Is This A Moral Universe--Cause and Effect

In Buddhist tradition we talk about pāramitā, the field of good deeds. During the Buddha’s many, many lives as a Bodhisattva he developed the Ten Pāramitās: generosity, renunciation, virtue, wisdom, energy, truthfulness, patience, determination, loving-kindness and equanimity; and those wholesome qualities helped him to build up this field of merit – puñña. So when we draw close to such a person and participate in their field of merit, we are buoyed up and influenced to act in the same way. To use another analogy, if you come to live in Britain you can use the ‘field’ of the National Health Service. Similarly, by drawing close to a great teacher like the Buddha you participate in his field of merit, you become a beneficiary of that potency.

Although you might not want to believe this or don’t think it is true or realistic, it’s certainly possible to see how the laws of cause and effect, our actions and our words, have clear and tangible effects within our own lifetimes.

Even without looking to past lifetimes or concerning ourselves with other people, we can see in our own lives that if we do something which is friendly, unselfish, kindly, if we act in an open and generous way, this has the effect of bringing brightness, ease, enjoyment into our hearts. There’s joyfulness, self-respect, and delight in our hearts when we act in a kind and unselfish way. These are easily discernible, beautiful, natural, pleasant qualities.

If we act in a cruel way, if we act selfishly or deceitfully, if we lie to or cheat someone; if we act in a hurtful way and then look within ourselves, we feel tense, burdened, anxious, agitated – at least I do. A harmful action has an immediately discernible result, not delayed at all. And we don’t think of that effect as in any way mysterious, strange, magical or metaphysical. If you tell a lie, you immediately feel anxious that others will find out what you said is not true. If you cheat someone or steal something, immediately there is tension.

The results of good and bad action are not something that’s remote or far away.

This reflection by Ajahn Amaro is from the book, Who Is Pulling the Strings, pp. 38-40.