Using Consciousness to Transform Cause and Effect

Xuefeng

June 12, 2008

A woman in her late twenties, holding her one-year-old daughter, jumped from a building to her death. The reason? She returned home to find her husband in bed with another woman.

Was this suicide? No, it was homicide.

Who killed her?

Not her husband, nor the other woman—it was traditional thinking that killed her.

To avoid this outcome, the best way is to transform one’s consciousness. If this woman had thought, “My husband has had an affair; it’s not a big deal. At worst, I’ll divorce him and find someone better,” or perhaps, “Fine! You broke the rules, so can I. I’ll let you off, and you’ll let me off—it’s only fair,” the result could have been different.

Without transforming consciousness, cause and effect inevitably occur. By changing consciousness, however, cause and effect can be altered.

Moving from the realm of inevitability into the realm of freedom requires a transformation of consciousness and a breakthrough from the confines of traditional thinking. People on Earth live under the influence of the thought patterns passed down by their predecessors. If one cannot escape these constraints, one can never attain enlightenment or Buddhahood.

Take, for example, the saying, “Of all unfilial acts, having no descendants is the greatest.” This thought pattern has bound people for thousands of years, pressuring parents to coerce their children into marriage and parenthood, creating the belief that being childless is the gravest unfilial act.

People struggle within this entanglement, unable to break free. It burdens those without children with heavy mental and emotional stress, along with societal pressure and discrimination.

Without breaking free from this way of thinking, the cycle of marriage, family, and childbearing inevitably continues.

However, one could think instead, “The Buddha said the human world is a sea of suffering. By having children, I would only bring them into this sea of suffering. That would not be a blessing for them. Instead, I will cultivate myself first, reach the Thousand-year World, and have children there in the Heavenly Kingdom, where they will truly be blessed.”

Thinking this way breaks the chains of “Of all unfilial acts, having no descendants is the greatest,” allowing one to live a life free of guilt and in peace.

Another example is the saying, “Of all evil deeds, sexual indulgence is the worst.” This is another powerful mental construct. Originally, “sexual indulgence” meant “excess,” but it has been narrowly redefined to mean “sexual behavior outside of marriage,” labeling it as a sin and even “the worst of sins.”

As a result, one of life’s most beautiful experiences is erased, forcing people into secrecy. If they do indulge, they carry the burden of self-repression and torment, resulting in countless human tragedies.

But what if we thought, “Romantic love is a precious gift from the Greatest Creator. Enjoying it aligns with the Creator’s will and is in harmony with natural law. Appreciating the beauty of sexuality is a way of showing respect and gratitude to the Creator. Life is fleeting; flowers wither, and youth fades. As long as it brings joy without disturbing others or society, why should we repress or torment ourselves?”

Thinking this way breaks the restriction of “sexual indulgence as the worst of sins,” expands life’s possibilities, increases freedom, and transforms cause and effect.

The key to transforming cause and effect lies in consciousness, not in language or actions, because language and actions are controlled and directed by consciousness. If consciousness does not change, the trajectory of life remains unaltered; fate remains fixed, and cause and effect inevitably occur. Happiness or suffering will manifest as predestined. However, if consciousness changes, the trajectory shifts, fate alters, and the outcomes (effects) that were expected will not materialize.

For instance, if our consciousness is set on going to New York, we will inevitably find ourselves on the path to New York, and sooner or later, we will arrive there. But if, along the way, we change our consciousness and decide to go to London instead, all aspects of the journey to New York are instantly altered, and the outcome of arriving in New York will no longer occur.

Whether one moves toward hell or heaven depends entirely on their consciousness. Trajectories can be altered in an instant, and so can fate. Transforming one’s fixed consciousness changes everything instantly. As the saying goes, “Heaven and hell are only a thought apart.” The greatest challenge is how to change one’s consciousness, where to direct it, and how to transform it—questions that lead into broader and more complex considerations.

The Lifechanyuan value states: “Walk in the way of the Greatest Creator; the purpose of life is to pursue joy, happiness, freedom, and fulfillment. The purpose of LIFE is to strive for the Thousand-year World, the Ten-Thousand-Year World, or the Celestial Islands Continent of the Elysium World.” This is a form of consciousness. Once this consciousness is established, our views on life, the world, and existence transform, and our previous life trajectory is completely altered. By pursuing the sun, we escape the darkness, breaking through many traditional patterns of thought. The sufferings that might have arisen are no longer brought to fruition.

The essence of transforming consciousness lies in transforming thinking. Without changing thinking, consciousness cannot become clear and orderly; if consciousness is chaotic and unclear, life will inevitably be confused and directionless.

Thinking progresses through eight levels, from material thinking, imaginal thinking, associative thinking, illusory thinking, visualized thinking, to Tai Chi thinking, formless thinking, and holographic thinking. Each level is more powerful than the last, with each possessing greater transformative potential. When one attains formless thinking, they achieve enlightenment, escape the constraints of human thought, and enter a more liberated and expansive state of existence.

This raises a question: Can the cause and effect of actions such as corruption or eating meat be transformed by a shift in consciousness? The core of formless thinking lies in the absence of self-form and the absence of all forms. Even the forms of dharma and non-dharma do not exist. Thus, so-called forms such as corruption or eating meat fundamentally do not exist. Since they do not exist, there is no cause and effect.

The root of cause and effect is consciousness. When the cause within consciousness disappears, the effect cannot arise, effectively cutting off the source. It is akin to switching off the main power supply—once disconnected, all appliances lose their function instantly.

I cannot elaborate further, as it would reveal too much. The rest must be realized through personal insight.