Business to the Buddha

Tag: Cause and effect

  • Why-Analysis – Karma







    In operations consulting we used to do why-why analysis. It is a method to identify cause of an occurrence. There are other methods also available for doing such analysis. The objective of such different methods is be to find the root cause of some occurrence.

    Why this happened? Because of that. Why that happened? because of something else.This why question is asked on the answer of previous question until an actionable cause is identified. Mostly a root cause is reached in maximum of 5 why’s. It is a very commonly used cause and effect analysis tool in operations management.

    I watched this video and could relate to karma, our entanglement to karma (Maya) and that root cause analysis technique mentioned above. The lesson here is, one must try to find “The cause of cause”.

    Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) is saying in this video that when you stick at one or lower levels of the cause attribution you do not get to the real cause. On the contrary that entangles you, in Karma, even more.

    If we do not perform Why-Why analysis correctly, we get frustrated and the operations do not get improved. Thus, properly performing this analysis will get to the root cause – mostly management. How and why a decision was made which resulted in the issue say for example high inventory or poor quality output. Thus that can help improve operations of the organization.

    Similarly when we analyze karma we would reach to the ultimate – the cause of all the causes. Guruji calls it – Shiv tatva in this video.

    Karma plays a role everywhere, be it spiritual life or professional. However, doing a why-why analysis on operations is easy on the contrary doing a why-analysis on “the cause of all the causes” is easier said than done.

  • Earth day







    Today is Earth day. Actually everyday should be The Earth Day, its ok at least we human have given recognition to earth that one out of the 365 days is celebrated as Earth day. Perhaps we have taken the liberty to pollute earth for 364 days after celebrating one day in the remembrance. If we keep our act as it is currently, the remembrance will soon become “remembrance” only. More precisely worst we wont be there to observe the remembrance either.

    Is there something that we can learn from Earth? Many! Just stick to the two here. It gives without any expectations. Thanks to the Earth, every cell in our body is made up of earth. We did not bring anything and would not take anything back with us. Can we learn to reduce our expectations?

    It holds us all without any ego that “you exist because of me”. We get into this kind of me, my opinion and my way of living (religion) better than yours faster than we learn to exist on this earth. Humanity is fighting for small little opinions for centuries, its lately that we have realized the value of Earth to at least celebrate the day. In fact this Earth day is a lesson to all of us – that we need to give up our dominion. This image represents it far better than words can.

    We believe we are free to take our actions, we forget that the consequences are also there. These consequences are not just for us but for everyone around us. Some of the species are extinct already other few are in line. The whole world is interdependent on each other. If we miss this point we wont exist sooner rather than later. I read it once – If all bees die, humans will die soon too.

    Let us celebrate this earth day with respect to the mother earth and to each and every creature on the face of the earth. Otherwise for long we have been the “takers“.

    Forget businesses and countries, humans wont survive if we do not learn the lesson of interdependent co-arising. No wonder we need to learn the lessons taught by previous spiritual masters – compassion, Non-attachment, Nonviolence, mindfulness and gratitude.

  • As you sow, so shall you reap







    In Science we have studied – every action has equal and opposite reaction. We never take that seriously for life, that if we hurt someone that may be compensated. Here is an interesting idiom in English language (many other languages as well) – As you sow, so shall you reap.

    Long before science could establish this fact as “the fact”, The Buddha and Hinduism had given the concept of Karma. Well, I cannot vouch for rebirth so here is what I have written earlier –cause_fx

    Heaven and Hell are ‘here and now’
    The way you pass each moment
    You define whether you are in Heaven or a Hell. Blog here

    Don’t rely on next birth, do good in this life time itself.

    Heaven and Hell are ‘here and now’
    The way you pass each moment
    You define whether you are in Heaven or a Hell. – See more at: http://business2buddha.com/2011/07/21/this-is-how-i-remember-it/#sthash.Aykwean2.dpuf
    Heaven and Hell are ‘here and now’
    The way you pass each moment
    You define whether you are in Heaven or a Hell. – See more at: http://business2buddha.com/2011/07/21/this-is-how-i-remember-it/#sthash.Aykwean2.dpuf

    This blog post is less inspired by the concept of Karma and the English idiom but is inspired by a SitCom I have watched long back – “How I met your mother“. This is/was a series just like previous famous sit-com “Friends”. In How I met your mother (HIMYM) there are five characters – Ted (lead character, who is telling this story to his kids), Barney, Marshal, Marshal’s girl friend (later wife) Lily and Robin (confusing to describe her – she is friend – with each one. She is girl friend of Barney and Ted in some series. She is wife of Barney once and in the end she marries Ted). In one particular episode season 2 Episode 15 – Lucky Penny, the concept of cause and effect is described with ease.

    Ted finds a penny and in the 22 minute episode, everyone is involved with the penny and the associated event result in Ted missing a flight to Chicago. In Hindi there is a saying – बात निकलेगी तो दूर तलक जाएगी it means – “If we start this discussion, it will go long back in the history”. Just to give you a perspective we may conclude on this question – “Why did Adam eat the Apple?” You know what I am saying?

    You must watch that 22 min episode of How I Met Your Mother to know in brief how causation might work?

    The Author does not claim any rights on the Youtube link and video. This link is attached here for reference and does not make the author liable for any copyrights violations. It is advised to the reader that if you want to watch the series please purchase it from any retailer where the media drives are available such as FlipKart Link.

    Image source – Cause and Effect – http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/railrd/cause_fx.gif