The moral order of the universe is sustained through the systematic connection between cause and effect in the world of values. If the law of karma were subject to any relaxation, reversals, or exceptions, and if it were not strictly applicable in the domain of values, there would be no moral order in the universe. Human existence would be precarious from the standpoint of the attainment of values. In a universe without moral order, human endeavor would be perpetually fraught with doubt and uncertainty. There cannot be any serious pursuit of values if there is no assured connection between means and ends, or if the law of karma can be set aside. The inflexibility of the law of karma is a condition for significant human action, which would be utterly impossible if the law of karma could be safely ignored or flouted.
-Discourses 7th Ed., p332