Question-and-Answer Session at Nanyang Normal University
Q: I am a senior majoring in education in Nanyang Normal University. A friend of mine turns 31 this year and still has no boyfriend. As she yearns to raise a Buddhist family, I would like to ask you what she should do to purify obscuration and hopefully meet an ideal spouse
A: If she is seeking a soulmate, it will be helpful for her to recite the Kishtigarbha Sutra. Reading this sutra and praying to Bodhisattva Kitishigarbha, all one”s wishes—such as bearing a son, becoming wealthy, and so on—are likely to be granted, provided there are no specific obstacles from previous lives. Indeed, a family founded by a Buddhist wife and a Buddhist husband will be harmonious with little conflict between spouses. On the other hand, if only the wife is Buddhist while the husband shows no interest or even raises objections, then there will be incessant family feuding, making everyone miserable. For your friend, whether her wish will be granted is also stipulated by her past karma and merit. Praying, of course, will help to solve certain problems.
Q: All too often we see that virtuous people who have done good deeds do not end up well, while those who have done evil acts are free from retribution. Consequently, the saying “Good is rewarded with good and evil begets evil” is dismissed by many as merely a mental pacifier or the opium of the soul. May I ask, then, “Is cause and effect truly infallible
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A: The Law of Causality definitely exists; I do not have the slightest doubt of that.
Then, why is it that good is not rewarded with good and evil begets no evil
It is because whatever action one has been performed, its effect will not necessarily mature immediately. The reason a poor farmer has no food now is because he did not plough the land properly last year. If the farmer sows all his grain now in the springtime and tends his farm diligently, he must wait until fall to harvest. In the meantime, he is just a poor fellow with nothing to eat at home. Therefore, it would be pointless to say that his toiling and tilling of the land is futile.
The scriptures teach that it takes certain time for a karma to come to fruition, some will manifest in this very life, some in the next life, still other effects become apparent only after many lives. Hence the law of cause and effect is not that simplistic; its workings are extremely intricate and will require systemic learning for one to grasp. Of course, it is very reasonable for you to be doubtful. It can be likened to your getting an education, the result of which is not immediately obvious even though you are good students; there is a time factor involved.
Q: I am a junior majoring in applied psychology in the Institute of Educational Science. You have just mentioned that there are two kinds of attitude toward karma—positive and negative. How can we manage to do it in the positive way
How can we apply this knowledge in the context of pursing an education or a career
A: The term “following the karma” is often used in the Zen school and in the worldly sense; however, its true meaning has always been misinterpreted. Many think “following the karma” means to do nothing and leave everything to Fate, thus missing many opportunities. “Following the karma” in its true sense entails making a wholehearted effort but at the same time not caring too much about outcome. For instance, you desire a good job dearly but do not get it despite your extremely hard work. If you know how to “follow the karma” positively, you will not suffer too much when this wish is thwarted.
Try to maintain such an attitude in all dealings, including your love relationships. You may have all kinds of fantasies in the beginning, but later if things do not turn out as you e…
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