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Dharma Master Cheng Yen responds to questions and comments from visitors, volunteers, staff, and disciples.
Karmic Fruits Must Mature
Question: “My father loved to help communities by paving roads and building bridges, so he could not comprehend why he had to suffer from the retribution of cancer when he didn’t do anything wrong.”
Answer: “The karmic fruits in the present are due to karmic seeds in the past, and the present karmic seeds will become the karmic fruits in the future. Although he had cultivated good causes in this lifetime, the karmic fruits have yet to mature!”
Cultivate Blessings to Be Grounded
Question: “How can we live a meaningful life?”
Answer: “When we are in good health, we should cultivate more blessings; when our surroundings permit, we should form more good affinities and not waste time. In this way, we will naturally feel grounded in life.”
Don’t Let Discursive Thoughts Derail You
Question: “I have a lot of discursive thoughts, and I am unable to settle my mind. What should I do?”
Answer: “It is impossible to think about nothing. However, when it comes to thinking, we should not worry about our thoughts too much. Instead, we should earnestly focus on what is in front of us. Discursive thoughts are normal, and do not necessarily mean your mind is unsettled. If you keep thinking you are unsettled, you are actually adding an extra layer to your afflictions.”
Excerpts from Pure Wisdom by Shih Cheng Yen (Jing Si Publications, 2022).
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