Not Yet Time to Appear

 

In our study of the Buddhadharma, we will have often heard that everything is subject to causality. But as ordinary people, we are unable to deeply believe and awaken. Why? We have seen many people who have committed wrongdoings escape retribution, while others who have done good deeds are not rewarded with good fortune. So we do not believe that one who practices virtue will receive good fortune and one who commits wrongdoings will receive their just retribution.

There is a profound principle here. We do not reflect deeply enough and our foresight is shallow. We do not know that a karmic reward passes through time, through the past, present, and future. It has been explained that cause and effect continues in an eternal and endless cycle. This cycle does not begin and end in one lifetime. In other words: “It does not mean there is no karmic effect, rather the time has not yet come for it to manifest.” We need to understand and affirm this principle to be able to completely understand the true reality of life and the universe.

Many of us continue to have good fortune even after we have committed misdeeds in this lifetime. This is because of our having cultivated vast good fortune in our previous lifetimes. Although we have currently committed misdeeds, the remaining good fortune, which we already had, is not yet exhausted. This good fortune resulted from previous lifetimes, not from the present lifetime. If we had not committed wrongdoings, our good fortune would have been even greater.

For example, a wealthy person who indulges his every whim while still committing bad deeds, would find that the great enjoyment in this daily life was because of the good fortune amassed in previous lifetimes. If this person was not currently committing wrongdoings, he might be even wealthier! The underlying principle is that when we do not experience immediate downfall when we enjoy good fortune and commit misdeeds at the same time, it is because of our past accumulation of good fortune. But, as the accumulation of wrongdoings increases, there will come a time when all of our good fortune will be depleted and the negative karmic retribution will come into effect. At this point it will be too late for regret.

On the other hand, we see others who seemingly do not receive good karmic rewards in return for their kind deeds and, in fact, they face many hardships. Their kind deeds seem to be repaid with unkind results. The Buddha explained why this happens many times in the sutras.

In their past lifetimes, these people committed countless serious offenses. If they were not currently performing good deeds, they would be suffering even more. Fortunately, they can stop all wrongdoings and cultivate virtue, and thus avoid even more troubles. As the teachings often tell us: “A serious wrongdoing has been transformed into a light retribution.”

So if we meet difficulties while cultivating good deeds, we should realize that such hardships are not the result of our current cultivation of good deeds. In addition, we need to be even more diligent in ending wrongdoings and in cultivating virtuous deeds. Through our endurance of hardship, we will undoubtedly experience prosperity, our transgressions will be eliminated, and we will receive good fortune.