The Secret of Complex Cause and Effect (Karmic Law)

In a luxurious room with walls paneled in precious wood, Mr. Hung sat facing a famous fortune teller. The scent of agarwood incense drifted through the tense air. Mr. Hung was a successful businessman, wealthy thanks to generosity and making offerings in past lives — at least, that is what he believed. He always took pride in understanding the law of cause and effect (karmic law), knowing how to sow goodness and reap good fruit. Yet today, his face had turned pale, and his hands trembled as he held the paper recording his fate.

"Sir," the fortune teller said in a lowered voice, his eyes full of pity, "your later years... I fear they will be truly miserable. Your destiny says that in the end you will fall into poverty, even having to beg for a living."

The words struck him like lightning. Mr. Hung was stunned, his heart pounding wildly. The fear of losing his wealth and status filled his entire mind. Instead of reflecting on karma and seeking to transform it with a good heart, he reacted with selfish instinct. He thought: "I cannot accept this fate. I must fight against it."

And so, a cruel plan began. Mr. Hung believed that if he accumulated as much money as possible, seizing every opportunity and exploiting everything to the fullest, then even if misfortune struck, he would still have enough resources to endure. He became greedier than ever. Old contracts were squeezed for every last drop, and weaker partners were crushed. He told himself: "This is the only way to save my future."

But he never realized that this very action was accelerating his downfall. Greed is a bad seed, and exploitation is evil karma. The more he grabbed, the more tangled and unjust conditions (dependent origination) he created, and the more he drained the last of his blessings from merit. A few years later, the market shifted, competitors grew strong, and his shady dealings were exposed. His wealth vanished quickly. It happened exactly as the prophecy foretold — but not because destiny had decreed it. Rather, he had written the script of his own tragedy with his own hands, through his ignorance of the detailed workings of cause and effect (karmic law).

At the same time, in another corner of life, Mr. Tuan — a gentle neighbor — was also facing a challenging situation. He noticed that the boy next door was beginning to show signs of going astray: addicted to games, disrespectful, gathering with bad friends. Mr. Tuan knew the law of cause and effect (karmic law) well: "Each person bears the consequences of their own actions." He told himself: "If I scold him, when he grows up he might hate me, or even take revenge. Never mind — his karma is his to bear."

Mr. Tuan closed his door in silence, pretending not to see. He believed he was following cause and effect (karmic law) in a "wise" way, protecting his own safety. But in reality, he had misunderstood it completely. Cause and effect (karmic law) is not merely a passive matter of "you reap what you sow." It also encompasses mutual responsibility among people. Living in this world, we have a responsibility to our family, to our neighbors, and more broadly, to all sentient beings. Abandoning a child who has lost his way, even if he is only a neighbor, is an act of irresponsibility — a cold and indifferent karma. If Mr. Tuan had spent a little time offering guidance, or simply kept a caring heart, he would have planted a beautiful seed, helping to prevent a harmful consequence for society.

Many years passed. Mr. Hung lost everything and lived in loneliness and belated regret. As for Mr. Tuan, because of his indifferent attitude, he was gradually shunned by the community. When he faced difficulties, no one bothered to help, for he had severed the thread of responsibility that connected him to others. Their stories are proof of this: Believing in cause and effect (karmic law) is a correct first step, but if one interprets it shallowly and selfishly, or uses it as an excuse to evade responsibility, then what was "right" at first turns into something seriously "wrong," leading to lasting misfortune.

The Meaning of the Story

The story conveys the message that understanding cause and effect (karmic law) must go hand in hand with wisdom and compassion. First, one must not use selfish schemes to "force" one's destiny, because greed and exploitation are precisely the bad seeds that hasten painful retribution. Second, do not misuse the notion that "each person bears their own karma" to justify irresponsibility toward others. Living in this world, we are always responsible for one another, whether near or far. Remaining indifferent to the wrongdoing of others is not following cause and effect (karmic law); it is an expression of a selfish mind, leading to isolation and the loss of blessings from merit. The core lesson is this: We must take responsibility for all sentient beings. That is the true foundation of morality, and the essential factor for attaining sagehood.

Compiled from a dharma talk by the Venerable Thich Chan Quang.