People who believe in karma – the law of cause and effect – will never act recklessly— at the very least, they’ll think twice before doing something wrong. And they’ll naturally be inclined to do good, because they understand that what goes around comes around.

       Their goodness becomes something they do willingly, not for worldly fame or fortune, but for themselves. The law of karma is etched in their heart: “If I do good, I reap good; if I do evil, I reap evil.” Naturally, they steer clear of harmful actions and choose to do what’s right. In turn, they avoid bitter consequences and, gradually, suffering and distress fade further away while peace and happiness draw ever closer.

       None of this requires the threat of secular law or external supervision. It doesn’t need any moral persuasion from the outside. It comes purely from their acceptance of the law of karma – they treat it as an ironclad rule, a guiding principle for how they live.

       That’s why, for Buddhist practitioners, believing in karma is especially important.

       When I was in school, many teachers knew I was Buddhist and would chat with me about it. I remember one teacher saying, “I don’t believe in your Buddha, but I do believe in your law of karma.” I replied, “Then you must be a good person, teacher.”

       People like that are far better than those who believe in nothing—not even karma. This particular teacher was exceptionally kind to his students. He’d been through a lot in life, and some of those experiences were so brutal they left him no choice but to believe.  Maybe he didn’t believe for the first forty years of his life, but after enduring enough, he simply had to accept that karma is real.

       That’s why there’s an old Chinese saying: “Those who’ve seen it all end up believing in karma.”

       This refers to people whose lives have been full of ups and downs, who’ve weathered countless storms and witnessed all the rises and falls of human existence. When you’ve seen enough and lived through enough, you can’t help but believe.

       Karma includes both worldly and transcendent dimensions. Worldly karma covers all the little things in everyday life.

       As the saying goes, “Every sip of water, every bite of food – all of it is counted.” How many grains of rice we eat, how much water we drink in a lifetime – it’s all dictated by karma.

       Transcendent karma, on the other hand, concerns our rebirth and eventual attainment of Buddhahood. These too fall within karma. Reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha is the cause; becoming a Buddha is the fruit. It’s all part of the karmic law.

(Translated by the Pure Land School Translation Team;
edited by Householder Fojin)