A most important premise in the Buddhist philosophy is that the course of one’s life, generally called destiny is self-determined. Underlying this premise is the concept of karma, a resultant condition arising from the causes one make in life.

Causes may be negative or positive, and they are accumulated through our thoughts, words and deeds. What we are now is the result of past causes made. By the same reason then, what will become of us depends on the causes that we are making now.

Buddhism teaches that the Law of cause and effect is a universal law underlying all phenomena in the universe. The causes and effects one accumulates in life covers not just the present lifetime but the three existences of past, present and future. This is Buddhism’s view of eternal life.

Besides, Buddhism also reveals the principle of simultaneity of cause and effect, though there may be a lapse of time before effect is manifest.

Thus, what matters most is the continued effort in laying positive causes, cherishing the present moment as the turning point in life.