Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Below are 4 verses from the Dhammapada, the most prominent sutra in the Theravada tradition (Phật giáo Nguyên thủy). Poeple think that this sutra talks about the causal relationship between what we do in this life and what we receive in the next life (and many lives after). But I think this sutra, and all other Buddhist sutras, can fit neatly into this current life – what we sow and reap now and hereafter, in this current life on earth.

People like to think about Samsara (luân  hồi) as the continuous cycles of birth/reincarnation, living, death; reincarnation, living, death; reincarnation, living, death; reincarnation… for many successive lives ad infinitum, till one is Enlightened and becomes a Buddha – at that time Samsara stops for the Buddha.

However, I think Samsara can also be understood as the continuous cycles of wrongdoing, repentance, death of the old me; rebirth of the new me, then wrongdoing again, repentance, death of the old me; rebirth of the new me, ad infinitum in our lifetime here on earth.

Example, you have the attitude of thinking that women are second-class citizens. (1)You fall in love with a lady, but you treat her as second class, she leaves you. You’re depressed and repent. Then you decide to change, your old self dies. (2) And you’re reborn (changed) into a new self with a determination to treat women right. You meet a new lady, you’re treat her nice for a while, but your old character comes back, you treat her wrongly, and she leaves you. You’re depressed again, then repent and decide to be better with women, your old self die. (3) And your new self is reborn… Just like that.

After the fourth lady leaves you, you really repent and suddenly get Enlightened – you realize that you need to treat the ladies the way you treat your mother, with true love and true respect, as first-class citizens just like your mom. And the fifth lady sticks. No more Samsara.

So, that is Samsara and Enlightenment in our earthly lifetime, with many of our weaknesses.

Now, let read these Dhammapada verses with the causal flows in one lifetime on earth.

15. Here he grieves, hereafter he grieves. In both states the evil-doer grieves. He grieves, he is afflicted, perceiving the impurity of his own deeds.	15. Nay sầu, đời sau sầu, Kẻ ác, hai đời sầu; Nó sầu, nó ưu não, Thấy nghiệp uế mình làm.
16. Here he rejoices, hereafter he rejoices. In both states the well-doer rejoices. He rejoices, exceedingly rejoices, perceiving the purity of his own deeds.	16. Nay vui, đời sau vui, Làm phước, hai đời vui. Người ấý vui, an vui, Thấy nghiệp tịnh mình làm.
17. Here he suffers, hereafter he suffers. In both states the evil-doer suffers. “Evil have I done” (thinking thus), he suffers. Furthermore, he suffers, having gone to a woeful state.	17. Nay than, đời sau than, Kẻ ác, hai đời than, than rằng: “Ta làm ác “ Đọa cõi dữ, than hơn.
18. Here he is happy, hereafter he is happy. In both states the well-doer is happy. “Good have I done” (thinking thus), he is happy. Furthermore, he is happy, having gone to a blissful state.	18. Nay sướng, đời sau sướng, Làm phước, hai đời sướng. Mừng rằng: “Ta làm thiện “, Sanh cõi lành, sướng hơn.

Here he grieves, hereafter he grieves. You grieve when you do something to hurt another person. Ex: You badmouth with your boss so that your co-worker is fired. You think only your co-worker gets hurt and you don’t get hurt. But, indeed, both persons get hurt, the attacker and the attacked. When you hurt someone, your soul grieves.

Now, you grieve for hurting the other. Hereafter, you grieve in repentance, and in seeing further damaging results of your action, such as vengeance from the other, or more unintended harms coming out of your only one intended harm – he loses his job, becomes depressed and commits suicide.

Grief produces grief, now and hereafter.

Here he rejoices, here after he rejoices. In a similar fashion, when you do something joyful to another person, the other person and you rejoice. And later, the joyful event produces more joyful results for you and the other. Ex. You give the other some money when he is in distress. He uses that money to do some business and becomes successful in his business, bringing more joy to both you and him.

Joy produces joy, now and hereafter.

Suffering produces suffering, now and hereafter.

Happiness produces happiness, now and hereafter.

That is a lesson about the causal relationship, also called “the law of cause and effect” (luật nhân quả). What you sow is the cause, and what you reap is the effect.

The law of cause and effect is: “Whatever you sow now, you reap now and will reap more hereafter.” 

What does that mean? It means, the first time you carry out a cause, you get the effect at the same time, and more effects later in the future. A cause can product more than one effect, some immediate effects now, and more effects later.

That is a lesson about the causal relationship. Whatever you sow now, you reap now and will reap more hereafter. 

You sow misery now, you reap misery now and will reap more misery hereafter.

You sow happiness now, you reap happiness now and will reap happiness hereafter.

That is the causal relationship between cause and effect, between what you sow and what you reap.

Wish you all sow good seeds only.

Wish compassion,

Hoành

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