Sakyamuni Buddha’s Teachings on the Path to Happiness
1. Foundation of Buddhism
The Law of Cause and Effect is the foundation of Buddhism. If we compare Buddhism to a tree, the Law of Cause and Effect represents the roots and the trunk. Without roots, a tree would surely die. If the trunk were cut, the tree would fall. Without understanding the Law of Cause and Effect, there is no way to understand Buddhism.
What exactly is the Law of Cause and Effect?
2. Cause and Effect
In Buddhism, it is taught that every effect has a cause.
Nothing occurs without a cause, not even one event in a million, or one in a billion.
All phenomena in this world, no matter how small, always have their respective causes.
Even the smallest things—such as a single hair falling from a head--are effects that have causes.
An effect that has no cause never occurs.
Yet there are cases where causes are unknown.
For example, we might not know the cause of an airplane crash in which the plane has
sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
However, an unknown cause does not imply no cause. The cause being unknown and the cause being nonexistent are completely different. Perhaps the crash happened because of air turbulence, or because of an engine problem. In any case, an airplane crash must always have a cause. A plane would never crash without a cause.
If you dropped your wallet and lost it, it happened because you were not paying attention, or because you had a hole in your pocket. The cause always exists.
If you stumbled over a rock, fell, and got hurt, it happened due to a cause.
All effects, without fail, have causes. There are no coincidences or miracles.
Everything that transpires is inevitable; nothing is accidental.
This point cannot be emphasized enough. Please inscribe it in your hearts.
3. Unchanging Law throughout Time and Space
Next, what is meant by a “Law”?
A “Law” is something that “penetrates to the three worlds and the ten directions.”
The phrase “the three worlds” refers to the world of the past, the world of the present, and the world of the future. In other words, it means “at any time.”
The phrase "the ten directions" refers to east, west, north, south, the four points between these, and up and down. “The ten directions," then, means "everywhere" or "anywhere."
A Law is something that does not change with time or place.
A truth that is unchanging everywhere and at all times is known as a Law.
Something that held true in the tenth century but does not hold true today cannot be called a Law. Likewise, something that is true today but that will not hold true ten thousand years from now is not a Law.
In the same way, something true in China but not true in the United States, or something that holds in Japan but does not hold in Europe--this cannot be called a Law.
A Law is a truth that remains unchanged throughout space and time.
It describes a reality that always holds true everywhere, that is not swayed by the rules or values of a particular time or place. A truth that does not change and remains valid in all times and all places is considered to be a Law.
In Buddhism, this Law has been taught for 2600 years.
There is no effect without a cause; and wherever there is a cause, an effect will follow.
To put it simply, seeds not planted will never grow; seeds planted will always grow.
Buddhism, in particular, thoroughly teaches the causality of happiness—the topic of greatest concern to all of us.
4. The Cause of Happiness and Unhappiness
We want happiness, and we want to avoid misfortune.
But what determines a good fate or a bad fate?
We have a burning desire to know what decides our fortune.
“What are the causes of misfortune and happiness? ”
To this question, Buddhism answers,
“Good causes produce good effects.
Bad causes produce bad effects.
Your causes produce your effects.”
This is Sakyamuni Buddha’s statement that thoroughly teaches the causality of happiness; that which we want to know the most.
“Good causes produce good effects” means that good seeds bring good results.
“Bad causes produce bad effects” means that bad seeds bring bad results.
A bad effect will never come from a good seed, just as a good effect will never come from a bad seed. If we think about plants and seeds, we see how they follow the relationship between cause and effect.
If radish seeds are sown, radishes will grow. If watermelon seeds are sown, watermelons will grow. Watermelons will never grow from radish seeds, just as radishes will never grow from watermelon seeds. Nothing will grow but the seeds that were sown.
A farmer would never expect to see radishes in a garden where he planted only watermelon seeds. When we know what we have planted, we know what will grow.
On the other hand, by examining what has grown, we know what seeds have been planted. As you sow, so shall you reap. We reap what we have sown.
5. My Causes Bring My Effects
“My causes produce my effects” means that the one who sows the seeds reaps the results. We will never reap the results of the seeds planted by others.
In the same way, the seeds that we plant will never be reaped by others.
“My causes will never produce others’ effects.”
“Seeds” in this case refers to deeds, and “effects” refers to results.
When we study hard for an exam or test, we get better scores than if we had not studied. We would never expect our studying to improve the score obtained by someone else.
In the same way, a person who consumes too much alcohol will become intoxicated.
No one else will become intoxicated from that person's consumption of alcohol.
6. It is Our Deeds that Create Our Destiny
“Good causes produce good effects, bad causes produce bad effects, and my causes produce my results.” This means that happiness is created by good deeds, and misfortune is brought about by bad deeds. Whether good or bad, whatever happens to us is determined by the seeds we have sown. It is our good deeds that create our good results, and it is our bad deeds that create our bad results.
Whether we experience happiness or misfortune is wholly determined by our own actions. This is what is taught in Buddhism.
Our fate is not determined by a god, nor is it determined by the lines in our palms.
No misfortune that we experience is the result of a curse from our ancestors.
Our fortune is not influenced by evil spirits.
Our futures are determined, without exception, by the deeds we do.
Whatever happens to us is the consequence of our own actions.
This is the teaching of Buddhism.
1. Foundation of Buddhism
The Law of Cause and Effect is the foundation of Buddhism. If we compare Buddhism to a tree, the Law of Cause and Effect represents the roots and the trunk. Without roots, a tree would surely die. If the trunk were cut, the tree would fall. Without understanding the Law of Cause and Effect, there is no way to understand Buddhism.
What exactly is the Law of Cause and Effect?
2. Cause and Effect
In Buddhism, it is taught that every effect has a cause.
Nothing occurs without a cause, not even one event in a million, or one in a billion.
All phenomena in this world, no matter how small, always have their respective causes.
Even the smallest things—such as a single hair falling from a head--are effects that have causes.
An effect that has no cause never occurs.
Yet there are cases where causes are unknown.
For example, we might not know the cause of an airplane crash in which the plane has
sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
However, an unknown cause does not imply no cause. The cause being unknown and the cause being nonexistent are completely different. Perhaps the crash happened because of air turbulence, or because of an engine problem. In any case, an airplane crash must always have a cause. A plane would never crash without a cause.
If you dropped your wallet and lost it, it happened because you were not paying attention, or because you had a hole in your pocket. The cause always exists.
If you stumbled over a rock, fell, and got hurt, it happened due to a cause.
All effects, without fail, have causes. There are no coincidences or miracles.
Everything that transpires is inevitable; nothing is accidental.
This point cannot be emphasized enough. Please inscribe it in your hearts.
3. Unchanging Law throughout Time and Space
Next, what is meant by a “Law”?
A “Law” is something that “penetrates to the three worlds and the ten directions.”
The phrase “the three worlds” refers to the world of the past, the world of the present, and the world of the future. In other words, it means “at any time.”
The phrase "the ten directions" refers to east, west, north, south, the four points between these, and up and down. “The ten directions," then, means "everywhere" or "anywhere."
A Law is something that does not change with time or place.
A truth that is unchanging everywhere and at all times is known as a Law.
Something that held true in the tenth century but does not hold true today cannot be called a Law. Likewise, something that is true today but that will not hold true ten thousand years from now is not a Law.
In the same way, something true in China but not true in the United States, or something that holds in Japan but does not hold in Europe--this cannot be called a Law.
A Law is a truth that remains unchanged throughout space and time.
It describes a reality that always holds true everywhere, that is not swayed by the rules or values of a particular time or place. A truth that does not change and remains valid in all times and all places is considered to be a Law.
In Buddhism, this Law has been taught for 2600 years.
There is no effect without a cause; and wherever there is a cause, an effect will follow.
To put it simply, seeds not planted will never grow; seeds planted will always grow.
Buddhism, in particular, thoroughly teaches the causality of happiness—the topic of greatest concern to all of us.
4. The Cause of Happiness and Unhappiness
We want happiness, and we want to avoid misfortune.
But what determines a good fate or a bad fate?
We have a burning desire to know what decides our fortune.
“What are the causes of misfortune and happiness? ”
To this question, Buddhism answers,
“Good causes produce good effects.
Bad causes produce bad effects.
Your causes produce your effects.”
This is Sakyamuni Buddha’s statement that thoroughly teaches the causality of happiness; that which we want to know the most.
“Good causes produce good effects” means that good seeds bring good results.
“Bad causes produce bad effects” means that bad seeds bring bad results.
A bad effect will never come from a good seed, just as a good effect will never come from a bad seed. If we think about plants and seeds, we see how they follow the relationship between cause and effect.
If radish seeds are sown, radishes will grow. If watermelon seeds are sown, watermelons will grow. Watermelons will never grow from radish seeds, just as radishes will never grow from watermelon seeds. Nothing will grow but the seeds that were sown.
A farmer would never expect to see radishes in a garden where he planted only watermelon seeds. When we know what we have planted, we know what will grow.
On the other hand, by examining what has grown, we know what seeds have been planted. As you sow, so shall you reap. We reap what we have sown.
5. My Causes Bring My Effects
“My causes produce my effects” means that the one who sows the seeds reaps the results. We will never reap the results of the seeds planted by others.
In the same way, the seeds that we plant will never be reaped by others.
“My causes will never produce others’ effects.”
“Seeds” in this case refers to deeds, and “effects” refers to results.
When we study hard for an exam or test, we get better scores than if we had not studied. We would never expect our studying to improve the score obtained by someone else.
In the same way, a person who consumes too much alcohol will become intoxicated.
No one else will become intoxicated from that person's consumption of alcohol.
6. It is Our Deeds that Create Our Destiny
“Good causes produce good effects, bad causes produce bad effects, and my causes produce my results.” This means that happiness is created by good deeds, and misfortune is brought about by bad deeds. Whether good or bad, whatever happens to us is determined by the seeds we have sown. It is our good deeds that create our good results, and it is our bad deeds that create our bad results.
Whether we experience happiness or misfortune is wholly determined by our own actions. This is what is taught in Buddhism.
Our fate is not determined by a god, nor is it determined by the lines in our palms.
No misfortune that we experience is the result of a curse from our ancestors.
Our fortune is not influenced by evil spirits.
Our futures are determined, without exception, by the deeds we do.
Whatever happens to us is the consequence of our own actions.
This is the teaching of Buddhism.
皆さんのクリックのおかげで、ランク上昇中です。
本当にありがとうございます。
今日も、あなたのクリックに感謝
すてきな一日をお過ごし下さい
★ミニまぐでメルマガ配信中！（ほぼ日刊です）
【昨日より今日が前進 言葉で親しむ仏教講座】
携帯電話でも読みやすい１分で読める法話です。
仏教に親しみを感じるいろいろなエピソードを、
ほぼ日刊で配信しています。
ちょっとしたことで悩んだり、落ち込んだりするのが人間。
そんなに強いものではないですよね。
だけど、ちょっとしたヒントで、昨日より今日、一歩でも
前進できたら、きっとすてきな一日になるはずです。
メルマガの登録・解除は、こちら からどうぞ。
ここに空メールを送っても登録が出来ます。
↓
□━●━○━●━□
ぴょんたの
ひまわり日記
■━○━●━○━■
▼ 【mixi】 でも読めます☆ マイミク大歓迎です!!
親鸞会では、親鸞聖人の教えをお示しして、
『正信偈』や『歎異抄』の意味をわかりやすく解説しています☆
どなたでも参加できる無料の勉強会です☆
お気軽にお問い合わせください☆