The Principle of Good Deeds and Outcomes : หน้า 125/207

However, the first step in achieving this goal is to convince the parents that good deeds always bring good outcomes, and vice versa. The following episode should help clarify this principle. A layperson asked a respected senior monk: "Venerable One, do good deeds always bring good outcomes? I have seen many friends doing good, but not receiving anything good in return." The senior monk answered, "Do not waste your time doubting this Law of Kamma. The Enlightened One had proof of this, thousands of years ago. But there are still so many people, including you, who still have doubts because you are hasty, expecting to see the outcomes immediately, and forgetting about common sense. "So let me give you an example. If we plant a seedling from a banana tree today, can we expect to eat bananas from that seedling today? No, we have to wait for almost a year, and while waiting, we have to water it, turn over the soil, and take good care of it. Otherwise, after a year, we may end up eating scrawny bananas. "And if you ask me if we get anything out of it while waiting, the answer is yes. Once we have planted that offshoot, we can take satisfaction in knowing that we have done it at the right time. We can have banana leaves for wrapping desserts, The Warm Hearted Family 249 Do Good Deeds Always Bring Favorable Outcomes?