Teaching in Virginia Beach in January, 2016, Ven. Chuc Thanh told the sangha that “There is no such thing as coincidence. Everything is the result of cause and effect.”
Reflect on the second sentence of his comment that everything is the result of cause and effect. One definition of the law of cause and effect is that “…everything in the universe is the result of a primary cause combining with one or more conditions producing an effect or phenomena. Every effect or phenomena has a recompense or consequence.” Considering a definition of “cause and effect” try substituting other concepts for “coincidence” in Chuc Thanh’s teaching such as “miracle” or “luck (good or bad).” Are the things happening in this life random or the result of cause and effect? Are “causes and effects” only occurring in this life?
(Venerable Thich Chuc Thanh is the Dharma Master at Dong Hung Temple. These quotations were collected from 2015 through 2018 as he taught in Virginia Beach, VA and Southern Shores, NC. The quotation titles and commentary are by temple member Mark Palamara.)