One thing to reflect on is that according to the teachings in Buddhism, we make our own Kamma and we receive the results of our own Kamma. Also, according to the teachings in Buddhism there is Rebirth, beings are born into the position that they deserve to be born into due to whatever they did in past lives. All of you here were born into quite good situations, no matter how yucky your childhood was, it doesn't matter, because you got here, and that's really, really good Kamma. There's maybe ten thousand foreigners on the island today. There are sixty in this whole retreat. Sixty out of ten thousand -- it's such good fortune to be here. Suppose that you have earned this good fortune, according to Buddhism, you have earned what you receive in this life. Whether it is good Kamma results, whether it is bad Kamma results, according to Buddhist teachings, that's what you have earned.
Now, if you want to be happier tomorrow, if you want more benefits, not just in your next life, but tomorrow, next year, and so on -- you have to do more and more good Kamma. It's just that simple. It's a straightforward law according to Buddhism, you have to do it. People who are born, say as a woman in Afghanistan who ends up as a prostitute in Pakistan; they are born into that position, according to Buddhism, because they deserved it.
Now, in one sense it seems hard and cold, whatever -- but it is just a straight law. You can observe this law in your own life. When you are loving and kind in one moment, you are happy in the very next moment. If you are angry in one moment, you are going to be upset in the very next moment So thinking about what you can see for yourself moment-to-moment and applying that to the probability of lifetime-to-lifetime is just a simple law that we get what we deserve.
Now, is prostitution wrong livelihood? It definitely is. Would they be doing the right thing just to feed their family? No. We want to do the right thing, and we want to do good things, no matter what situation we are in. If it means that we starve to death, it's far better than doing something that brings bad Kamma, so that our next life is not worse than this one. But it is not always black and white, because a lot of these people don't understand the Law of Kamma. It's not taught the same way in other religions as it is taught in Buddhism. So although some people are forced into some situations, it's still not the right thing to do. However, they may think it is the only option they have at that time, because they simply don't know any better.
From your position, since you are not likely to be forced into prostitution in Pakistan, thank goodness, in your position for your own practice, it is very important to open your heart to all these people who are in worse situations than yourself. And open it more for all the people around the world who feel they have no other option then doing something that is actually bad Kamma. Open up your Compassion/Lovingkindness for all of these people around the world.