Question: In adverse circumstances, I contrarily find it difficult to believe that I had “owed” these nasty people debts and that now all that had happened was simply a repayment.
I find it hard to believe that it was a past that is back to haunt me; a past that I can't see.
How can I see more clearly that the law of cause and effect really exists from life to life? I know that we can see the law of cause and effect in many aspects of life but surely we cannot extrapolate a universal principle thus, because of this? Could you advise?
Response: During the night of the Buddha’s enlightenment, he saw causality occurring. The boundaries of past, present, and future had dropped away and he saw the past and future as clearly as we see the present. He did not extrapolate the Dharma with it’s principles like cause and effect, he experienced them. He then encouraged us to experience them as a way to build our confidence.
As we begin to experience cause and effect in this lifetime (for example, when I am angry, I feel agitated and unsettled), we will begin to see that it also explains the consequences we are unable to link back to causes in previous lifetimes.
Initially, it is not necessary to believe in rebirth to benefit form the teaching. In fact, in the Kalama Sutra, we read how the Buddha postulated a scenario contrary to his experience—one where there is no rebirth and no karmic retribution. He did this so that those who were doubtful could still benefit from his teachings. He showed that even within such a scenario, one who remains free of greed, anger, and their resultant suffering will be truly happy!
As the Buddha showed, they do not have to accept rebirth in order to reap the benefits. Those who are free of greed, anger, and their ensuing suffering have a mind of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciation, and equanimity in this lifetime. They no longer experience greed, no longer crave the emotional high from acquiring that which is new—they simply appreciate what they already have. Craving and its shadow, disappointment, are eliminated as people become contented with their situation.
A person who feels no anger will not feel angry or unsettled but will, instead, always feel calm and peaceful. Such a person will always be happy and at ease, and thus always be welcomed wherever he or she goes. Without craving and without anger there will be no suffering—just happiness, a lifetime of happiness. And all this can happen here and now, because even if one does not believe in rebirth, one will still benefit if one lives a life free of craving, animosity, and unhappiness.
And gradually, as one experiences the results of living in accordance with the Buddha’s teachings, one will have experienced enough to believe in what cannot yet be proven through direct experience.