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So here what we are advised to do is to engage in the practices which we have gone through … contemplating the preciousness of one's human existence； how it is something difficult to e by and has great meaning and that it is not something which is going to last but rather is something that is at some point going to pass away。 So through these contemplations； we e to the state of reversing attraction to this life。 The sign of this is that we do not engage in any worldly actions； that is to say； actions which will bring about a result in this life； rather we are striving to utilise all our time to generate positive potential and positive Dharma training that will be of use to us in future lives。 So once that has been developed fully within us； we can be said to be on our way with the practice which is in mon with an individual of lesser capacity。 Then we should try to emulate the great Kadampa geshe Potowa who used to spend all his time engaged in the practice of meditation or explaining the Dharma or engaging in different kinds of practice。 He was continually meditating； reading Dharma； explaining the Dharma … he wasn't an individual like us who runs around doing this and that； but rather had just put his mind solely into Dharma practice； so we should strive to emulate such an individual。
Contemplation on the Karmic Law
So then the text goes on to tell us to：
reverse attraction to future lives；
think repeatedly of the infallible effects of karma
and the misery of this world。
So then one has a human existence now； if one turns one's attention away from this life and directs it towards one's future lives； the very best one can hope to achieve is another human existence like the one we have now or perhaps birth as a god or as a demigod （thus the three realms of bliss； or three higher realms）。 But if we investigate those three higher realms； they are not something which is stable； that is to say； they are not going to last for a long time … even having been born in those states we will inevitably fall from those states when the time of our death es。 So the way we can reverse attraction towards； or thinking solely about； one's future existence is thus through contemplating the karmic law； that is to say； the law of cause and effect。 So here this is a very profound subject； something which is quite difficult to go into great detail upon in such a short space of time； but if we go through the outline of four。 Initially we should understand that karma； or action； is something which is definite； its increase is also something which is definite； and then one will not get certain results； for example a positive result； unless one engages in a positive action； that is to say the cause of such a result； and one won't get a result from which one hasn't planted the cause for its arising。 So if we look at this outline of four serially： Initially then that karma； or action； is definite。 This means that if we engage in a positive action it is definite that the result of such an action； or such a karma； will be something positive。 For example our human life now is the result of engaging in a positive cause in a past existence； and thus this is the ripening effect of that cause。 Now the doubt can e … if someone is born as a human and is continually ill or undergoes a great amount of difficulty in their life； then we might feel 'well； that person is born as a human which； you say； is the result of a positive action； however； their human existence is not anything particularly joyous； anything particularly blissful … so how can that be the result of a positive cause？' So here we should understand a distinction between the different kinds of causes and the different kinds of results of those causes。 The very fact that a sick individual has a human body is the result of a positive seed which was planted sometime in a previous existence。 However； the various difficulties that this individual undergoes are not the result of the same cause； they are rather the results of different causes； or different karmas。 That is to say； that individual has not only mitted positive actions in the past； but has also mitted negative actions； the ripening results of which are manifest as various difficulties； that is to say； illness etc。 So we can also understand this in reverse … if we look at certain kinds of animals； for example； dogs and cats … even though they are members of what we call the animal kingdom； or are included in the lower realms of existence； then they can still have the results of having mitted positive causes in a previous existence。 For example； we see dogs that are very； very beautiful； have very beautiful barking； cats that have very beautiful purring and so forth； very beautiful fur； very beautiful tails etc。 So these results are not the results of negative causes； or negatives karmas； but rather are the result of positive causes； even though the basis for their ripening is an inferior one which is brought about through a negative karmic action； or a negative cause。 Then the second part of the outline is that karmas； or actions； once mitted； increase。 We can learn this through a very simple worldly example … if we plant a seed； the result of that seed can be something as huge as a great tree and yield lots of fruit。 So a huge tree es about through a tiny seed and in the same way a small action can bring about a great result； whether it be positive or negative。 We read in the biography of the Buddha that a child threw some grains into the Buddha's begging bowl when the Buddha was walking past。 Obviously the child couldn't just reach up and put them in the bowl because he was just a child and the Buddha was an adult； so there was a great difference in height。 But even through throwing these grains； it is said that four of the grains fell in the begging bowl and one fell on the circular rim of the bowl； and even though this cause was something very； very small； it is said that the result of this was that the individual was born as a wheel…turning king with plete power over the four continents。 So even from a small karmic action such as that； the result is something which is much； much bigger and this is explained clearly in the sutras。
Then the latter two of the outline of four are that if one hasn't generated certain causes then one won't experience the result of those causes； and the opposite … if one has accrued certain causes then one will definitely receive the result of those causes。 So here then if one engages in a virtuous action then the result of that is something definite which will e to one and vice versa … if one has engaged in a negative action then the result of that is certain to e to one no matter what one's circumstances。 We can still see this through an example given in the sutras： When the Sakya lineage of India （that which the Buddha belonged to） were destroyed； all wiped out simultaneously； two of them were hiding in a field； and it is said that even though they were far away from the battleground； owing to the light of the sun； the field caught fire and they perished in the fire。 So the Buddha was asked about this： 'These two people who escaped from the battleground then went to this field to hide …