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Nothing follows us after death, except karma."
A Tzu Chi youth volunteer asked Dharma Master Cheng Yen, “When I read Buddhist sutras, I always feel that everything in this world will come to nothing in the end. If so, shouldn’t those who have become disillusioned with worldly matters enter monastic life and not get married and have children?
The Master answered:
What does “becoming disillusioned with the mortal world” truly mean? The mortal world is indeed filled with troubles and afflictions. However, these afflictions are not just limited to matters, such as getting married and having children. All the conflicts and disputes among people are afflictions as well. The Buddha said that “all things are inherently empty”, but he also spoke of “true emptiness and wondrous existence”.
The saying, “nothing follows us after death, except karma”, means that we will eventually die and cannot bring anything with us, and only karma will follow us. However, if we wish to be reborn in a good realm, we must accumulate blessings by practising self-love and self-respect and taking good care of our body and mind in daily life.
The most important thing in life is to abide by our duties the best we can at different stages in life. Whether you are a son, husband, father (daughter-in-law, wife, mother) etc., you should play your roles well. If everyone is able to exercise self-love and self-respect, our minds will be purified, and society will be harmonious.
Translated by the Tzu Chi Singapore translation team
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