Why Cultivate Wholesome Karma?

Stealing is an offense that almost everyone commits. Taking what is not given constitutes stealing, yet ordinary people often fail to understand this. I have committed it myself, and knowingly so. In the past, I enjoyed giving away surplus items, cultivating a habit of generosity. I also hoped that my family members would practice giving to accumulate blessings and relinquish their stingy habits. While I cannot control others, I tried to influence my mother. However, she was somewhat miserly and would not listen to me. She had many unused items yet refused to give them away. Unable to persuade her, I secretly took things she seldom used and gave them away. Consequently, whenever she couldn’t find something, she would accuse me of stealing it to give to others. In truth, secretly taking belongings from one’s own family also carries karmic consequences. What, then, is the future retribution? Giving things away yields blessings a thousandfold. But who receives this merit?

If I were to receive the blessings, it would not merely be a thousand or even ten thousand times greater. However, since the items did not belong to me, how could I gain merit? The act of giving was performed by me, so naturally, I would receive the blessings. The amount of merit varies based on one’s status and differs according to the intention behind the act. Yet, since the items belonged to my mother, she should also receive some merit. However, without a mind inclined toward generosity, her merit would be limited. Moreover, because I gained merit, without me, she would not be able to gain any. In the future, when I receive blessings, I will have to repay a portion of them; I will only retain the merit corresponding to my intention.

Mutual indebtedness among family members creates karmic connections that bind us together across lifetimes. Even if it means repaying debts, this is ultimately beneficial, as it provides an opportunity to help them attain liberation. Relationships among family members are inherently a messy account that no one can fully unravel. This web of karmic debts entangles us life after life. Positive karmic connections bring happiness, while negative ones bring suffering. By establishing positive karmic connections with all beings, future lives will be filled with joy, free from pain.