Karma is a popular belief around the world, especially in India. According to believers of this theory, we get rewarded or punished for our actions. Thus, the suffering that humanity is going through has been rationalised. Some believers of this theory say that if one is having a good time, then it is because of his or her good deeds in the previous life, and if one is suffering, then it is because of his or her evil deeds in the past life. However, there is belief in something only when we are not aware of the facts about the thing. When one is aware of the facts, then there is no need to believe in it because one knows it fully. Belief in the various theories of continuity after death is the effect of a cause. And the cause is our desire for continuity after death. The fact is there is uncertainty and we do not know what happens after death. But when we hold on to a belief, there is an effort to move away from that fact. So, belief gives us comfort from the anxiety about continuity but a particular belief may or may not be true.

The simple reality is that when an action has a cause, the action produces an effect. And this effect becomes another cause for the next effect. There is a cause as long as there is particular knowledge, beliefs, ideas or goals that guide our action. When the action has a particular cause, then the action becomes dependent on that cause. It gets limited to a particular field, and there is no connection with the whole. The particular knowledge, belief or goal, which forms the past or the future, becomes important. Then the action in the present becomes less important. In other words, the problem – which is in the present – is not properly looked into and is given little importance. But the theory or the goal, which is of the past and the future respectively, is given tremendous importance. When the response is from a limited field and not from the whole, then it can only be a very limited response. If a person gets angry when he is called by a certain name and his action is dependent on something to which he gives utmost importance, then he is merely reacting from his conditioning. Such an action has a cause, which makes the action relative.

Freedom from Cause

However, freedom from the cause does not mean that one should deliberately ignore particular knowledge, a goal or something that somebody has done to him. In doing so, he is ignoring a particular fragment, which makes his action fragmentary. There is freedom from the cause only when one acts from the whole. This means that he is not acting from a conditioned brain, which ignores one or few fragments and gives significance to some other fragment/fragments. When the action is free from a cause, then such an action is not relative but is absolute. This does not mean that one ignores the part; the whole includes the part as well. Getting angry if someone abuses or mistreats us is a natural response. It depends on the situation, circumstances and the context under which it is done, but if the anger is solely dependent on a particular thing, then such an action has a cause. If a particular knowledge or goal is not the guiding force that dictates our action, then the action is free from the cause. But if the knowledge or goal dictates the action, then the action has a cause and it is within a fragment.

Now, let us assume we are attached to our goals, opinions and beliefs. Then there is hurt, frustration and anger when someone attacks our beliefs or does not fulfil our expectations. The reason or cause for this hurt and anger is our accumulated knowledge and goals. But if we have a close friend who is insensitive, cold, and does not care two pins when we are in serious trouble, then it may or may not be natural to get upset with the friend, depending on the situation, circumstances and other factors, which form the whole. This is not dependent on a particular cause. So, in this case, there is no cause or goal, but there is the observation from the whole. In this observation, if we see insensitivity, deceit and a very cold behaviour from a particular friend, then it may upset us. But if the observation is from a very narrow field of goals, opinions and beliefs, then such an observation has a cause which is the belief or the goal. This results in hurt and anger, which is the effect.

When there is a cause, then the situation and circumstances do not matter. Only the cause matters. However, if our actions are based merely on what the circumstances are, then the action is still not free from the cause, because we have given importance to the circumstances alone. And it again becomes a fragmentary activity. Also, the whole does not mean that one has to give equal importance to each and every factor because then it again becomes a formula of the mind. Moreover, knowledge is always limited. So, it is impossible to think and consider everything. Also, there are times when one has to react instantly and there is no time to think and consider much. And if one is bound by a formula to deeply consider various factors, then he is not free to act instantly. He is thus ignoring this fragment. So, freedom from cause means the mind is unimpeded by theories or formulae and is open to everything. When the situation arises, then one considers the necessary factors that one can think of. Then there is healthy cooperation between what one thinks and feels to decide what is necessary. But there is no particular formula or method, because if there is a formula, then the formula becomes the cause.

Physical Challenge and Cause-Effect Chain

When we deal with a physical challenge from the authority of certain knowledge, which may be concepts and ideals, our response to the challenge can be very limited and fragmentary. Then the experience becomes the effect. This experience, which is the effect, leads to modification of our knowledge. And when we act from the authority of this modified knowledge, then this knowledge is the cause for the next effect. The process goes on until we can free ourselves from the cause. When there is freedom from the cause, then the action is complete and does not produce an effect. But there is a state of experiencing.

There is a cause as long as we are using knowledge to deal with our psychological issues or when there is the authority of any particular knowledge to deal with the day-to-day physical challenges. When one acts from a cause, then it strengthens the cause. If the action is based on hate, then the effect is more hate.

Past-Present-Future

When there is a cause, then the past or the future is important and not the present. And in this process, the present is sacrificed or destroyed for the sake of the past or future. There have been so many leaders whose mission was to have a particular kind of world. To achieve their goal of peace or something else, they fought wars and caused destruction, but all that brought very little change. So, they sacrificed their present for the sake of the future. The cause is to have a better world and the effect is war and destruction. So, there is a cause producing a certain effect in which the ‘now’ is sacrificed. But what is important is the ‘now.’ If one acts intelligently now, then the future will be good.

However, action in the now does not mean that we should ignore the past or the future. If we care only for the present, then we are still acting from a philosophy of the past, which gives importance only to the present. Therefore, the action is still not free from the past. Action in the now means action from intelligence, which also uses knowledge from the past. But this knowledge is not the authority directing a particular action. The implication in the future is considered when necessary. So, the action is spontaneous, which means it is not according to any formula, belief, concept, ideal or future goal. The action is from the whole.

So, if one is acting from a formula to deal with a physical challenge, then he is not using intelligence but is acting out of ignorance. Such an action produces more ignorance. When there is an action according to ‘what was’ to move towards ‘what should be,’ while ignoring ‘what is,’ then there is a cause and an effect. But if we do not ignore ‘what is,’ then there is no cause and effect. Then there is an action in the present. It is the action in the present that is important. But to give importance merely to ‘what has been’ or ‘what should be’ means we are moving from cause to effect and effect to cause. When there is no centre in the brain, then there is no cause and effect. There is only ‘what is,’ because the centre gives importance to the past or the future, in which the ‘what is’ gets sacrificed.

Psychological Issues and Cause-Effect Chain

Although knowledge has its place when we are dealing with physical issues, if we use knowledge to deal with our psychological issues, then there is cause and effect and there is no freedom from psychological problems. Let us see how the use of knowledge to deal with psychological issues creates further problems. When we act from the authority of concepts and ideals, then the action gets limited to a small field, which leads to isolation and loneliness. Therefore, self, me or the ego, which includes concepts and ideals, is the cause, and loneliness is the effect. Now, when we look for an escape and move away from this loneliness, then there is dependence on this activity that temporarily frees us from the problem of loneliness. When we depend on something, then that thing matters to us, and there is an attachment to it. So, loneliness is the cause and dependence and attachment are the effects. The attachment then causes fear of losing the object of attachment and then we find a new way to control this fear by becoming possessive which, in turn, leads to other problems.

However, the activities of dependence and possessiveness are still the activities of the ‘me,’ which is still causing loneliness. When we move from loneliness to dependence, then the activity of dependence becomes the cause for further loneliness because it reduces the activity to a small field, causing isolation. The effect is still loneliness, so the movement away from the psychological problem is still the continuation of the problem. When we use knowledge to deal with our psychological issues, then this knowledge becomes the centre in the brain, which is the self, me or the ego from where all the thoughts come. The cause of a psychological problem is the mind that chooses and gets caught in a particular pattern of action. And when the mind makes an effort to get rid of the psychological problem or chooses a different pattern of action, then this new activity becomes the problem. The understanding of the psychological problem gives freedom from the problem. But when the mind chooses a different activity, then the self continues. Thus, as long as there is the self, there will be psychological problems.

Observation and Understanding

When the mind is not chattering but is quiet, then there is the observation of the state of ‘what is.’ It is this observation that gives freedom from ‘what is.’ However, when we cling to the pleasure and want the pleasurable experience to be repeated or want to move away from a psychological pain, then there is no understanding of ‘what is.’ But there is cause and effect.

When every psychologically painful experience is understood, from moment to moment, then the experience does not lead to accumulation of knowledge. To be free from a psychological problem, we need to understand each problem as it arises. There will be problems as long as we cling to various experiences or escape from them. Such problems need to be understood. The state of happiness does not need understanding, but problems need observation and understanding.

Now, there are various beliefs in this world. Though they may differ from place to place, there is a common cause, which gives birth to these beliefs. The cause is the desire of the mind to move away from uncertainty or insecurity and to cling to some security. So, the cause is the desire for certainty and the effect are the beliefs. This effect then becomes the cause of hatred in our society. This means the beliefs are the cause, and the effect is hatred, antagonism and disintegration of society. However, if one does not act on this uncertainty and stays with it, it does not mean that the mind must remain in uncertainty forever. But when the mind is uncertain about something, then there is an urge to probe and delve deeper into the issue. This results in clarity and understanding. So, if one does not make the effort to escape from the anxiety of continuity after death by clinging to some belief and does not exaggerate this anxiety or let it colour the search, then he or she may know the truth about the desire for continuity.

The religions of the world have created various unnecessary fears in the minds of people. It might be necessary to free ourselves from this fear (please refer to the chapter on fear). As far as the question of desire for continuity is concerned, what is it that the mind wants to continue and why does it seek continuity? It is the self, me or ego that seeks the continuity of desires and attachments. When we die to all our pleasures, pains and desires, which means we are no longer pursuing unnecessary desires or continuously worrying about the past or future pain, then there is freedom from anxiety about continuity and the desire for continuity. So, staying with ‘what is,’ when the mind is uncertain, brings understanding and then there is no cause and effect.

However, there is no law of cause and effect. It is not necessary that a particular cause will produce a certain kind of effect. There is no law because there are so many other influences that affect the results or the effect. Also, the effect that produces another cause is not merely the outcome of that effect. Moreover, there is always the possibility of freeing ourselves from a way of living in which the action is based on an idea or a goal. This freedom comes through understanding. And when there is this freedom, then there is no cause and effect.

Let us say we are living within a particular fragment. We want to do everything according to our desires or we are acting from our ideals of what is good, clever, cunning and so on. Then the observation from our desires and ideals becomes very limited. Now, if another person is also looking from a particular motive, then the observation of both individuals is very limited. And both may get fooled and exploited by each other. So, although both may cheat and get cheated simultaneously or one may cheat and the other may get cheated, the fact is we are living a life that is not free from cause and effect. Though we may succeed within a certain area, such a living brings tremendous loneliness to our lives. This is the effect.

Love Has No Cause

Once there is complete freedom from the self, me or ego, then there is no cause and effect. But there is love. This love has no cause, which also means that this love is not the effect of a particular cause. Also, this love does not leave any effect which means it is free from the chain of cause-effect. Although there may be happiness when there is love, this happiness is not the effect of any cause. A mother who takes care of her child is not seeking a reward or happiness, but there is love in what she does and that brings a peculiar kind of happiness, which is free from the cause-effect chain. When love has a cause, it means that one loves another because of some particular reason. Then there is no love. When there is observation, contact and deep sensitivity, which might occur while looking at the beauty of the sea, holding someone’s hands or observing a poor or sick individual, then this communion is love. But this communion is not dependent on any one thing or the other like beauty or anything else. So, love has no cause.

When there is a cause, then the energy is wasted in several ways. There is wastage in conforming to the past because it only causes mental conflict between various thoughts. There is thinking within a certain pattern while resisting other thoughts. When we are caught in a pattern of action, then there is an attachment to the pattern. And there is a continuous wastage of energy within this pattern, because there is no end to psychological goals. When we try to fulfil these psychological goals, there is resistance to actual needs, which is another form of wastage of energy. Whereas, when the living is free from any cause, then there is tremendous energy, because there is no friction in the brain between various thoughts. Also, when the physical needs are fulfilled, there is no more action within that particular field unless it is needed again. The tremendous energy that is created can also work in the other fragments. When there is no self, me or ego, then there is silence. In this silence, there is tremendous energy.

Freedom from Cause-Effect Chain

Once there is freedom from the cause, then there is also freedom from its effects. But if we find the cause of a problem and try to free ourselves from this cause, then such an effort to free ourselves still has a cause. Yet again, we are in the circle of cause and effect. If we find that the cause of dependence is loneliness and try to free ourselves from the loneliness, then such an effort cannot free ourselves from the problems. When the discovery of a psychological problem is limited, then such a discovery cannot free us from the problem. If we are able to find the cause of possessiveness, which is attachment, then such a discovery cannot free us from the problem of possessiveness or attachment. To dig deeper into a psychological problem, it is necessary to have a state of intelligence, without a cause. When intelligence has a cause, then the search becomes dependent on that cause. It is therefore limited. Intelligence has no cause. If it has a cause, then it is not intelligence.

The understanding of a problem gives freedom from cause and effect. If we understand the whole process of ourselves, through self-knowledge, then there is freedom from the self, ego, me or accumulated knowledge, which is the root of all psychological problems. There are various causes for our psychological problems, but the root cause of all the psychological problems of loneliness, attachment, hatred, hurt, violence, conflict and fear is the self, me, ego or accumulated knowledge from which we act. So, when we see the root cause of any psychological problem, which is the main cause of all other causes of the problem, then we have understood the whole nature and structure of the problem. In this understanding, there is freedom from the root cause and all other causes. When there is freedom from the self, then we come upon or arrive at a state that has no cause and therefore no effect.