Day 4: The Second Noble Truth, Cause & Effect
TLDR
Today, we focus on the relationship between cause-and-effect (aka kamma or karma), the wanting/craving, and the Third Noble Truth (covered in day 5).
Excerpts
A. Cause and Effect
It is intention (cetana) that I call deeds (kamma). For after making a choice one acts by way of body, speech, and mind. …There are deeds (kamma) that lead to rebirth in hell, the animal realm, the ghost realm, the human world, and the world of the gods. This is called the diversity of deeds (kamma). …The result of deeds (kamma) is threefold, I say: in this very life, on rebirth in the next life, or at some later time.
B. Defiled by lust, hatred, delusion
One excited by lust, overcome by lust…One full of hate, overcome by hatred … One who is deluded, overcome by delusion, with mind obsessed by it, intends for his own affliction, for the affliction of others, or for the affliction of both, and he experiences mental suffering and dejection.
But when lust…hate…(or) delusion is abandoned, he does not intend for his own affliction, for the affliction of others, or for the affliction of both, and he does not experience mental suffering and dejection.
C. Cause and Effect of Suffering
“Student, sentient beings are the owners of their deeds (kamma) and heir to their deeds (kamma). Deeds (Kamma) are their womb, their relative, and their refuge.” It is deeds (kamma) that divide beings into inferior and superior.”
D. Old vs New Kamma
“And what, bhikkhus, is old kamma? The eye is old kamma, to be seen as generated and fashioned by volition, as something to be felt. The ear is old kamma … The mind is old kamma, to be seen as generated and fashioned by volition, as something to be felt. This is called old kamma.
And what, bhikkhus is new kamma? Whatever action one does now by body, speech, or mind. This is called new kamma.
Explanation
Causes of suffering, Part II
In Day 3, we covered the three types of wanting/craving, which are the causes of suffering, and also illustrated through examples that most human suffering can be explained by our wanting/cravings in the world of the five senses.You might ask: “… and then what?” So what if we know that our suffering is in the world of the five senses? Both cause & effect and the Third Noble Truth address this “so what?” question.
Taken together, Excerpts A, B, C & D imply that:
- A large part of our suffering is due to our own past kamma. Excerpt D points to the fact that our old kamma (including our mind now) was “generated & fashioned by volition,” while our new kamma is “whatever action one does now by body, speech or mind.”
- The suffering is due to the type of motivation/intention/volition/will we have in our mind, when we do something by body, speech or mind: if we have lust, hatred or delusion, then the effect of our actions are going to lead to more suffering of both ourselves and others.
- But if we abandon lust, hatred and delusion, then the effect of our actions won’t lead to more suffering for ourselves & others. More on this when we cover Right Motivation in the Eightfold Path.
So it isn’t just a doomsday scenario, and we are NOT doomed to suffer forever.
We can actually do something about our suffering, and make a change for the better. It all depends on our mental motivation when we act by body, speech and mind.
The term kamma (or karma in Sanskrit) is really just cause-and-effect: in Excerpt A, the Buddha stated that kamma is basically caused by your intention or will or volition (cetana in Pali). After you make a choice, or a decision, due to some intention or motivation, you then act it out by body, speech or mind. That is a cause. And the effect of one’s action comes afterwards (“the result of the deeds”): this life, rebirth next life or some later time. The effect can also be great (“lead to rebirth.. in the world of the gods”) or bad (“lead to rebirth… in hell”).
Exercises
Examination
- Recall the last time that you felt a wholesome, non-sensual happiness: this could be the emotions of gratitude, kindness, inspiration, etc.
What type of motivation was present in your mind?
What did you do by body, speech or mind which led to that happiness?
- Recall the last time that you felt unhappiness. What type of motivation was present in your mind? And what did you do by body, speech or mind which led to that unhappiness?