..續本文上一頁o have the distinction of relative meaning and ultimate meaning.

　　In actual fact, when the highest state of emptiness has been realized, it is not possible to receive the karmic fruits of cause and effect like ordinary beings. The Buddha did this, said this, in order to demonstrate the importance of cause and effect, to let all living beings realize: “even the Buddha still experiences karma, let alone us ordinary beings

　　” Then through this, we more cautiously choose between good and ill. Thus, although this action of the Buddha is of the relative meaning, it has the purpose of benefiting all beings.

　　To use an analogy, just like teachers who wish to guide students onto the right path, although they clearly do not have interest in certain areas, but to follow the temperament of the students, they say things that are not in keeping with reality. Then later, according to circumstances they adroitly guide the students, letting them understand right and wrong, what to take and what to let go. The Buddha”s demonstration of receiving karmic fruits is also thus. Although it is of relative meaning, it is not a falsity, but a kind of skilful means because it is meaningful for all beings.

　　(12) Question: I am a Central China Normal University philosophy doctorate student. The idea of cause and effect commands a key position in Buddhism. That is to say, sow beans and reap beans, sow melons and reap melons. A cause necessitates an effect; an effect necessitates a cause; cause and effect circulate, retribution is appropriate. Then if someone committed a killing karma in a previous life, then in this life there must be an implementer who seeks revenge. If this implementer does not take revenge, then it seems that the inevitability of cause and effect has been split. But if he sought revenge, and also could not put down the cleaver to become a buddha at that moment, then the aspiration of Bodhisattva Kshitigarbha of “Unless the hells are empty, I shall not become a buddha” seems never achievable. How do you view this

　　Answer: “Good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil”, “sow melons and reap melons, sow beans and reap beans”. I very much accepted this idea even when I was studying to become a teacher. There was a teacher at the time whose thinking opposed mine, and he always used the views of Materialism to defeat me. Sometimes I deliberately debated with him, and if he could not argue clearly, he would start to berate me severely…later on we restored good relations. When I became a monk, he understood my decision. Nowadays when we encounter each other, we still remain very respectful.

　　Sow melons and reap melons, sow beans and reap beans. In actual fact, the idea of cause and effect is a profound one. It teaches us that when one kills in a former life, and experiences its retribution in a later life, it is entirely reaping the fruits of one”s own actions. It is not that God or a creator is controlling everything. It is also a natural law. For example, if you sowed poisonous seeds, the fruits would definitely be poisonous. If you sowed sugar cane, then the fruits you obtain would also definitely be sugar cane. Similarly, doing evil brings about pain, doing good obtains happiness. This is also a type of inevitable law.

　　Of course, the fruition of cause and effect is not such that as soon as a “cause” has been produced, the “fruit” ripens. It is also said in the Buddhist sutras that there are three types of karma: karma that ripens in the same lifetime (drsta-dharma-vedanīya-karma); karma that ripens in the next life (upapadya-vedaniya-karma); karma that ripens in successive births (aparaparyaya-vedaniya-karma). Therefore, some karma created by you may require many aeons to ripen.

　　The fine points of this causal loop can only be thoroughl…

《Resolving doubts, clearing confusions· Teaching and learning are mutually beneficial》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…