Here you see a small cylinder with individual sticks placed inside, each having a number written on them.
People think, that if you shake this cylinder, whatever number falls out, you get the slip of paper on the wall over there, and that is your fortune and what will occur for you in the future.
This is not true, and is not something taught by The Buddha.
However, people oftentimes believe in these types of things and is why you see this here at this Temple.
The Buddha never taught you to worry about the future or that there is anything such as destiny, fate, or predetermination. That is part of the mind’s lack of wisdom of what is or is not true about the world which will lead to unwise decisions and unwholesome results in an individual’s life.
Anything you experience is a result of decisions that you make. It is your decisions that lead to any specific result that you experience in day-to-day life.
The Natural Law of Kamma is what determines what one does or does not experience in life.
Some people refer to this as ‘karma”, which is just a different language that refers to the same natural law. Karma comes from the Sanskrit language where “Kamma” comes from the Pāli language. The original Teachings of The Buddha are captured in the Pāli language, therefore, people who study his Teachings will typically use the word “Kamma” rather than “karma”.
The Natural Law of Kamma is “cause and effect” or “action and result”, the results of your decisions.
The Natural Law of Kamma is not about good luck or bad luck, destiny or fate, who is to blame or at fault, or punishments and rewards. There is no being nor entity that is overseeing this natural law. It is not a black cloud that follows you around nor a bank account that you make deposits and withdrawals from.
The Natural Law of Kamma is affecting each being whether they are aware of this natural law or not.
Instead, if you make decisions wisely, you will experience wholesome Kamma or wholesome results. If you make decisions unwisely, you will experience unwholesome Kamma or unwholesome results.
It is the result of your decisions that lead to any specific outcome that you experience in life. And, when you lack wisdom of this natural law, you will tend to make unwise decisions experiencing unwholesome Kamma (i.e. unwholesome results).
Typically the unwise and unEnlightened mind will blame what is being experienced on good luck or bad luck, destiny or fate, a being such as God or an entity called the universe. Sometimes people blame the unwholesome things one experiences on other people. This is untrue and will lead to continuous unwholesome results in one’s life because they never cultivate the wisdom to make improved decisions and experience improved results.
Everything you experience is a result of decisions that you make, not any of these things. In fact, there is no such thing as good luck or bad luck, destiny or fate, a being such as God is not controlling you, there is no entity called the universe that decides what you do or do not experience, and it is not other people that are causing the difficulties and challenges that you face in daily life.
It is your decisions that lead to any specific result that you experience.
If you need help to see this for yourself, ask yourself these questions: who chose to wear the clothing that you have on right now? Who chose the hair style that you have? Who chose whether or not you ate breakfast this morning? Who chose where you live? Who chose where you work? Who chose the friends you spend time with?
These are all decisions that you are making and, you are experiencing the results of those decisions. That is your Kamma.
This understanding is very empowering.
If there is anything that you do not particular care for that is occurring in your life, all you need to do is “cultivate wisdom, make different decisions, and you will experience different results”. But, if it is any of these other things that is causing the difficulties and struggles that you experience, then you are locked in and cannot change anything about your life. You are essentially a robot, and you know that is not true.
You have free will to make whatever decisions you like and you will experience the results of those decisions, either wholesome or unwholesome, depending on whether your decisions are wise or unwise.
Therefore, cultivate wisdom, make different decisions, and you will experience different results.
The idea of good luck or bad luck, destiny or fate, God or an entity called the universe controlling what you experience, or that it is other people who determine what you experience is just part of the mind’s unknowing of true reality that it holds onto due to its lack of wisdom of The Natural Law of Kamma.
The Path to Enlightenment, among other things, is to awaken to the wisdom of The Natural Law of Kamma so that you understand the wise decisions that lead to wholesome Kamma, or wholesome results, and the unwise decisions that lead to unwholesome Kamma, or unwholesome results.
Awakening to Enlightenment, or to be awake, is to have wisdom of the natural laws and how the world truly functions. Then, with this wisdom, you will be able to navigate the world more peacefully and in harmony with other beings.
The idea of shaking a cylinder, a number falling out, and there is a predetermined fortune that will predict your future is part of the mind’s false beliefs that is not based in true reality of how the world truly functions. And, with this lack of wisdom, an individual will make unwise decisions that leads to unwholesome Kamma or unwholesome results in daily life.
If this was true, you would be able to shake the cylinder, a stick would fall out, and you could put the stick right back into the cylinder, shake it again, and the same exact stick would continue to fall out over and over and over again. Because, your fortune could not have changed in just a few seconds.
So, do not believe others that this is true but also, do not believe me that it is untrue. See for yourself through your own direct experience.
