Again, the law of balance does not allow anyone to take the lion’s share of nature’s gifts.  Beauty in face is accompanied by deformity in character.  Intelligence is often uncombined with virtue.  “Fair girls are destined to be unfortunate,” says a Japanese proverb, “and men of ability to be sickly.”  “He makes no friend who never makes a foe.”  “Honesty is next to idiocy.”  “Men of genius,” says Longfellow, “are often dull and inert in society; as the blazing meteor when it descends to earth is only a stone.”  Honour and shame go hand in hand.  Knowledge and virtue live in poverty, while ill health and disease are inmates of luxury.

Every misfortune begets some sort of fortune, while every good luck gives birth to some sort of bad luck.  Every prosperity never fails to sow seeds of adversity, while every fall never fails to bring about some kind of rise.  We must not, then, despair in days of frost and snow, reminding ourselves of sunshine and flowers that follow them; nor must we be thoughtless in days of youth and health, keeping in mind old age and ill health that are in the rear of them.  In brief, all, from crowns and coronets down to rags and begging bowls, have their own happiness and share heavenly grace alike.

8.  The Application of the Law of Causation to Morals.

Although it may be needless to state here the law of causation at any length, yet it is not equally needless to say a few words about its application to morals as the law of retribution, which is a matter of dispute even among Buddhist scholars.  The kernel of the idea is very simple-like seed, like fruit; like cause, like effect; like action, like influence—­nothing more.  As fresh air strengthens and impure air chokes us, so good conduct brings about good consequence, and bad conduct does otherwise.[FN#217]

[FN#217] Zen lays much stress on this law.  See Shu-sho-gi and Ei-hei-ka-kun, by Do-gen.

Over against these generalizations we raise no objection, but there are many cases, in practical life, of doubtful nature.  An act of charity, for example, might do others some sort of damage, as is often the case with the giving of alms to the poor, which may produce the undesirable consequence of encouraging beggary.  An act of love might produce an injurious effect, as the mother’s love often spoils her children.  Some[FN#218] may think these are cases of good cause and bad effect.  We have, however, to analyze these causes and effects in order to find in what relation they stand.  In the first case the good action of almsgiving produces the good effect of lessening the sufferings of the poor, who should be thankful for their benefactor.  The giver is rewarded in his turn by the peace and satisfaction of his conscience.  The poor, however, when used to being given alms are inclined to grow lazy and live by means of begging.  Therefore the real cause of the bad effect is the thoughtlessness of both the giver and the given, but not charity itself.  In the second case the mother’s love and kindness produce a good effect on her and her children, making them all happy, and enabling them to enjoy the pleasure of the sweet home; yet carelessness and folly on the part of the mother and ingratitude on the part of the children may bring about the bad effect.