<p>Found it... mostly -- 
<a href="https://twitter.com/dalailama/status/13479592959" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Tweet</a> by H.H. The Dalai Lama, May 6, 2010...</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>If you wonder what you were doing in the past, look at your body; to know what will happen to you in the future, look at your mind.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>3149 retweets -- so that's probably where I saw it. As for adding environment to body, that's probably my interpolation, since the material circumstances of one's present life are clearly karmic, according to Buddhadharma.</p>

<p>It's probably impossible to trace this to a single origin, however, as it seems to be all over the place in various versions, including from sources other than Buddhists.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-22T15:55:01.183Z
2018-04-22T15:55:01.183Z
David Lewis
<p>“If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present” (“The Opening of the Eyes,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 279).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T01:00:49.207Z
Nice! Looks like Nichiren is right in synch with the Guru Rinpoche quote below.
David Lewis
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-19T10:02:50.713Z
2020-06-19T10:02:50.713Z
KC Wong
<p>This is a reference request, not a doctrine question. I recall seeing a quote from a Buddhist text or teacher roughly to this effect...</p>

<ul>
<li>To see your <em>past</em> karma, look at your present <em>body</em> (and
environment). </li>
<li>To see your <em>future</em> lives, look at your present <em>mind</em>.</li>
</ul>

<p>The closest I can find now from a teacher or text is a quote from Philip Kapleau's <em>Three Pillars of Zen</em>...</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Thus our present life and circumstances are the products of our past
  thoughts and actions, and in the same way our deeds in this life will
  fashion our future mode of existence.” (p. 408)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>... which is close -- "life and circumstances" vs "body and environment" and "deeds" vs "mind"-- but not quite. If anybody can supply a pointer to the body/environment/mind version, I'd be grateful.</p>

<reference-request><karma><mind><past-lives><future>
Reference wanted for "To see your past karma, look at your present body (and environment)...."
# Reference wanted for "To see your past karma, look at your present body (and environment)...."

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-21)

This is a reference request, not a doctrine question. I recall seeing a quote from a Buddhist text or teacher roughly to this effect...

* To see your *past* karma, look at your present *body* (and
  environment).
* To see your *future* lives, look at your present *mind*.

The closest I can find now from a teacher or text is a quote from Philip Kapleau's *Three Pillars of Zen*...

> Thus our present life and circumstances are the products of our past
> thoughts and actions, and in the same way our deeds in this life will
> fashion our future mode of existence.” (p. 408)

... which is close -- "life and circumstances" vs "body and environment" and "deeds" vs "mind"-- but not quite. If anybody can supply a pointer to the body/environment/mind version, I'd be grateful.

**Tags:** reference-request, karma, mind, past-lives, future


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2018-04-22. Score: 4

Found it... mostly --
[Tweet](https://twitter.com/dalailama/status/13479592959) by H.H. The Dalai Lama, May 6, 2010...

> If you wonder what you were doing in the past, look at your body; to know what will happen to you in the future, look at your mind.

3149 retweets -- so that's probably where I saw it. As for adding environment to body, that's probably my interpolation, since the material circumstances of one's present life are clearly karmic, according to Buddhadharma.

It's probably impossible to trace this to a single origin, however, as it seems to be all over the place in various versions, including from sources other than Buddhists.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-06-19. Score: 3

“If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present” (“The Opening of the Eyes,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 279).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Nice! Looks like Nichiren is right in synch with the Guru Rinpoche quote below.  

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