ATIKOPA


Infallible Cause and Effect

Eliminate all unwholesome actions and practice all wholesome deeds.

If life is impermanent, it is merely the separation of the body and consciousness brought together by causes and conditions. Our consciousness, still based on the good and bad karma accumulated in the past, is reborn in the cycle of rebirth, in the realms of good and evil. Rebirth arises from karma, and one suffers the consequences of karma. Therefore, we should constantly observe the cause and effect of good and bad deeds, eliminate all bad deeds, and practice all good deeds.
The concept of the infallibility of cause and effect; including the abandonment of unwholesome deeds, the cultivation of wholesome deeds, and the inherent nature of all karma.
1.The unwholesome deeds to be abandoned
（1）Three kinds of bodily actions: killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct.
（2）The four types of speech karma: false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and frivolous speech.
（3）Three kinds of mental karma: greed, malice, and wrong views.

There are three kinds of evil deeds committed by the body: killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct.
I. Killing
The motive to kill humans or animals ultimately leads to the severing of their life force. Or, unaware of the law of cause and effect, they, like those of other religions, believe that killing is a virtuous act and thus commit killing. Even killing one's father, mother, Arhat, or causing a Buddha to bleed—these are considered acts of "killing." Adding to this the act of using divisive speech to disrupt the harmony of the Sangha, these constitute the five "unpardonable sins." Those who commit these unpardonable sins will, at the moment of death, experience no intermediate state between this life and the next, and will directly fall into the Avici Hell.
Some people believe that if one does not personally kill, one has not committed the sin of killing. However, everyone, in their daily activities—walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—harms countless tiny lives. No one is immune to this evil karma. Especially when gurus and monks visit a patron's home, the patron slaughters livestock and cooks the meat to offer to the honored guests. If the recipient has no great compassion for the killed beings and only craves the delicious taste of the meat, then both the patron and the recipient will incur the same sin of killing.
When someone has the thought of killing a certain sentient being and speaks such words, although the killing is not successful, it has already fulfilled the two sinful branches of knowing the sentient being in question and having the desire to kill. Although it does not constitute a complete act of killing, it is like an image reflected in a mirror, and the sin has already polluted one's own mindstream.
Furthermore, some believe that only those who instigate others to kill are without sin. In reality, those who merely rejoice in the killing commit sins no different from the killer, let alone those who instigate it. We should understand that everyone involved in killing receives the full sin of killing that one being, not the sin of killing itself, which is shared by many.

II. "Not giving" but taking
To take something that does not belong to you or that you should not have by improper means. There are three kinds of things that should not be taken: things taken from authority, things stolen from you, and things taken through deception.
"Not to be taken from authority": When a powerful person uses their power and influence to forcibly take something, it is called "not to be taken from authority" or "not to be taken from power".
Stealing without permission: Obtaining something secretly or clandestinely by stealing is called "stealing without permission".
Deceiving and refusing to take: Using falsehoods to deceive and obtain other people's property is called "deceiving and refusing to take".
Some people believe that as long as wealth is acquired through deception, such as business, rather than theft, there is no sin. However, profits gained through deception are no different from outright theft. Many modern masters and monks, in particular, do not view business as a fault or sin, and spend their entire lives pursuing it.
In fact, nothing is more detrimental to a monk's spiritual continuum than engaging in business. Because of the busyness of business affairs, there is no time for studying, purifying karmic obstacles, and other forms of listening, contemplation, and practice, gradually severing the roots of faith, renunciation, and great compassion.

III. Sexual misconduct
This is a precept for laypeople.
During the reign of the Tibetan Dharma King Songtsen Gampo, the Ten Virtuous Conduct Rules were established, requiring laypeople to uphold the precepts in their relationships with men and women. Monks, on the other hand, were required to fundamentally sever all impure conduct.
The faults of sexual misconduct are immense, contributing to the destruction of other precepts. There are many kinds of sexual misconduct, such as a man ejaculating himself, having relations with another man's wife or a prostitute—all are improper acts. Sexual misconduct also occurs at inappropriate times, such as during the day, on days of fasting, during illness, pregnancy, menstruation, when a woman is not fully recovered from childbirth, or in inappropriate environments, such as where the Three Jewels are located. Furthermore, sexual misconduct between parents and underage girls, involving the mouth and anus, is also considered sexual misconduct. Thus, based on environment and time, there are many different kinds of sexual misconduct; it is essential to understand and abstain from all forms of sexual misconduct.

There are four kinds of evil speech: lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, and frivolous speech.
There are three types of false speech: ordinary false speech, major false speech, and false speech concerning the teachings of superiors. Ordinary false speech refers to all inherently false speech spoken with the intention of deceiving others. Major false speech refers to lies imbued with wrong views. For example, saying that virtuous deeds have no merit, evil deeds have no sin, pure lands have no happiness, evil realms have no suffering, and the Buddha has no merit, etc. False speech concerning the teachings of superiors includes, for example, claiming to have supernatural powers when one does not, or claiming to have merit when one does not. All of these constitute false speech concerning the teachings of superiors.

Divisive rhetoric means sowing discord or creating division. It also implies double-dealing. There are two types of divisive rhetoric: open and covert. Open divisive rhetoric is typically used by someone in authority to separate two people in front of them. Covert divisive rhetoric, on the other hand, is used secretly to separate two people who are on good terms.
The most serious sin is disrupting the harmony of the Sangha, especially sowing discord between masters and disciples in the transmission of Vajrayana teachings, or creating discord among Vajra brothers and sisters. Such sins are even more serious.

Harsh words are those that publicly proclaim someone's shortcomings, speak of their sins, use any vile language, or reveal private matters or physical ailments that cause them distress.
Furthermore, it is extremely sinful to speak unpleasant words in front of one's guru, spiritual teacher, or eminent monk.

Idle talk refers to any words that can incite greed or anger. In particular, speaking many meaningless words that distract others from their practice of virtuous deeds while they are chanting scriptures or reciting mantras is extremely sinful.

There are three kinds of evil mental karma, including greed, harmful intent, and wrong views.
Greed – any desire that arises for the possessions of others is greed.。
Harmful intentions – Any intention that causes harm or distress to others is a harmful intention.
There are two types of wrong views: the view of "no cause and effect" and the views of "eternity" and "annihilationism." The view of "no cause and effect" refers to the belief that there is no merit in practicing good deeds and no sin in committing evil deeds; this is called the view of no cause and effect. The views of "eternity" and "annihilationism" refer to the views of non-Buddhist schools. Those who hold the view of "eternity" believe that the self is eternal and that the world was created by Shiva or Vishnu. Those who hold the view of "annihilationism" believe that all phenomena arise naturally and do not acknowledge past or future lives, the infallibility of cause and effect, or liberation.
Of the ten unwholesome actions, killing and wrong views are the most serious sins. The Buddha taught: "There is no sin greater than killing, and among the ten unwholesome actions, wrong views are the most serious." He also said: "Killing one sentient being requires spending a medium kalpa in hell." Unless we have the ability to liberate the sentient beings we have killed to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, we must strive to eliminate the evil karma of killing.
Those who practice "wrong views," even if it is just a fleeting "wrong view" arising in their own mindstream, will destroy all precepts. And because their mindstream is already defiled, they cannot enter the holy path of liberation, and they have no object of repentance for their sins.

The consequences of the ten non-virtuous deeds
Every unwholesome action will result in four kinds of consequences: the ripening result, the result of similar occurrence, the result of increase, and the result of effort.
"Virtual fruition" refers to the karmic result of evil deeds committed by sentient beings, which will only ripen in the next life or a lifetime later.
"Result of Flow" refers to the painful karmic retribution experienced after being liberated from the lower realms and attaining a human body, due to the "results of past actions." Result of flow is divided into two types: "Result of Flow of the Same Sex" and "Result of Flow of Feeling."
"Similarity of karmic results" refers to the fact that the karmic habits in this life are the same as those in the previous life.
The "results of negative karma" refer to the two kinds of karmic consequences for each unwholesome act. "The karmic consequence of killing is a short life and many illnesses in this life." "The karmic consequence of stealing is extreme poverty." "The karmic consequence of sexual misconduct is ugliness, laziness, and a poor marital relationship." "The karmic consequence of lying is frequent slander or deception." "The karmic consequence of divisive speech is discord and conflict among family members." "The karmic consequence of harsh speech is frequently hearing offensive remarks, and even unintentional words can become the cause of arguments. "The karmic consequence of frivolous speech" is a lack of authority in speech and poor eloquence. "The karmic consequence of greed is constant dissatisfaction and things going against one's wishes." "The karmic consequence of malicious intent is frequent suffering from fear or harm. "The karmic consequence of wrong views" is frequent disturbance by wrong views and deception.
The karmic result of "enhanced fruition" manifests in external circumstances. For example, those who commit the evil deed of killing are reborn in unpleasant or dangerous environments. Those who commit the evil deed of stealing are reborn in famine-stricken areas. Those who commit the evil deed of sexual misconduct are reborn in unpleasant places such as latrines and mud. Those who commit the evil deed of lying are reborn in external circumstances of unstable wealth, fear, and dread. Those who commit the evil deed of sowing discord are reborn in difficult places such as cliffs and deep valleys. Those who commit the evil deed of harsh speech are reborn in places of piled rocks and overgrown thorns. Those who commit the evil deed of frivolous speech are reborn in places where crops fail and seasons are reversed. Those who commit the evil deed of greed are reborn in places where crops are barren and the land is harsh. Those who commit the evil deed of harmful intentions are reborn in places of fear and suffering. Those who commit the evil deed of wrong views are reborn in places lacking wealth and protection.
"The result of one's actions" refers to the fact that the evil deeds one commits will continue to increase, perpetuating boundless suffering, leading to endless cycles of rebirth.

2. Good deeds that should be done
The ten wholesome deeds to be practiced. The "ten wholesome deeds" refer to abstaining from the ten non-wholesome deeds and cultivating virtuous practices to counteract them. These include three wholesome physical deeds—abstaining from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; four wholesome verbal deeds—abstaining from lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, and frivolous speech; and three wholesome mental deeds—abstaining from greed, harmful intentions, and wrong views.
The ripening result of the "Ten Virtuous Deeds" is rebirth in the corresponding three good realms. The result of the "Same Flow of Deeds" is the increase of virtuous roots life after life. The result of the "Experience of Deeds" is that those who abstain from killing will have longevity and few illnesses; those who abstain from stealing will have abundant resources; those who abstain from sexual misconduct will have happy marriages and few enemies; those who abstain from lying will be praised by all and be kind; those who abstain from divisive speech will be respected and loved by their family and servants; those who abstain from harsh speech will constantly hear pleasant words; those who abstain from frivolous speech will have powerful words; those who abstain from greed will have their wishes fulfilled; those who abstain from harmful thoughts will be free from harm; and those who abstain from wrong views will continuously generate virtuous thoughts.
"Increased karmic results" ripen in the external world, resulting in the attainment of all perfect merits.
"The reward of good deeds" means a significant and continuous increase in merit and virtue.

3.All sentient beings in the six realms, from the highest heavens to the deepest hell, Avici Hell, experience inconceivable suffering and bliss due to the good and evil karma accumulated in the past. Buddhist scriptures record: "The Buddha said that all the suffering and joy of sentient beings arise from karma. Karma is also of various kinds, creating all kinds of sentient beings who wander in the cycle of rebirth. The net of karma is extremely vast."
The good and bad deeds we create in the present moment will not immediately manifest their consequences, nor will they disappear. When the conditions are ripe, we will bear the consequences. Therefore, we should always be careful in choosing our good and bad deeds, guarding against even the smallest sins and striving to perform even the smallest good deeds. By diligently practicing in this way, we can attain the fruits of the path.
To distinguish between black karma, white karma, light karma, and heavy karma, one must primarily consider whether the intention behind it is good or bad. Impure intentions arising from greed and anger may appear to be virtuous, but in reality, they become unwholesome karma. Conversely, if the intention is pure, what may appear to be evil karma is actually virtuous karma.
When Shakyamuni Buddha was reborn as the Great Compassionate Merchant, he went to the ocean with five hundred merchants to retrieve treasures. They encountered a vicious bandit who attempted to kill all five hundred merchants. The Great Compassionate Merchant thought, "These five hundred merchants are all non-retrogressing Bodhisattvas. If they are killed by the bandit, the bandit will remain in hell for countless eons. It would be better for me to go to hell myself." Therefore, the Great Compassionate Merchant killed the bandit.
On the surface, this story appears to show that the compassionate merchant committed the evil deed of "killing," but because his intention was pure, it was actually a great act of virtue. Because of this act, the compassionate merchant did not fall into the lower realms; instead, he accumulated merit for seventy thousand kalpas. This is the "permission granted for the act of killing."
Buddhist scriptures record that the son of a Brahmin named Xingxiu practiced pure conduct in the forest for many years. Once, while begging for alms, a Brahmin woman became lustful towards him and attempted suicide. Xingxiu, the Brahmin son, felt great compassion for her, married her, and through this act, completed the accumulation of merit for forty thousand kalpas. This act of breaking pure conduct with a pure mind is permissible. However, sexual misconduct arising from selfish desires is not allowed by anyone.
"The privilege of not giving but taking" refers to the fact that it is permissible for a Bodhisattva with extraordinary courage to steal the property of the wealthy or the stingy in order to make offerings to the Three Jewels or to give alms to beggars.
"Permission to lie" refers to the act of lying in order to protect a life that is about to be slaughtered or to protect the property of the Three Jewels, which is permitted.
The "permission to use divisive language" is because it is feared that those who practice good deeds may be led astray by evil friends and turn to sinful and evil paths. Therefore, it is said that the act of using divisive language to separate them is permissible.
"Permission to use harsh words" refers to the practice of using harsh words to guide people who cannot be tamed by gentle means towards the right path. Such behavior of using harsh words is permitted.
"Permission to use frivolous talk" means that for those who enjoy talking, the act of using frivolous talk to guide them to the right path is permitted.　　
Greed, anger, and wrong views that are considered sinful cannot be transformed into wholesome deeds. As soon as evil thoughts arise, they become unwholesome karma. There is no convenient way to do so, regardless of time or person.
It is evident that discriminating thoughts in the mind can lead to serious karmic consequences, both good and bad. Therefore, one should constantly observe one's own mind. If one's mind is wholesome, one should rejoice and strive to increase wholesome actions. If one commits a sinful act, one should immediately become aware of it, repent immediately, and vow never to commit evil deeds again, so that one's mindstream is not defiled by evil karma.

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