The Secret Meaning of Karma
Taoism advocates doing good works.
It does not regard good works merely as alms to others and
sacrifice by oneself. On the contrary, it holds that the result of
good works benefits not only others but also oneself, for these
good works contain the perfection of one's own personality, and
while benefiting others, they create conditions for the perfection
of one's own cultivation. Thus doing good works is an active
process.
Correspondence between cause and effect:
In Taoist teachings, the relation between cause and effect refers
to the relation between one's words, actions and thoughts and the
influence and effect caused by them on oneself.
One's words, actions, and thoughts are the cause, and the influence
they exert on oneself is the result. Cause means reason and effect
means result, referring particularly to the retribution brought
about by the cause. Cause and effect, or words, actions, thoughts
and retribution are closely related. Cause is the root and reason
that gives rise to the effect, while the effect is the retribution
for the cause.
One's words, actions and thoughts will always cause certain effects
and produce certain retribution and reward.
It is impossible not to receive retribution after the cause has
been created. As the saying goes, good will be rewarded with good,
and evil with evil; if the reward is not forthcoming, it is because
the time has not yet come; when the time comes, one will get one's
due reward. In Daoism, karma is classified into two kinds: karma
outside this world and worldly karma.
The cause of the karma outside this world is Wisdom and its effect
is Detachment. Here the effect is called a the Fruit of Tao. The
cause of worldly karma is good and evil, and the effect is sorrow
and joy. Sins will certainly receive retribution and bear the fruit
of sorrow, while good will be rewarded with good and bear the fruit
of joy. What is generally discussed is worldly karma, but those
practicing Tao should take both kinds of karma into consideration.
In the human world, one should never forget the reward of good and
retribution of evil, and do more good works and accumulate more
merits in order to free oneself from sorrow and obtain joy. On this
basis, one should go further to cultivate great Wisdom, acquire
great merits and obtain great fruit of Tao.
Karma Depends on the Person:
Karma is inevitable. For each person, certain causes bring about
corresponding effects. Each person determines it by himself.
Everyone should bear responsibility for his own conduct, and should
never shirk it. The person who sins will certainly receive
retribution of evil, while the person with good works will be
rewarded with good, and it is impossible for someone else to
undertake it instead. One kind of retribution is that in this
world, and if it is too late, there is still the retribution in the
nether world or in the Fengdu Hell. What each person does and what
cause he plants is all determined by his own choice.
In this sense, the cause lies in the mind, thus Taoism believes
that the reward for good and retribution for evil just arise from
the mind.
Simultaneously, the Chinese attach importance to the clan, and
personal honor and disgrace are closely attached to the destiny of
the clan. The Commentary of the Book of Changes6 says that clans
that accumulate good will certainly leave surplus jubilation for
the later generations, while clans that accumulate evil will
certainly leave surplus sufferings for the later generations. In
the Book of Supreme Peace (Tai Ping Jing) this is called Inherited
Burden, which refers to surplus jubilance and sufferings,
especially sufferings, accumulated through generations. Descendants
can turn calamities into happiness only if they immediately abandon
evil and do good, convert themselves to the Great Dao, and get rid
of "the old Vital Breath" and the evil Vital Breath accumulated
over a long period of time.
The idea of Karma is the ideological basis for carrying out
conversion by good teachings and encouragement and practice of good
in Taoism.
