Does Being Kind Truly Lead to Good Fortune? A Teacher’s Insight

Have you ever witnessed a gentle person, who harms no one, suddenly face disaster? Perhaps a kind elderly woman develops cancer, her child suffers an accident, or their home burns down. You might ask yourself: Is the saying "kindness leads to good fortune" truly correct? In reality, this story is not as simple as we often assume.

### Gentleness Is Not Passivity

Many people believe that anyone who does not scold or strike others is kind. However, Venerable Thich Chan Quang reminds us: “Do not conclude someone is kind simply because they have not yet caused harm or struck anyone; they may just lack the opportunity to reveal their true nature.” True gentleness only emerges when we face challenges. Some live harmoniously for a lifetime, but when parents pass away and disputes over property arise, their real character is exposed.

### Trials Measure the Depth of Kindness

A truly kind person maintains morality even in adversity. The teacher teaches: “The difficulty lies in preserving virtue during hardship, which cleanses vast amounts of karma.” Imagine this scenario: if someone insults you, can you remain patient? If you are falsely accused and imprisoned, do you harbor resentment? When starving and cold, seeing another’s money, would you steal? These trials genuinely test the depth of your kindness.

### Kindness Differs from Weakness

Many fear that being too kind invites bullying, so they choose to live aggressively. Yet, the teacher analyzes: “Kindness means never treating others with violence or cruelty. Weakness, however, is accepting any wrong imposition by others and becoming complicit in it.” True kindness uses compassion to counteract evil without colluding with it. For example, if a robber demands to stay at your house to plan crimes, a weak person might agree out of fear. A kind person, however, will find ways to prevent the crime, perhaps by contacting the police.

### Submissiveness – A Noble Virtue

In the path of practice, there is the virtue of submissiveness: willingly obeying in matters of goodness. The teacher says: “When obedience aligns with moral principles, merit-making, service, and devotion to the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) and sentient beings, such compliance increases blessings from merit and diminishes the ego.” Those who are submissive in this way find spiritual cultivation easier, possess a smaller ego, and naturally attract blessings from merit.

### The Ultimate Reward for the Kind

Although some kind individuals suffer misfortune due to past karma, eventually, once that karma is exhausted, they will surely reap blessings from merit. The teacher affirms: “Anyone who preserves their inherent kindness and cultivates deep morality will certainly receive rewards waiting for them in due time.” Make a vow before the Buddha: “Even amidst difficulties, adversity, and injustice, please grant me the strength to maintain virtuous kindness, forgiveness, and love.”

The idea that kindness leads to good fortune is not merely a slogan, but a truth that must be realized through trials. Live with genuine kindness—neither weak nor aggressive—to help build a peaceful world for yourself and for future generations.