The Hidden Truth about your Food

14. Cause and effect

A truly charitable person will perform charitable deeds without the thought of getting name or rewards. To expect name and rewards in doing charity is selfish. Such motives, in name of charity. will only lead to demerits and creating future Karmic affliction.


All evil deeds spring from the following 10 evil Roots: Wanton Killing, stealing, Sexual misconduct, False Speech, scandalous gossip, speaking with double-tongue, Bad mouthing, Greed, Hatred, and Ignorance. If one commits these 10 evils, in the next life, one will be reborn into realms of hell, Animals or hungry ghost_ The 3 terrifying evil realms of Karmic Retribution.


If we break precepts, and with the fruition of past karma, we will become sick. As an example: Bringing forth evil and jealous thoughts to those who practice "bringing forth the Bodhicitta". will result in blindness.


A selfish miser in the past life will come as a pauper in this life.


In this life one indiscriminately criticisms others, in the next life one will be reborn with disabilities in speech, and ulcers will often grow in the mouth.

13. Cause and effect

Do not simply pour hot water onto the ground. This because many small inserts (cause) live in the ground. This reckless action will harm their lives and moreover it will result in our having a short life (results).


Human beings and animals alike are all born by mothers. The only difference is both are born in different realms. After being born with different "Forms and appearances" into different environments, we could not recognize who we really were. And so those beings who were born in the human realm take the advantage to kill and eat those born into the animal realms. Eventually we have "to pay an eye for an eye. a life for a life", the Vicious Cycle of Rebirth goes round and round.....


Because of bad Karma created in the past, sickness present themselves in this life.


The Sutra states:" To hinder a person from renouncing the world to become a monk will lead one to the evil realms, and later one will reborn as a blind person."


In the past, we may have caused bad Karma which was supposed to result in us going into hell or into ghost realms as Karmic retribution. But due to our determination to upkeep precepts, we only suffer a little headache has disappeared, the Karma also vanished, and we are at peace and are well again.

12. Cause and effect

If one has a jealous heart, despises others, criticizes and scandalizes practitioners of the way, .. In one's next life. one will have poor, if any, affinities with others.


If in this life one's hobby is netting fish and trapping birds and animals. In the next life one will be separated from one's kith and kin, from one's parents, brothers, sisters, spouse and children.


Sometimes it is rather difficult to say who actually is doing the direct or indirect killing. For example: A Butcher (Direct killing) kills and sells meat to buyer (indirect killing). Sometimes after the butcher has finished killing and selling the meat, he still have many buyers. These buyers are willing to pay and instruct the butcher to kill and sell meat to them. At such times, these buyers (direct killing) are involved in the killing of animals. And the butcher (indirect killing) becomes a will party to the killing of the poor animals. Lastly: "Eating produces eating effects. Killing produces killing effects". Cause produces Effect, Effects have their Causes.

11. Cause and effect

Some people have been committing evil deeds. yet their lives are not short nor do they meet with unexpected deaths. This is because the seeds of their evil actions planted in this life have not ripened; while the seeds of their good actions planted in their past lives have ripened.


In the past, there was a man who reincarnated 7 times as a butcher. He slaughtered ans sold mutton as his livelihood. And yet this man did not fall into the 3 lower realms. It was not until his 8th reincarnation that he finally succumbed to be reborn into the lower realms. This is due to fruition of the accumulated Karmic debts of his past 7 reincarnations.


When a child is born to us we need not be too happy yet; because his coming into the world could be to repay or to collect Karmic debts."As you sow so shall you reap, It is all written in your name; Good or Bad, your Karmic debts, In the end you must claim."


To live a long life but is poor, this is because in the past one loved animal but was stingy and sinisterly.


Practice compassion- No killing is one of the 3 types of pure blessings which result from pure actions:
1) World Blessings (Filial- Piety)
2) Precepts Blessings (Taking refuge in the Triple Jewels)
3) cultivation Blessings (Practicing the bringing forth of the Bodhicitta ) If in this life we can avoid killing, save, and set lives free, and together with chanting of sutras and mantras, we can transfer the merits that accrue from such virtuous acts to the deceased, with the hope that they will someday be reborn in the pure land. Devotion such as these will result in our securing a place in one of 9 categories of Lotus.

10. Cause and effect

Those who have harmed or killed animals in the past will have short lives.


If in this life one steals and robs without shame, and has never practiced sharing and giving... in one's next life one will suffer from poverty.


The karmic acts of killing animals will have bad results for all of us. In the Buddhist Sutra it states: To commit killing will result in sickness and untimely deaths.


If you like to do charity, But you just have got no money; Don't worry, just send out your compassionate heart, and together with your kind and loving thoughts, To all those whom you wish to give and help. A kind word here, a caring thought there is as charitable as the money that others share. When you encourage others to do charity, and also rejoice in setting animals free, though the participation may look insignificant, Your good, loving thoughts make all the difference. heaven and earth, so high so near, within without, what's rich what's poor?!


If in this life one loves and enjoys hunting, in the next life one will suffer from chronic nervousness to the point of insanity.

9. Cause and effect

If in the past life or in this present life one did not live virtuously, and though one's parents may be very highly-educated. one will not be blessed with virtuous children. Instead, unfortunate and sickly children will be born to one, resulting in future unease and suffering.


The reason why one is easily frightened in this life is because in one's past life, one had always used scary objects to threaten people.


Question: At the marketplace we can see, chickens and fish for us to eat; They are killed for the money they create. "Poor souls! So pity!", we helplessly said. You wished to help, "BUT HOW CAN I?" Just don't hurry, look into your mind.
Answer: A Dharma-door here you can use To help in the rebirth of those slain; Stand aside and just recite A sutra, or Mantra or the Holy Names. Then transfer the merits that accrue from the chanting that you've done to the dead with heart pure and true Such repentance benefits everyone.


We have got to understand the need to protect our body. not to hurt others nor to speak harshly. When hatred arises in us, it will increase afflictions which will lead to bodily and mental unease.


If in the past life or in this present life one has lived virtuously, committing no evil. one's coming generation will be blessed with virtuous children. Even if the parents of such children are uneducated, the children will be endowed with intelligence and graduate with flying colors.

8. Cause and effect

If you like to do charity, But you just have got no money; Don't worry, just send out your compassionate heart, and together with your kind and loving thoughts, To all those whom you wish to give and help. A kind word here, a caring thought there is as charitable as the money that others share. When you encourage others to do charity, and also rejoice in setting animals free, though the participation may look insignificant, Your good, loving thoughts make all the difference. heaven and earth, so high so near, within without, what's rich what's poor?!


If in this life one eats excessively and waste food. in the next life one will suffer from hunger pangs and throat problems.


The ancient sages say: "A face devout of hatred is like an offering. A mouth free from hateful words emits fragrance. A heart empty of hatred is like a priceless gem. Not created nor destroyed. the eternal true stand". A heart free from hatred and filled with Equanimity is completely whole and pure.


Many people do not really understand the cause of bearing a prodigal son. the reason is mainly due to not doing any meritorious deeds in the past lives; moreover there were karmic debts still unsettled. By not doing evil, by doing lots of good deeds so as to accumulate merits, only will one have a truely good and fortunate child.


These was a farmer who used a piece of string to pull out a cow's tongue. Later in his life he had 3 sons- all were mute. This is the karmic Retribution for being cruel to animals.


When I am happy and contented, and everything good comes my way I start to think: I am now very fortunate. This must be the karmic results of my good deeds in my past life. However, in this life, I shall continue to do charitable deeds... when one is happy and contented, it is the best time to do more good deeds and accumulate merits.

7. Cause and effect

Unattached to all worldly possession, Saving and freeing lives- a habitual action; These result in blessings in abundance: A long life and rebirth in heaven And escaping from dangers is so common. Practicing virtues will good fortune make, But don't expect for nor rewards wait. What you do and give, is what you will get. Not expecting dues from virtuous acts, The law of Karma justly takes effect.


Although when I am in need, let me wish that others will have plenty. Although when I am sick and weak, may I wish that others are healthy. When suffering comes to me, let me accept it with peace.


When one do good and yet receive bad result, one should quickly repent one's evil actions of one's past life. One should not start to blame on others or to criticize, saying doing good deeds will not bring good results.


If in this life one indulges in unwholesome sexual acts and adultery, in the next life one will be reborn as a sparrow, a pigeon, a mandarin duck, etc. or as an animal. (From the Sutra of Earth store Bodhisattva).


Our 6 roots: Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind, create and result in various good and bad karma. For e.g: someone may be born rich but has a crooked mouth.

6. cause and effect

Before a person begins to do a good deed, and we had encouraged him to carry it out, this is called "attaining blessings through encouragement". When a person is in the process of carrying out a good deed, and we supported and helped him out, this is called "attaining blessings through charitable acts".


When a person is thinking of doing evil, but has not started to do it, we can persuade or hinder him from doing so. Such a timely intervention already produces good.


A child's destiny: intelligence, ignorance, status in life, wealth or poverty- have no connections whatsover with the parents' high education nor with the good or bad name given to the child. A child's destiny is formed from the good and bad deeds he had done in his past life and also the merits and demerits he has accumulated in this life.


The 5 sensual desires are: attachment to beauty, to sweet music, to perfumed unguents, to tasty flavours and to to soothing touch. To every layperson, the 5 sensual desires are always creating karmic affictions. And deep down in his heart, there is not a single day when he can be completely satisfied with them.


If in this life one practices compassion and Equanimity and avoid killing, and is always happy to help others... in one's next life one will have long life-span.

5. Cause and effect

Nobody can escape death. When a person leaves the world he takes along nothing with him, except his Karmic seeds of good or bad deeds. It is said: "At death not even one of 10,000 things we can bring; Except only the Karmic seeds of every deeds we did."


When everyone knows of his evil deeds, or his notoriety is already well-known, we can prevent others and our friends from his evil doings by taking him as an example. By doing so, we are generating good blessings.


If in this life one likes to fight, enjoys killing animals and destroying their homes, and is happy when someone one dislikes has passed away... in one's next life the life-span will be short.


Whenever the ancient people have done a good deed, they will put a red bean into a bottle as a mark. And when a bad deed has been done, they too put a black bean into different bottle. After a year has passed, they would count the beans to check on the number of good and bad deeds that they had done.


Not to kill but to set lives free is to create blessings, a practice so easy; Not to eat meat is our human dignity. For we were born to live, to learn to love, be free. There is nothing great to shout about, just do not kill in your deeds, speech, thoughts. Bad Karma you will then not create, Only Blessings you reap and take.