"In this world, if you believe in kamma, aren't there issues with livelihood, money, rice, and unpaid loans? Whether you're owed one basket or a thousand baskets of rice, ask three times for what you're owed.
When asking, you should ask sweetly, with a pleasant face. Shouldn't you ask politely? If after three times you don't receive it, remember what the venerable teachers say: 'All beings are owners of their kamma.'
'You too have deceived others before,' understand this? Because we've deceived others in past lives, can we escape our turn? This is the result of kamma. Isn't this worth believing? Ask once or twice, but if after three times you don't receive it, understand it's due to cause and effect from your past actions. Isn't this worth examining? Did it happen by itself, or is it the result of causes and conditions?
Now, don't people experience theft of their possessions? Did this happen by itself or through cause and effect? In ancient times, wasn't there the wealthy merchant Jotika in Jambudipa? And his wife Atulakari? Throughout their many lives, no one could steal from them or deceive them. Why? Because throughout their past lives, they were perfect in moral virtue (sīla). Isn't this worth examining?
I heard a story in Mandalay: A son won seven hundred thousand in the lottery. When he gave his father money, he gave it in ten thousand notes. The father said he couldn't exchange it for a five kyat note. The father said, 'Take your money back. I can't exchange it for this five kyat note. This five kyat was earned through pure moral virtue.'
'Your money isn't legal,' he said. Does the government approve of lottery? If not, isn't it illegal? Isn't it wrong? 'Your money isn't pure,' he said. 'I can't exchange it.' Isn't this worth considering?
So purity is important. Look at Jotika and Atulakari - throughout their lives, no one could successfully deceive them. Though some tried to steal, they couldn't. Though some tried to deceive, they couldn't. Because they were perfect in moral virtue."
When asking, you should ask sweetly, with a pleasant face. Shouldn't you ask politely? If after three times you don't receive it, remember what the venerable teachers say: 'All beings are owners of their kamma.'
'You too have deceived others before,' understand this? Because we've deceived others in past lives, can we escape our turn? This is the result of kamma. Isn't this worth believing? Ask once or twice, but if after three times you don't receive it, understand it's due to cause and effect from your past actions. Isn't this worth examining? Did it happen by itself, or is it the result of causes and conditions?
Now, don't people experience theft of their possessions? Did this happen by itself or through cause and effect? In ancient times, wasn't there the wealthy merchant Jotika in Jambudipa? And his wife Atulakari? Throughout their many lives, no one could steal from them or deceive them. Why? Because throughout their past lives, they were perfect in moral virtue (sīla). Isn't this worth examining?
I heard a story in Mandalay: A son won seven hundred thousand in the lottery. When he gave his father money, he gave it in ten thousand notes. The father said he couldn't exchange it for a five kyat note. The father said, 'Take your money back. I can't exchange it for this five kyat note. This five kyat was earned through pure moral virtue.'
'Your money isn't legal,' he said. Does the government approve of lottery? If not, isn't it illegal? Isn't it wrong? 'Your money isn't pure,' he said. 'I can't exchange it.' Isn't this worth considering?
So purity is important. Look at Jotika and Atulakari - throughout their lives, no one could successfully deceive them. Though some tried to steal, they couldn't. Though some tried to deceive, they couldn't. Because they were perfect in moral virtue."
"Don't Jotika and Atulakari stand as witnesses? Now, we dharma listeners and I experience these things because we too have deceived others in past lives. Can we escape our turn? No, we cannot.
When your possessions are stolen or lost, don't tell anyone. Just keep quiet about it. Don't go around saying 'I had this much stolen last night.' A person of dharma understands that this person (the thief) is now realizing their past actions.
When someone says 'This person cheated me,' or 'They deceived me of three hundred thousand,' they're actually seeing the results of their own past actions coming to fruition.
So when you experience theft or deception, keep it to yourself. It's embarrassing if others hear about it. When you understand this cause and effect relationship, is there still room for anger?
When you look in a mirror, don't you see your own reflection? Similarly, when causes exist, effects appear. We listen to dharma to understand these relationships between actions and their results. Remember: Trust in kamma and rely on wisdom. Isn't this worth contemplating?"
When your possessions are stolen or lost, don't tell anyone. Just keep quiet about it. Don't go around saying 'I had this much stolen last night.' A person of dharma understands that this person (the thief) is now realizing their past actions.
When someone says 'This person cheated me,' or 'They deceived me of three hundred thousand,' they're actually seeing the results of their own past actions coming to fruition.
So when you experience theft or deception, keep it to yourself. It's embarrassing if others hear about it. When you understand this cause and effect relationship, is there still room for anger?
When you look in a mirror, don't you see your own reflection? Similarly, when causes exist, effects appear. We listen to dharma to understand these relationships between actions and their results. Remember: Trust in kamma and rely on wisdom. Isn't this worth contemplating?"