Buddhism not only talks about "cause and effect", but also places special emphasis on "cause and effect in three lives." -Whatever cause you planted in your previous life will be what you get in this life. Whatever causes are sown in this life, there will be consequences in the next life. Just like what the Sutra of Cause and Effect says: "If you want to know the cause of the past life, the recipient of this life is. If you want to know the result of the next life, the author of this life is." We cannot deny the existence of cause and effect in the three lives just because we cannot see the past and future lives, just like Just because we have never seen our great-great-grandfather and great-grandfather, we cannot deny the possibility of their existence! We can use reasoning or analogy to understand things we have never seen. Is there anything in the world that is not a continuation of the past? As the saying goes: "People in the past planted trees, and people today provide shade." If there were no trees planted in the past, where would there be shade to enjoy the shade now? The predecessor of the table was wood, and wood The predecessor of is a tree trunk... What is that thing that has no past? Besides, the cause and effect of the three lives does not necessarily mean the past life and the next life, it may also be last year or tomorrow. It is more likely to be the minute before, the minute now, the minute in the future, or the moment before or the moment after. Current science believes that every phenomenon in the universe has its cause. Psychology also emphasizes that any human behavior has a reason. This argument coincides with the theory of cause and effect in three lifetimes. However, many people advocate the "one-life theory": people are just flesh and blood born from the harmony of parents, and thoughts and feelings are nothing more than the movement phenomena of the brain and nerves. Once you die, there is nothing left. They plan everything for material enjoyment and their own interests in this life. Their lives are full of short-sightedness, cruelty and utilitarian desires, and they may even do whatever it takes to achieve their personal goals. From the above concepts, we can find that "One World Theory" is related to "atheism", "selfish utilitarianism", and "material-centered pragmatism". To improve the realm of personality and intelligence, we must break through "one-worldism" and "atheism." As Francia Bacon (1561～1626) said: "The reason why people become atheists is because they do not have a deep understanding of philosophy. If a person can study profound philosophy, he has to convert to religion. (See Bacon Essays) Some other religions further advocate the theory of two worlds. They believe that when good people die, they go to heaven, and when bad people die, they become gods. At least this idea is much better than atheism. It can inspire people and prevent people from committing crimes, and it is really important for a stable society. However, this theory is not comprehensive, and it is not perfect at the same time. First, it cannot reasonably explain: Where do people come from? Why do people become so different? Are there all kinds of differences in weight and intelligence at birth? Moreover, if a person does some evil in this life, he will always become a ghost or go to hell in the next life, and he will never be able to turn around. What if he changes his mind when he is a ghost or in hell? There is no chance of reincarnation in a better world?... This theory is of course very rigid. Only the theory of three lives is perfect. It can not only explain various phenomena in the universe, but also prevent a person from complaining about his fate. Blaming others can even encourage people to work hard and actively benefit society.
Have you ever thought about it carefully: In this world, why some people are born into wealthy families, while others are born into wealthy families. But they were born poor? Some babies are very cute when they are born, while others are ugly? Why are some people born chubby, while others are thin and sickly?...Why is this? ?As the saying goes: "Dragon begets dragon, phoenix begets phoenix." "If heredity can explain these problems, why do some mediocre parents give birth to smart and cute babies, while some intellectuals give birth to idiot children? If nutrition can solve health problems, why are there still many rich people who are skinny? , have been sick all their lives? Haven't they ever taken nutritional supplements?
If working hard can make you rich, then why do some people work hard all their lives but still remain poor and rent houses from others? But those children who are born into wealthy families are born to be pampered and enjoy endless wealth throughout their lives... If we delve into the above questions, it is not difficult to find that there is a mysterious and incredible factor.
"(Note 11) Ananda Asks the Buddha's Good and Bad Sutra says: "Those who do good will naturally receive blessings. This blessing was not given to him by ghosts and gods. ”
Some people don’t understand this truth. When they encounter suffering, they don’t repent of their karma or sow good deeds. Instead, they go to God for divination. Isn’t this putting the cart before the horse? So Confucianism says: “If you create sinful karma, you should ask God for divination.” Even praying, God can’t help. ”
I advise you all to eat vegetarian food and not to kill chickens or ducks, lest the suffering in the past is not completely relieved, and the bad karma of killing is re-created, and the next life will be short and sick, and spending money will lead to misfortune. It is really not worth it. It’s a good deal! Even if you kill chickens and ducks to pray to ghosts and gods for blessings, you may occasionally get some efficacious results, but you are afraid that if you don’t do so in the future, some evil ghosts and gods may even deliberately disturb you. I hope you will continue to worship it with meat.
Think about it: The way of heaven is selfless. If you can get blessings by worshiping wine and meat, but those who don’t worship will bring disaster, is it still called selfless? Therefore, the Taishang Inspiration Chapter says: “There is no door to blessings and misfortunes, only people call upon themselves. "Meituoyue King's Sutra says: "The retribution of doing good deeds and committing sins is like a shadow. If you do good deeds, you will definitely get blessings, and if you do evil deeds, you will definitely suffer disaster. ”
Belief in the existence of the Emperor of Heaven and the existence of gods who examine the good and evil in the world is of great help to the stability of society. People who truly believe in the existence of gods will definitely not do anything untoward. What is recorded in the newspaper Bad things are mostly done by people who do not believe in God. If they firmly believe in God, how dare they do this? However, many intellectuals now believe that "Heaven" is only a "reason" and not a "God". As everyone knows, the concept of heavenly principles only has an effect on sensible intellectuals, and cannot deter evil people. For example, if you see a villain trying to enter a house to rape a woman, you say to the villain: "You can't go in." , there is some heavenly reason in it!” I think he will not pay attention to your nonsense. But what if you tell him: “You can’t go in, she is burning incense in the house to worship the gods. "I think the villain will at least hesitate and think about it for a while.
The cycle of cause and effect is the law of balance in the universe, which creates various worlds, including six reincarnations, past and present lives, and the world of bliss.
If it were accidental, would you be born in a certain place at a certain time of a certain year and a certain month? Why do so many things happen in your memory by chance? There is a good saying, a chance. It's accidental, and multiple accidents are inevitable. Everything that each of us encounters from birth to death has a cause and effect, but some of the processes between cause and effect are too complicated for us ordinary people. Sensory conditions and wisdom cannot detect it.
For example:
You prick your arm with a needle and feel pain immediately. This is a simple cause and effect. And you can see it right away. The universe is one. If you prick your friend's arm with a needle, when the results appear, it may be decades later, and the place may be changed, the person may be changed, and it may be different. It’s not the needle that hurts you. In this case, can you still know that the pain is the result?
The cause and effect in most cases is like this, and some causes were even created very long ago? , now that you have received a result, how can you be sure that it is not a result?
You can understand this by simply thinking about the small things to the big things.
I want to feel the six paths. Reincarnation or the Western Paradise requires conditions, just like electromagnetic waves. Although we can't see it with the naked eye, there are countless electromagnetic waves in the air at all times, including your mobile phone signal. Imagine that you want to contact you. For a friend, you can only call his phone number. You will never be able to contact him by calling another friend's phone number (haha, unless they are together)
So if you want to feel the Six Paths of Reincarnation or the West. If you want to see the sentient beings in heaven, you must match the frequency of heaven. If you want to see sentient beings in hell, you must match the frequency of hell. If you want to see the world of bliss, You have to correspond to the frequency of the Paradise!
Many practitioners in history have seen it, confirming the six paths of reincarnation and the Paradise. If you also want to see it, there is no other way than practice.