Cause and Effect: Why Do Those Who Make Merit Sometimes Become Cruel?

Venerable Thich Chan Quang warns us about a hidden aspect of cause and effect (karmic law). Making merit with the intention of receiving blessings can lead to arrogance and cruelty. Buddhist practitioners must understand this deeply so that they may accumulate wholesome karma endlessly.

Have you ever wondered why some people are incredibly wealthy and powerful, yet remain cruel and arrogant? Surely they possess blessings from their past lives. But why do these blessings create such individuals? Today, Venerable Thich Chan Quang offers a unique perspective on cause and effect (karmic law), revealing a truth that few notice.

**Cause and Effect Is More Than Just Karmic Retribution**

We often think of cause and effect (karmic law) simply as sowing evil seeds to reap suffering (dukkha), or sowing good seeds to reap happiness. However, Venerable Thich Chan Quang expands this view. Within the scope of spiritual practice, there are deeper layers of cause and effect (karmic law). If we do not understand them clearly, we easily fall into error.

Let us narrow our focus slightly. This concept is broader than simple karmic retribution for good or bad deeds, but it remains within the realm of spiritual cultivation without going too far astray.

For example, consider someone who is diligent, hardworking, and frugal. They encounter luck, achieve success, and become wealthy. They might believe they succeeded because helpful people aided them. In reality, the true cause lay beforehand: they were trustworthy, which is why others helped them. If they misunderstand this, they will only seek out helpers while abandoning diligence. Consequently, their blessings from merit will gradually vanish.

**Misunderstanding Cause and Effect: Losing Both the Seed and the Fruit**

When positive results arrive, if we cling only to the fruit and forget the seed, we risk losing everything. Venerable Thich Chan Quang reminds us: "If you misunderstand cause and effect (karmic law) and stop accumulating wholesome karma, the resulting fruits will slowly disappear."

Therefore, practitioners must always remember that the seed is the root, and the fruit is the branch. Continue to sow good seeds even after receiving good results. Do not let the fruit blind your eyes and cause you to stop cultivating.

**The Disciple of Buddha: Aiming for the Infinite, Not Stopping in the Middle**

A distinctive feature of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) is that the goal is not merely wealth or rebirth in heavenly realms, but absolute liberation. Venerable Thich Chan Quang states: "In Buddhism, the final stopping point is one of absolute infinity."

Disciples of the Buddha must have great capacity and generate a broad mind. If one makes merit only hoping for relative blessings, that indicates a limited capacity. A true practitioner accumulates blessings from merit in order to make more merit, continuing until reaching the infinite.

**Giving with Greed for Blessings: A Double-Edged Sword**

Here, the teacher points out a crucial truth: giving alms with the intention of seeking blessings is an act of selfishness. Selfish karma leads to two harmful outcomes. As Venerable Thich Chan Quang explains, those who give with a desire for return are selfish. This selfish seed produces arrogance and cruelty in future lives.

This explains why some mafia bosses are extremely rich and clever, yet profoundly cruel and cold. Their wealth comes from making offerings in previous lives, but because they did so with greed for blessings, their karmic result included arrogance and ruthlessness. This side effect is truly frightening.

Thus, Buddhists must strive to break this pattern. Perform all good deeds without craving for retribution. When you give without expecting anything in return, the karmic result is pure. But if you give in order to receive back, negative traits will attach themselves to the outcome.

**The Inner Mind Is the Seed; Behavior Is the Fruit**

Beyond material blessings, cause and effect (karmic law) manifests clearly in daily behavior. If the inner mind holds compassion, outward actions will be kind and polite. Venerable Thich Chan Quang says: "Compassion in the heart is the seed; polite and caring attitudes outside are the fruit."

However, if you maintain only the outer appearance without cultivating the inner seed, your politeness becomes hypocritical, and no one will trust you. Practitioners must build from within. Whenever you bow or sit in meditative concentration, vow to love all beings. Once the seed is sufficient, kindness and care naturally radiate from your demeanor.

**Begin Today**

Cause and effect (karmic law) is not just an abstract rule. It measures every thought, word, and action. If you give alms but still harbor selfishness, practice with genuine compassion, asking for nothing in return. If you wish to be loved by others, nurture love within your own mind rather than forcing an external display. When the seed is correct, the fruit will be beautiful. By continuously sowing wholesome karma, blessings from merit will accumulate infinitely, leading toward awakening and liberation.

May all Buddhists apply these teachings to their lives. Do not let a day pass happily while forgetting to plant good seeds. As the teacher has said, the goal of a Buddhist practitioner is to transcend everything, until one attains enlightenment equal to that of the Buddha.