佛本行論曰：「佛閔世人，慎勿造因。因緣生相，是為元因。遠因結遠果，近因結近果，善因結善果，惡因結惡果，無量因結無量果，歷劫消受。」按元因今作原因。
原因 The original or fundamental cause which produces phenomena, e. g. karma, reincarnation, etc.; every cause has its fruit or consequences. The idea of cause and effect is a necessary condition of antecedent and consequence; it includes such relations as interaction, correlation, interdependence, co-ordination based on an intrinsic necessity.
一元因 又作原因。謂事物因之而生成者。自佛教之基本教理觀之，「因」與「緣」乃萬事萬物所藉以生成、存在、變化之一切條件。廣義言之，「緣」亦稱「因」，兩者並稱為「因緣」或以「因」統稱之，表示能引起作用、產生結果之原因，此即通常所謂遠因結遠果，近因結近果，善因結善果，惡因結惡果，無量因結無量果，歷劫而不爽之說法；此亦佛教因果論之一般觀點。p1603