened, discolored body, and then fell into the Avici hell.

"Suffering has arrived in this life, and far greater suffering awaits in the next. With eyes full of tears, the wicked reaps the bitter fruit he has sown."

This is not merely an old tale. Thầy explains that people who succeed without believing in cause and effect (karmic law) trust only in their own cleverness, believing their success comes from skill and influence. Seeing that practitioners still encounter misfortune and have not a penny to their name, they believe in the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) even less. But that is only a shallow view of the present moment.

The Devout Man of Savatthi: Reaping Sweet Fruit as His Eyes Close

Meanwhile, there was a devout man in Savatthi, not as wealthy as Anathapindika, yet all his life he cared for poor travelers, made offerings to the monks, and raised fourteen children who all did good deeds together. As he lay dying, he heard the monks chanting the Satipatthana Sutta and saw countless celestial chariots arriving to receive him. He chose to be reborn in the Tushita heaven, because there the bodhisattva Maitreya preaches the Dharma.

"Joy has arrived in this life, and far greater joy awaits in the next. With a heart full of happiness, the good man reaps the sweet fruit he has sown."

Thầy recounts with a smile: at that moment, the celestial beings crowded around inviting him onto their chariots, and he had to call out, "Please, silence!" so the monks could continue chanting. The monks misunderstood, thinking he did not yet wish to pass away, when in truth he was asking the celestial beings to be quiet. The garland his son threw into the air remained suspended there, proving that celestial chariots were indeed waiting. A heartwarming ending.

Why Do Practitioners Meet Misfortune? Two Causes You Must Understand

The lesson of cause and effect (karmic law) is not as simple as "do good and receive good." Thầy analyzes this carefully: there are two cases in which practitioners meet misfortune.

Making a great vow: When we make a great vow for the sake of all beings, when we wish to escape samsara (cycle of rebirth), our old karma is called due for repayment quickly. It is like wanting to emigrate abroad: you must first settle all your debts at home. That is why those who make fervent aspirations often encounter much suffering. This is the good case, and one must persevere.

Practicing wrongly: If we have made only small vows yet still meet misfortune, it may be because our path is wrong, because of wrong views, or because our teacher's guidance is not correct. Celestial beings and bodhisattvas create challenges to warn us to stop and reconsider.

Thầy also teaches a way to check ourselves: if misfortune comes and our mind/heart does not waver, if our faith remains firm, we are on the right path. But if misfortune shakes us, we must reexamine our way. And there is another sign:

"On any true path, the more we practice, the more ordinary and humble we see ourselves to be. That is what you can trust. But anyone who practices and comes to feel superior should beware, for they have lost their way."

A Lesson for Us Today

Whether you are rich or poor, whether you are meeting fortune or misfortune, do not rush to judgment through the narrow lens of this life alone. Live virtuously, trust in cause and effect (karmic law), and never cease practicing. If you have taken up the path of the true Dharma, keep your heart steady. And if you feel you still have much to learn, if you feel small and ordinary, that is precisely the sign that you are walking the right road.

Our gratitude to Venerable Thích Chân Quang for his teaching. May everyone find peace and happiness in each step along the path of the Dharma.