How Bodhisattvas apply the law of cause and effect in teaching living beings

Buddhism holds views that differ from those of other religions. For example, other religions believe that Gods and Saints have enough powers, enough supernatural strength, to change people's fates. Buddhism, on the other hand, believes that everything is due to cause and effect. If a Bodhisattva uses supernatural powers, their use is always planned according to the law of cause and effect, never independently of it. This shows all the more that Bodhisattvas are very wise, because only those with wisdom know how to apply the law of cause and effect to life. It will guide the teaching and transformation of living beings and show clearly the path to be taken in the future.

That is, before doing anything, a Bodhisattva always has to weigh it in terms of cause and effect, and never relies on their own abilities to display them outwardly or to act on living beings according to their own wishes.

We too understand and believe in the law of cause and effect, but our level of understanding is still low, so we are often mistaken. Bodhisattvas understand it very profoundly but still fall short of the Buddha. Only the Buddha has absolute realisation and understands cause and effect completely.

The law of cause and effect is very deep because it is the universe. In the universe there are many things that our ordinary eyes cannot see, especially fields. The highest, most essential and most absolute field is the field of cause and effect. So a person who has realised the Way and understands the law of cause and effect deeply will not do anything wrong, because they know that everything is governed by cause and effect.

In this life, if the way we treat others is not built on the law of cause and effect, we only harm one another. A Bodhisattva, however, only benefits living beings because they understand cause and effect clearly. Moreover, when he sees the faults of others, a Bodhisattva does not blame them either, because everything has its cause and effect, its reason. That is why the moral principle the Buddha taught us is to hate evil deeds but not to hate evil people. Otherwise, one day we too will become evil people.

A Bodhisattva who wishes to teach and deliver living beings must understand all the cause and effect of that person: what causes living beings have sown over countless lives, in order to find the best way of teaching, because not everyone is the same, and not everyone knows the Way.

There are seven levels in how we come to the Way.

First is knowing the Way. That is, we have the affinity to meet the Buddha's teachings, to hear a talk, to be invited to the temple by someone. Thanks to that, we understand the Buddha's teachings, cause and effect, and also practice for liberation.

The second level is loving the Way. If you ask many people about the Buddha's teachings, they know them, but if you invite them to practise, they find every way to refuse. These people know, but do not love the Way, because their affinity extends only that far.

The third level is diligently studying and learning about the Way. Only those who love the Way want to know it deeply. At this stage, their life, thinking and inner life are already very different from when they understood the Way only superficially.

The fourth level is beginning to put the Way into practice. Once they understand the Way thoroughly, they are bound to practise spiritual disciplines and live in accordance with the Way. Living in accordance with the Way means weighing wrongdoing and merit before doing anything, restraining instincts, and helping others. This is a very long step forward on the path of practice.

The fifth level is transforming through the Way. When a practitioner reaches the level of living and thinking in accord with the Way, their influence naturally spreads into the lives of those around them, without any intention. In fact, though not yet strong, the thought has already appeared in their mind of bringing the Dharma to living beings.

The sixth level is protecting the Way, that is, beginning to be consciously protective of the Buddha's teachings. At this point, we see that the Buddha's teachings are a light, a precious asset of the world. They are also the jewel that brings so many benefits to this life. Yet from the Buddha's time until now, Buddhism has always been opposed and undermined in many subtle ways. Out of private interest, group interest or private attachment to their own religion, many forces have not recognised it and have even wanted to destroy Buddhism, so that at many periods Buddhism has fallen into serious crisis and decline.

Let us imagine that if one day Buddhism were lost, this world would sink into darkness, people would be left only with rivalry and hatred, goodness would vanish and only evil remain, and the world would soon be destroyed. Not wanting this to happen, they always have a very strong awareness of uniting and protecting the Buddha's teachings, knowing that there are always many vicious plots aimed at Buddhism.

The seventh level is realising the Way. After much merit, from knowing the Way to protecting it, the spirit begins to open and enables us to realise a stage of Sainthood. We begin to live a different life, although to outsiders we still look like ordinary people. Yet inwardly we are a completely different person. Then, whoever speaks ill of us will bear a heavy karmic result; conversely, whoever praises us gains very great merit. However, reaching this seventh level is very difficult because the merit must be very great.

A Bodhisattva who wants to deliver living beings also leads them along exactly those seven levels. Depending on his wisdom, each Bodhisattva has different ways of gradually leading living beings to the Way. Going from the first level to the seventh is a whole arduous process, costing much effort, time and money.

Not only does he think of ways for living beings to come to know the Way and be willing to practise seriously, a Bodhisattva must also always shelter, watch over and help them so that they keep their love of the Way firm. A single difficulty, challenge or plot by hostile forces can make living beings lose their aspiration for the Way, and even lose their faith in the Buddha's teachings. That would be such a waste. Moreover, since he must use cause and effect and not supernatural powers, the teaching of living beings becomes harder still.

Although they cannot always be at our side to coach and guide us, Bodhisattvas are always watching over us to correct us in time when necessary. The most important thing we must remember is that to attain the Way, we need extremely great merit. This is why Bodhisattvas do not use supernatural powers to make living beings attain the Way at once with a wave of the hand. Instead, they always look for ways for living beings to create their own merit.

It is the same not only with creating merit but with practising. When we practise, we must sit in meditation ourselves, chant the sutras ourselves and bow to the Buddha ourselves; we cannot ask others to do it for us. Getting living beings to do these things themselves is very hard, but Bodhisattvas are bound to accomplish it.

To guide living beings, one must know each person's opportunities and conditions, personality and individual history across their lives: how to bring them to Buddhism in the most natural and suitable way. At the same time, one must know how to remove the karmic results from previous lives, so that living beings can become friendly, sociable and able to love everyone, all beings of every kind. This work is very complicated and requires very high wisdom; it is by no means simple.

When we understand all the difficulties a Bodhisattva must face in accepting to teach living beings, our hearts give rise to a boundless love and reverence for them. In them are stored arduous practices that had to be cultivated through countless lives to be accomplished. So when we kneel to bow to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, we understand that however much love and reverence we have in our hearts, it is never enough.