Chung Tai Shan Magazine #213
佛法告訴我們，知因識緣、知因識果，就能改變自己的命運、掌握自己的人生。古德云：「有因有緣事易成，有因無緣果不生；不信但看寒江柳，一經春風枝枝新。」因緣的道理，是人生的真理。因，是自己；緣，是外緣。具足善因、善緣，步步都是光明；積結惡因、惡緣，人生就會愈走愈黑暗。
Buddhadharma teaches us to understand causes and recognize their supporting conditions and corresponding effects. Then, we can change our fates and master our lives. The virtuous ancients said:
“With the right causes and conditions, success comes easily.
With the right causes but not conditions, the fruit cannot appear.
If in doubt, just watch the willows by the winter river.
All grow new leaves when the spring breeze blows.”
The principle of causality is a fact of human life. Causes are from within ourselves; conditions refer to external conditions. When we have both wholesome causes and conditions, our every step will be on a bright path. But when we accumulate unwholesome causes and conditions, our lives will head toward a darker and darker future.
諸法無自性 皆從因緣生
All dharmas are empty of self-nature, they arise from causes and conditions.
「有因有緣事易成」，做任何事情，希望有所成就，就要先修身、修心，這就是因。除了因，還要有好的外緣。「有因無緣果不生」，雖然自己有天大的本事，但外緣不具足，做事也不容易成就。「不信但看寒江柳，一經春風枝枝新」，如果不相信這些道理，不妨看看河邊的柳樹，冬天很寒冷，柳樹的葉子全部都凋落了，但春天來臨時，春風一吹，又馬上發芽了。由於外緣、時節不同，就有不同的展現。
“With the right causes and conditions, success comes easily,” means that no matter what we do, we must first cultivate ourselves, body and mind, if we want to be successful—this is a cause. Besides the cause, we also need favorable conditions. “With the right causes but not conditions, the fruit cannot appear,” means that even with unrivaled talent, we cannot easily succeed without the right outside conditions. “If in doubt, just watch the willows by the winter river. All grow new leaves when the spring breeze blows,” tells us to observe nature if we doubt the law of causality. Look at the willows by the river bank: their leaves all wither and fall during the freezing winter. But when spring comes, they sprout new leaves as soon as the spring breeze blows. Because external conditions change with the seasons, the scenery we see is also different.
修行也是如此，想要成道、證果，必須因緣具足。發了成佛的願心，是因；還需要外緣具足──要親近大善知識，經過明師指導，具足正知正見，才不會走錯路、走遠路，這是一種緣。另外，還要有清淨、安靜的地方，衣、食、住、行都有善信發心護持。種種因緣具足了，修行就容易有所成就。社會上有很多人想修行、想成道、想生天，但是方向走錯了，不但生不了天，反而下地獄；不但成不了佛，反而落入魔道。什麼原因？就是不知道因緣的道理。
Cultivation is like this too. If we want to realize the fruits of the Way, it is necessary to have both causes and conditions. Vowing to realize buddhahood, we bring forth a cause. But in order to succeed, external conditions are also required: we must learn from enlightened masters and great teachers. Under their guidance, we develop right view with true understanding. Then, we will not take a wrong or winding path—these are some of the necessary conditions. In addition, we also need a pure and quiet location, and Dharma supporters who will support us with clothing, food, accommodation, transportation, etc. When all these causes and conditions come together, our cultivation will succeed more easily.
There are many people in today’s society who want to cultivate, realize the Way, or ascend to heavenly realms, but head the wrong direction. They cannot be reborn in the heavens, but instead fall into the hells; they cannot realize buddhahood, but instead fall into the path of maras. What is the reason for this? It is because they do not understand the law of causality.
所謂「菩薩畏因，眾生畏果」，無論是學業、事業、道業，都要從因上努力。菩薩知道因即是果，所以絕對不會離開因、另外去找一個果。心即是因，因即是果。從因上努力、觀照自己的心念，將來就是愈走愈光明。假使每個人都能如此，家庭一定很和諧，社會、國家一定很安寧，進一步影響全世界，都能和諧、安樂。
It is said, “Bodhisattvas fear causes, whereas mundane beings fear effects.” Whether academics, professional life, or spiritual cultivation, all fields require us to work on the right causes. Bodhisattvas understand that causes are effects, thus they never seek effects outside of their causes. The mind is the cause: the mind is the cause that is nondual with the effect. To work on the cause means to observe and transform our thoughts. If we can do this, then our future will become brighter and brighter. If everyone can do this, families will be harmonious, societies and countries will be peaceful, and the whole world will be influenced. Everywhere will be full of harmony, peace, and joy.
具足善因緣 結果自然成
With the right causes and conditions, the result emerges naturally.
緣，有逆緣、順緣，這兩種緣，我們都必須隨順。如何隨順不好的因緣？就是要用〈達磨二入四行觀〉「報冤行」的道理：「今雖無犯，是我宿殃，惡業果熟，非天非人所能見與，甘心甘受，都無冤訴。」如果是很好的順境、是善緣現前，我們又該採取什麼態度呢？「眾生無我，並緣業所轉，苦樂齊受，皆從緣生。……得失從緣，心無增減，喜風不動，冥順於道，是故說言隨緣行。」
There are two kinds of conditions: favorable and adverse. No matter which conditions we face, we must act accordingly. How should we act in accordance with adverse conditions? We can use the practice of accepting adversity as taught in The Essence of Mahayana Practice:
“Even though now I have done no wrong, I am reaping the karmic consequences of past transgressions. It is something that neither the heavens nor people can impose upon me. Therefore, I should accept it willingly, without any resentment or objection.”
If we encounter favorable situations and wholesome conditions, what type of attitude should we have? The Essence of Mahayana Practice says:
“Sentient beings are without a self, being steered by karmic conditions, experiencing both suffering and happiness together as a result of causes and conditions…Knowing that success and failure depend on conditions, the mind remains unmoved by the wind of joy, experiencing neither gain nor loss. This is to be in harmony with the Way. Therefore, it is called the practice of adapting to conditions.”
所謂「隨緣不變，不變隨緣」，不管是善業的緣起或惡業的緣起，只要是緣起，就是假相。眾生是眾緣所生，因緣和合就有，因緣散掉就沒有了，無有實性，只是一個假相。所以，緣起的實體是空性。這個假相，是過去的善惡業所招感，造了善業，就要受善報；造了惡業，就要受惡報。無論是善業或惡業、善報或惡報，都是虛妄不實的緣起。
The saying goes, “Remain unmoved while adapting to conditions, adapt to conditions while remaining unmoved.” No matter what karmic conditions arise, whether wholesome or unwholesome, as long as they are conditional arising, then they are illusory appearances. Sentient beings exist because of myriad conditions, because causes and conditions come together. When causes and conditions fall apart, then they exist no more. They do not have substantial self-nature, but exist only as illusory appearances. Therefore, the true nature of conditional arising is empty nature. Illusory appearances are the effects of wholesome and unwholesome karma generated in the past. If we created wholesome karma, then we experience wholesome effects; if we created unwholesome karma, then we experience unwholesome effects. But whether the karma we created and effects we experience are good or bad, they are all conditional arising—illusory and insubstantial.
既然一切都是緣起，事業有了成就，不僅是自己的努力，還有他人付出、國家社會安定、眾生的慈悲等因緣和合才有所成。同樣地，事業失敗的時候，檢討反省自己，是過去沒有修到福報、沒有結到善緣，才會導致失敗。這樣來檢討反省、慚愧懺悔，就不會怨天尤人，就能消除自己的業障。
Since everything arises conditionally, success in our careers is never the result of our own efforts alone. Other people must contribute as well, society at large must be peaceful and stable; we also need various other causes and conditions, like the kindness of sentient beings, before we can succeed. In the same vein, we should perform self-reflection when encountering failure: in the past, we did not cultivate enough merits, or create wholesome affinity with others. This is what caused our lack of success. By performing self-reflection in this way, having contrition and practicing repentance, we will not blame things on fate or other people. Then, we can dissolve our karmic obstacles.
「得失從緣，心無增減」，日常生活中，看到人家富貴，我也不嫉妒、不憎恨；看到人家貧賤，我也不會幸災樂禍。這樣的心境，就是「心無增減」。心有增減，就是眾生；心無增減，就是聖人，無增無減，無所動搖，這就是聖人的心、就是菩薩心。這樣子「冥順於道」，冥然隨順於菩提道、解脫道、無上道，也就是冥順於真性、冥順於清淨法身。
The Essence of Mahayana Practice teaches, “Knowing that success and failure depends on conditions, the mind remains unmoved by the wind of joy, experiencing neither gain nor loss.” Seeing others in our daily lives enjoy wealth and prestige, we neither grow jealous nor hateful; seeing those who are poor and destitute, we do not secretly feel pleasure or satisfaction. In this state, the mind “experiences neither gain nor loss.”
If the mind experiences gain and loss, that is to be a sentient being; if it experiences neither gain nor loss, that is to be a sage. Neither increasing nor decreasing, always unmoving as it is—this is the mind of sages, the mind of bodhisattvas. It is also “to be in harmony with the Way”: to resonate and accord with the Way of bodhi, the Way of liberation, the unsurpassable Way. It also means to resonate and accord with the true nature and the pure Dharma body.
古德云：「假使百千劫，所作業不亡；因緣會遇時，果報還自受。」無始劫以來，眾生始終都在生死流轉當中。過去所造的惡業沒有懺悔清淨，業障始終都是存在的，即使經過百千萬億劫，因緣會遇之時，果報仍須自己償受。舉例來說，素未謀面的兩個人，一見面就感覺很親切、很面熟，這就是前世的因緣；相反地，一見面就彼此看不順眼，就是因為過去沒有結善緣、乃至結了惡緣所致。
The virtuous ancients said, “Even after a hundred thousand kalpas, the karma we create still remains; when causes meet their conditions, we cannot but bear the fruits.” For numberless kalpas, sentient beings have been trapped in the samsaric cycle of birth and death. If we do not thoroughly purify the unwholesome karma we created in the past through repentance, these karmic obstacles will always exist. Even after one hundred thousand billion kalpas, whenever causes meet their conditions, we must still experience their effects. For example, when two strangers feel close and familiar the first time they meet, it is because they made a positive karmic connection in their past lives. On the other hand, if there is mutual dislike at first sight, it is because they did not create wholesome affinity with each other in the past; it might even be because they made a negative karmic connection.
有智慧的人，對於因果的道理深信不疑，修一切善、斷一切惡，自然而然就能業障消除、遇難呈祥。相反地，假使造了惡業，又不知慚愧、懺悔，將來惡業現前，就要去受報。我們的心念就像電台一樣，自己的頻道與冤家相感應，心安住不下來，彼此再相遇，就可能要受報，這就是業緣相感。假使我們靜坐下來，一念不生，對方從這裡經過，與自己一點關係都沒有。為什麼呢？有因無緣，有緣無因，所以「果不生」。把這念心定下來，彼此的頻率就互不相感應，因為這念心超越了時間、空間，這就是消業障。
The wise firmly accept the law of causality as truth. They cultivate all that is good, eradicate all that is evil; in this way, karmic obstacles will naturally fade away, turning misfortune into blessings. On the contrary, if we create unwholesome karma and do not have contrition and practice repentance, when this karma materializes in the future, we have no choice but to bear the fruits.
Our thoughts are like radio waves: if their frequency matches with a karmic adversary, the mind can’t settle down, and we run into each other, then we have to experience the effects. This is the sympathetic resonance of karmic affinities. But if we calm our minds in meditation and raise not a single thought, even if adversaries pass by in front of us, we will experience no effects. Why is this so? It is because there are causes but no conditions, or there are conditions but no causes; therefore, no result materializes. When this very mind abides in intrinsic stillness, its frequency will not synchronize with bad karma, because it will have then transcended time and space. This is to dissolve karmic obstacles.
一般人不知道因緣果報的道理，今天去看相，明天去抽籤，後天去求土地公，始終六神無主，這一生就失去了主宰；假使明白因緣果報的道理，從因上、緣上去努力，做一分，得一分；做十分，得十分，就能夠改變命運。時時刻刻心起善念，口說好話，身做善事，能夠確信此理，則處處是淨土，時時是好時，日日是好日。
Many people do not understand the law of causality. They see palm readers one day, draw fortune telling lots the next, and pray to the Earth Deity after that. All along, their bodies and minds are restless and unsettled; thus they lose the ability to be the masters of their own lives. But if we understand the law of causality, and work on the right causes and conditions, then for every bit of effort we put in, we get an equal amount in return. In this way, we can change our fates and lives.
Always raise wholesome thoughts with the mind, speak wholesome words with the mouth, and perform wholesome deeds with the body. If we affirm and believe in this truth, the pure land is wherever we are, every moment is a good moment, and every day is a good day.