Cause and effect. Is it a thing? Because I write this, I have written, and the effect is yet to be seen. One simple fact is that Cause and Effect is a worldly theme. In the Christian Bible, it is written that "You reap what you sow." I think this is the same as the Buddhist Cause and Effect, but it seems to be talking more about the material aspects than the spiritual aspect.
In a nut shell, the law of Cause and Effect underlies the workings of all phenomena. Positive thoughts, words and actions create positive effects in our lives, leading to happiness. On the other hand, negative thoughts, words and actions—those that in some way undermine the dignity of life—lead to unhappiness. This is the general principle of karma.
In Buddhist teachings other than the Lotus Sutra, Buddhist practice is understood as a gradual journey of transformation that unfolds in accordance with cause and effect. This is a process by which the essentially flawed and imperfect common mortal gradually transforms over the course of many lifetimes into a state of perfection—Buddhahood. It is an undertaking that requires painstaking efforts to accumulate positive causes while receiving the effects of past negative causes and avoiding new negative causes.
Nichiren Buddhism, on the other hand, we don't have to wait until a future lifetime to achieve Buddhahood, we achieve it this life by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
The difference between this life and next lives, is best explained through the concept of the Ten Worlds.
This concept describes our inner state of life at any moment in terms
of ten “worlds,” from hell to Buddhahood, which we move between
constantly depending on how we live our life and respond to our
environment. Hence, we are in and out of Buddhahood every day, every minute of our lives. We get cut off in traffic and beep our horn with some swear words, temporary hell; on the other hand, we receive flowers from an admirer we admire, Heaven; and better yet, we share Buddhism with a friend and see her life flourish from this sharing, we are in Buddhahood.
In the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings, ordinary people carry
out Buddhist practice in the nine worlds (cause) and eventually attain
Buddhahood (effect). The nine worlds disappear completely, replaced by
the world of Buddhahood. The Lotus Sutra, on the other hand, clarifies
that Buddhahood and the other nine worlds are each eternally inherent
possibilities of life at each moment. Through faith and practice, the
world of Buddhahood, which is otherwise dormant, is brought forth and
the nine worlds go into a state of dormancy, though they never
completely disappear.
This revolutionary perspective on
“attaining” Buddhahood is expressed in the concept of the simultaneity
of cause and effect. The nine worlds (“cause”) and the world of
Buddhahood (“effect”) are in fact equally inherent potentialities
existing simultaneously in our lives. This concept is symbolized by the
lotus plant, which, unlike other plants, bears flowers (symbolizing the
ordinary person) and fruit (symbolizing Buddhahood) at the same time.
In
other words, from the perspective of the Lotus Sutra, delusion and
enlightenment—the ordinary person and the Buddha—are two aspects, or
possibilities, that are always equally inherent in life. Our inability
to perceive our inherent Buddha nature—the idea that Buddhahood is
somehow remote from our ordinary reality—is simply a delusion, a result
of negative causes that have accumulated in or lives over many
existences. However, through the correct Buddhist practice, anyone can
activate their Buddha nature.
In conclusion, I think, therefore I am a Buddha, and so are you, you just need to awaken it.
Here is an old film from the 70's which describes the Buddha's enlightenment in modern terms. Please note the cause and effect part, where the Shakyamuni finds his enlightenment is from within.
~~ Eso Terry
