Kamma: Cause, Effect, Wise Decisions

Sawasdee kha David.

I recently offered some pineapple cookies to some Thai men while waiting for a bus.

A few hours later, I was back at the same bus station and suddenly a random Thai man silently approached me and handed me an ice cream, after which he quickly got on his bus.

Is this how Kamma works?

Both events were seemingly unrelated because they involved different people.

But what struck me was that it was all unusual and there was certain symmetry to it. I probably had never offered cookies to random strangers and I certainly had never received an ice cream from a stranger. And it all happened in a loop in the same unusual location in a new town. That made me think that perhaps it wasn’t random at all.

To top it off, right after receiving the ice cream I stumbled across the Buddha poster (the exact same one that you use) decorating a wall in a local store. It all felt like if Buddha sort of playfully winked at me. In the past I would have interpreted it as an orchestration or a sign from my “spirit guides’’. A sign meant to help me understand Kamma better or to reassure me on the path.

Would that be childish or unwise thinking?

Would you please share your wisdom on this?

Thank you.

Teacher David replies.

Hello Hela…sure, I will help you.

I recently offered some pineapple cookies to some Thai men while waiting for a bus.

Nice, that is a practice of generosity…which will help you eliminate craving/desire/attachment.

A few hours later, I was back at the same bus station and suddenly a random Thai man silently approached me and handed me an ice cream, after which he quickly got on his bus.
Is this how Kamma works??? Both events were seemingly unrelated because they involved different people.

Yes, that is The Natural Law of Kamma.

Whatever you put out, it all comes back to you. And you have been practicing a fair amount of generosity lately.

When you make wise decisions, you will experience wholesome results (i.e. wholesome Kamma).

When you make unwise decisions, you will experience unwholesome results (i.e. unwholesome Kamma).

You need to practice making wise decisions, including the practice of generosity, without any expectation of anything in return. But, just know, all that you choose to do, wholesome or unwholesome, you will experience those results.

So while it is wise to practice generosity without any expectation of anything in return, just know, generosity produces significant results in one’s life to include leading to the Enlightened mental state.

Generosity trains the mind to eliminate craving/desire/attachment and you will find, many other benefits as well.

But what struck me was that it was all unusual and there was certain symmetry to it. I probably had never offered cookies to random strangers and I certainly had never received an ice cream from a stranger.

These people and other beings around you are not strangers, these are your family members.

It would be nearly impossible to find a being in existence today that has not previously been your mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, or some other relative.

They are all just family members you have not yet met in this life.

And it all happened in a loop in the same unusual location in a new town. That made me think that perhaps it wasn’t random at all.

Slowly but surely, you will be able to see that “nothing is random”.
Everything you experience is a result of your decisions. Wise or unwise, you will experience the wholesome or unwholesome results (i.e. Kamma) therein.

To top it off, right after receiving the ice cream I stumbled across the Buddha poster (the exact same one that you use) decorating a wall in a local store. It all felt like if Buddha sort of playfully winked at me.

That’s cute.

The Buddha is dead, gone, and will never return to a new existence. He does not have the ability to do anything to help you now but, his wisdom sure will help you tremendously.

If you would like to think of it as The Buddha was winking at you, so be it. Its kind of a cute thing to think, just know that it is not true reality.

In the past I would have interpreted it as an orchestration or a sign from my “spirit guides’’. A sign meant to help me understand Kamma better or to reassure me on the path. Would that be childish or unwise thinking?

This is not how the world works. Everything you experience is based on The Natural Law of Kamma of “cause and effect” or “action and results”. It is “the results of your decisions”.

Your Life -> Your Decisions -> Your Results

The more situations you have like this, the more you can see the truth about this natural law.

That situation would have never occurred if it was not for “your” decisions. Your decisions are the “cause or action” that created the “effect or result”. There were no spirit guides involved as it all started with your wise decision making to practice generosity.
Nothing can occur in your life without decisions from you. It is individual decisions, your actions (i.e. bodily, verbal, and mental actions), that makes the world go around.

It is decisions from individual beings that creates some effect or result, it is not random.

Would you please share your wisdom on this?

What I share is from The Buddha. He was the wise one, who shared exactly what it takes to get to Enlightenment. And, his Teachings lead exactly where he said they do….to Enlightenment.

And, you can independently verify what he taught is “true” with 100% certainty, just as you are seeing here in this situation.