Bodhicharyavatara Chapter 8, Stanzas 131-133

In the next three verses the text continues to extol more deeply the outcomes of being self centred with no regard for others and the inevitable karmic result of such indifference. Rinpoche makes the case that even if we are not able or willing to ponder the possibility of a future life or lives, we can contemplate such a possibility just by looking at the workings of cause and effect in our current existence. There is a logic that can be extended beyond what is immediately obvious or tangible.

If we take the case of a servant or an employer, there will be a direct result to doing our work badly or not paying proper attention to those we work for, or who we ask to work for us. If they are not treated kindly or with disdain, the work will be shoddy, the business will fail. We can apply this to people in power as well, if they are motivated by selfish greed, the happiness they seek for themselves will be short-lived or fail to come entirely. There will be retribution and any wrongs done in the name of leadership may take aeons to atone. There will be no route to happiness as long as there is no recognition of our mutual interdependence, and the necessity for developing compassion and wisdom.

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