Many people tend to claim sole credit and boast a bit upon accomplishing something, believing, ‘I DID IT!’ However, this mindset doesn’t align with Buddhist teachings or reality. The truth is, nobody achieves anything entirely on their own.

       Those who grasp the concept of Cause and Condition (yin-yuan) see it differently, recognizing, ‘Accomplishing this deal was possible because all the necessary factors fell into place - our effort, timing, location, harmony and more.’ This perspective cultivates gratitude and humility, preventing us from becoming overly proud or arrogant about our achievement. 

       Conversely, individuals lacking an understanding of Cause and Condition often feel disheartened when faced with failure, concluding, ‘I didn’t handle it correctly. I’m incapable and worthless. I’ve truly lost face.’ This mindset also deviates from the concept of Cause and Condition.

       Certainly, self-reflection may be necessary to assess if we’ve made mistakes or if there are areas where we can improve. However, if we’ve genuinely given our best effort, we should be able to rest with a clear conscience, understanding, "The necessary causes and conditions didn't align, which is why things unfolded this way.”

There’s a saying: “Not arrogant in victory, not discouraged in defeat.” If one truly grasps the concept of “Cause and Condition”, they’ll know how to live by this saying, remaining humble in success and resilient in failure.

       In success, there’s no place for conceit; in failure, there is no cause for losing heart. Accept each outcome calmly, recognizing it as a manifestation of the causes and conditions at the time. By doing so, our minds will remain in a peaceful and rational state.

       People who embrace the concept of Cause and Condition often exhibit a calm demeanor, free from moodiness and attachment to ego. This is because ego contradicts the principle of Cause and Condition. At its core, the principle of Cause and Condition is egolessness.

       Through deep cultivation of the concept of Cause and Condition,we can maintain a state of peace and rationality, free from attachment to notions of success, failure, gain, or loss. Thoughts, words and actions stemming from such a mindset naturally align with the true state of existence.

(Translated and edited by the Pure Land School Translation Team)