Karma
Karma is the law of cause and effect, or the principle of moral causation. Karma, in Sanskrit, means "action". These actions can be verbal, mental, or physical, and all actions have consequences.
Good actions come from good intentions, and result in positive consequences. Hence, one can be reborn into a higher realm with more peace and happiness.
Bad actions come from bad intentions, and result in negative consequences. Therefore, one will tend to be reborn into a lower realm with more frustration and sadness.
Some consequences do not occur immediately, and may follow one person through different stages of lives. Thus, sentient beings could experience results of actions that are performed many years or even many lives ago.
The key message in Karma is that everyone has full autonomy to shape or control his or her destiny. Therefore, it is impossible portant to live in a life with good intention and good action.
In "Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva", there are many examples regarding causes in current life and consequences in future life.
To killers, Earth Store Bodhisattva says that short life spans will be the retribution.
To robbers, he says that poverty and acute suffering will be the retribution.
To those who indulge in improper sex, he says that rebirth as pigeons or as mandarin drakes or ducks will be the retribution.
To those who use harsh speech, he says that quarrelling families will be the retribution.
To those who slander, he says that being tongueless and having cankerous mouths will be the retribution.
To the hateful, he says that being ugly and crippled will be the retribution.
To the stingy, he says that not getting what they seek will be the retribution.
To gluttons, he says that hunger, thirst and sicknesses of the throat will be the retribution.
To hunters, he says that a frightening insanity that destroys one's life will be the retribution.
To those who oppose their parents, he says that being killed in natural disasters will be the retribution.
To arsonists who burn mountains and forests, he says that trying to take their own lives in the confusion of insanity will be the retribution.
To cruel parents or step-parents, he says that being flogged in future lives will be the retribution.
To those who net and trap young animals, he says that being separated from one's own children will be the retribution.
To those who slander the Triple Jewel, he says that being blind, deaf, or mute will be the retribution.
To those who slight the Dharma and regard the teachings with arrogance, he says that remaining in the bad paths forever will be the retribution.
To those who destroy or misuse possessions of the Eternally Dwelling, he says that revolving in the hells for hundreds of millions of eons will be the retribution.
To those who defile the pure conduct of others and bear false witness against members of the Sangha, he says that remaining in the animal realm forever will be the retribution.
To those who scald, burn, behead, maim, or otherwise harm beings, he says that undergoing the very same suffering will be the retribution.
To those who violate precepts and the regulations of pure eating, he says that being born as birds or beasts that must suffer from hunger and thirst will be the retribution.
To those who make unprincipled and destructive use of things, he says that being unable to ever obtain what they seek will be the retribution.
To the arrogant and haughty, he says that being servile and of low station will be the retribution.
To those who use backbiting to cause discord among others, he says that being tongueless or having speech impediments will be the retribution.
To those with deviant views, he says that being reborn in backward regions will be the retribution.