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The way our characters, habits, social status and wisdom are formed. The way other people have a certain reaction towards us, whether it be love, hatred, humility or insult. All these are the karmic consequences of what we did in the past. If we cast good energy to others, we will get good things in return.On the contrary, if we send out bad energy or do evil things to others, inevitably we shall get the dire consequences. It cannot be otherwise.
For non-believers, before wondering whether the karmic retribution actually exists, we need to look into the nature of our own minds first whether we have a grudge against someone or not. If yes, this is the answer. In case, you used to harbour a grudge against someone and you think you already let go of that resentment. However, when that event comes up to your mind and it’s still sting; you feel like you don’t want to dig it up and talk about it again. That means that you haven’t truly forgiven that person yet, instead you just suppress the hatred in your mind. When the bond of revenge is tied, both the victim and the doer are inevitably bound to meet and repay one another endlessly until the forgiveness can truly be made. According to the Buddha’s teaching “You reap what you sow”Most people take the wrong paths because they set the wrong questions.
For every action force, there is an opposite and equal reaction force like flying boomerang. As the force in the boomerang’s torque does not decrease, during its flight, it’s accumulating more reaction force that will go back to the thrower. Those who do not believe in the law of karma are people who never reflect on themselves but throwing the blame on others.
Like the story of the former owners of a large cow tannery with a hundred million Baht business scale. When they had a chance to take a Vipassana meditation course at Techo Vipassana retreat, their minds dramatically changed and gained a deeper insight into Dhamma step by step. They started to realize that their business is not the right livelihood to do because the purchase order of raw cow leather is in a way like a killing order. As when the slaughterhouse receives a purchase order whether it be for meat or leather, the killing of cows will occur. If nobody wants the meat, the cows will still be killed for their skin first. Then, the meat can be sent to a frozen factory, waiting to be sold later. If the whole world is no longer eating beef, yet there still are purchase orders of cow leather. To obtain the skin, the cows would have to be killed in any way.
It was difficult to leave a successful business, which Khun Wanchai had proudly established and was his source of great income. Even though it took time to make up his mind to leave and he had fought against his own sense of ownership for a long time, in the end, he succeeded. It was a hard-won victory. Together with his victory that arose from the well cultivation of Dhamma came with his attainment of the first stage of enlightenment.If anyone is skeptical about his attainment, the curiosity should not be on how he could attain it, instead it should be on how he could not possibly attain it when he has given up so much. As the essence of the Buddha’s teaching lies in detachment. When a person can successfully let go of what he has highly cherished and attached, with the mind that lets go, the person’s mind could be detached and undoubtedly ascends to the path of spiritual liberation.
Wrong question leads to life lost forever.
On the day, both of them provided food to fellow meditators to pass the merit to all vengeful cow’s souls at their tannery in Bang Pu, it was considered an official factory shutdown. With over 60 fellow meditators, the event was presided by Master Acharavadee. A memorable and joyous situation happened when there were hundreds of thousands of cows’ spirits that had been freed that time. With the detached minds of them, the darkness covering this factory for a long time was dissolved and the area around the factory was turned into bright light.
The world these days has been so much heated up with the fire of desire craving and revenge. May the strength of Hiri, or conscience, and Ottappa, our respect for others be restored to everyone’s mind.
Source: Master’s teaching “Is there really the karmic retribution?” the 9th September, 2014.
Translator: Pathitta Kawinchutipat, Patcharanan Laopimolpan