“This happened because that happened.”
That’s what the Buddha is said to have said.
It permeates the thousands of pages
Of Buddhist writings that can be read.

Of course, people will probably say,
"That is neither profound nor sublime."
Ah, but the words are really both
Complex and simple at the same time.

It sounds as though we're talking about
Chain reactions or cause and effect.
The words can make a great deal of sense
When we view things in retrospect.

All the interconnected events
That brought us to this moment can be
Overwhelming, to say the least,
For there is so much that we cannot see.

Although we might not notice it,
Simple reactions occur this way:
You offer someone a genuine smile,
And maybe you made that person's day.

When we look at history
And how religions arose and grew,
Interconnections are much more complex
But clearly are at work there, too.

Viewing historical events
In depth can help us understand
Why things are the way they are
And how ideas get out of hand;

How the human ego works
And how human behavior evolved;
Why so many conflicts exist
And why so many remain unresolved.

The process of deeply examining
Ourselves and our world can open our eyes
To why we think in a certain fashion
And how to see through falsehoods and lies.

“This happened because that happened.”
Although we cannot erase the past,
We can alter the way we think
And then make positive changes that last.

-by Bob B (2-3-24)