Definition
Reading: fumai inga
不昧因果 (Not obscuring cause and effect) is facing the law of cause and effect directly without hiding from it.In Japanese, the name is read as "Furaku Inga."
Long ago, a student was asked, "Does a person of great practice fall into the law of cause and effect?" He answered, "不落因果 (Not falling into the law)." Because of this answer, he became a wild fox. Later, he heard the words "Fumai Inga" from Master Baizhang and was finally saved.
Some people believe this wild fox was actually Baizhang’s own past self (or the delusion within his heart). This story suggests that anyone can become a "wild fox" (someone who only thinks they understand) if they become proud of their knowledge or enlightenment.
Q&A
- Q: Why did Baizhang give the old man "one word" instead of teaching him the "final answer"?
- A: Because in Zen, saving someone is not about giving a correct answer, but about creating a chance for them to realize the truth by themselves.
For five hundred years, the old man wandered because he was looking for a "correct answer" as knowledge. What Baizhang showed was not knowledge, but the determination to not hide from oneself while living in the middle of cause and effect. These words broke the old man's attachment from the inside, so he was able to reach enlightenment on his own.
