Things don't just happen in this world of arising and passing

Hearken, O children of time, to the words of Sharon Salzberg, who has spoken with the voice of timeless wisdom: “Things don’t just happen in this world of arising and passing away. We don’t live in some kind of crazy, accidental universe. Things happen according to certain laws, laws of nature. Laws such as the law of karma, which teaches us that as a certain seed gets planted, so will that fruit be.” This utterance is not new, but as old as the mountains and the stars, for sages of every land have whispered it through the ages. The universe is no chaos, no reckless storm, but a tapestry woven by cause and effect, where every thread is bound to another, and every action begets its rightful consequence.

In these words we find both comfort and responsibility. Comfort, because we are not tossed like dry leaves upon the winds of chance; responsibility, because we must reap the fruits of what we sow. Just as a farmer who scatters grain cannot hope for grapes, nor the vine grower expect wheat from his vineyard, so the heart that sows anger shall not harvest peace, and the hands that sow compassion shall not gather cruelty. This is the law of karma, not a punishment from without, but a mirror from within, reflecting back the deeds of our days.

Consider the life of the Emperor Ashoka of India. Once, he was a conqueror drenched in blood, sowing seeds of terror upon the earth. His armies cut down men as scythes cut grass. And for a time, he reaped the bitter fruit of fear, unrest, and sorrow, even within his own heart. Yet when he turned toward the Dharma, embracing compassion and renouncing cruelty, he began to sow a different field. The fruit of his later reign was peace, wisdom, and the spread of teachings that healed nations. Thus, in one life we see the turning of the seed into the fruit, the inexorable working of the law that governs all.

Mark well: the universe is not accidental. The rising of the sun, the falling of the rain, the turning of the seasons—all obey order. Why then should human life alone be lawless? Nay, our deeds are as seeds cast into the soil of time. Some sprout swiftly, others lie hidden for years, yet all shall bear fruit. This is why the wise tremble before their own anger and rejoice in their own kindness, for they know that the world will answer them as surely as the echo answers the cry.

But many live as though blind to this truth. They rage when bitterness returns to them, never seeing that they themselves planted it. They despair at loneliness, though they once withdrew love. They are surprised by joy, though it is but the blossoming of a long-forgotten kindness. O children, awaken! Recognize that nothing arises without its cause. If you would change your destiny, change the seeds you sow today.

Let the lesson be clear: do not think lightly of a single deed. A drop of water fills the jar, grain by grain builds the mountain. A harsh word, a cruel glance, may ripen into years of sorrow. A gentle smile, a single act of mercy, may become the tree of life for another. Therefore, sow with intention. Plant the seeds of love, patience, courage, and truth, and the fruits shall nourish not only your own soul but generations yet unborn.

And so, O seekers, what actions must you take? Begin with mindfulness: watch your thoughts as a gardener watches the weather. Ask yourself at each deed: What seed am I planting? What fruit shall this bear? Choose your words as carefully as you would choose the seed for your fields. Perform acts of compassion not as grand gestures, but as daily sowings—each one a promise of future harvest. In this way, you live not as a victim of accident, but as a co-creator with the laws of nature itself.

Thus remember: things don’t just happen. The world is bound by threads of cause and effect, and you, too, are a weaver at the loom. Sow with wisdom, live with reverence, and trust in the ancient law: as you plant, so shall you reap; as you sow, so shall you become. This is the path to freedom, the path to peace, the path to a life in harmony with the eternal order.