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Post by Lady Anastasia on Jun 16, 2007 19:03:09 GMT -5
Basics of Buddhism - Karma Like other religions, Buddhism has a strong moral dimension. It advocates acting in ways that are helpful to oneself and others whilst at the same time advising against actions that lead to one's own suffering or the suffering of others. Underpinning this moral dimension is the concept of karma or kamma. Kamma literally means 'action' and refers to the process by which our moral actions have consequences for us in the future. Put simply, our good deeds lead to happy states; our bad deeds lead to unhappy ones. The word 'deed' here refers not to just physical actions but words and thoughts too. Indeed, the mind is the source of all our deeds, whether good or evil: 'Mind foreruns conditions, mind is chief, mind-made are they'. Thus, 'if one speaks or acts with wicked mind, because of that, pain pursues him'. Similarly, 'if one speaks or acts with pure mind, because of that happiness follows him'. At its core, therefore, Buddhism has a sense of moral justice, though there is no overseeing arbiter or judge, and no judgement day as such. It might be better to see the process of karma as a natural phenomenon. If you look after a fruit tree carefully, pruning it at the right time and feeding it appropriately, good fruit ensues. If you fail to look after it properly then it will not bear fruit or the fruit will be sparse. In short, we reap the rewards of what we do that is wholesome, and suffer for what we do that is unwholesome. One crucial aspect of the Buddhist teaching on karma is intention. In Buddhism, harming living creatures is seen as morally wrong but this does not mean that if you step on an ant by accident that you are morally culpable. Intention is everything, (though even good intentions have to be handled with intelligence and skilfulness). To fully appreciate the Buddha's teaching on karma, it has to be linked to the teaching on rebirth. The consequences of our actions can be fairly immediate but often they are not. They can occur in this life or future lives, maturing when the right conditions are in place. The teaching on karma can influence the moral choices we make in life, knowing that whatever short-term benefits we might gain from doing something morally wrong we will inevitably have to pay the consequences. Like borrowing money from a bank, it has to be paid back at some stage in the future. On the other hand, we know that any good deeds are do will have benefits for us in the future. It is here, however, that we need to be careful. The most beneficial actions have their source in a selfless heart - if we do good deeds merely because we hope to gain something in the future, the motivation is impure. Linked to good moral action should be a spontaneous desire to help others without any thought of how we, as individuals, might benefit. buddhism.about.com/cs/ethics/a/BasicsKarma.htm
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Post by Lady Anastasia on Jun 16, 2007 19:03:42 GMT -5
Kamma
Mind foreruns all evil conditions...mind-made are they; if one speaks or acts with wicked mind...pain pursues him...
Mind foreruns all good conditions...mind-made are they; if one speaks or acts with pure mind..happiness follows him...
-The Dhammapada
Kamma (Pali) or Karma (Sanskrit) literally means 'action' and refers to the Buddhist teaching on the moral consequences of our actions - including thoughts, words and deeds. At its most simple, the teaching on kamma says that good or wholesome action leads to happy states; bad or unwholesome action leads to unhappy states. Key to all this, however, is the word 'intention'. If an action isn't intentional then there are no kammic consequences.
For example, if you deliberately run down someone because you hate them then this would be seen as a bad deed and you would in the short or long term suffer the consequences of your action. However, if you're driving a long and someone runs in front of your car, that is not your fault - your intention wasn't to hurt that person - so consequently, there will be no adverse kammic consequences.
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Post by Lady Anastasia on Jun 16, 2007 19:04:13 GMT -5
Defining Good and Bad Unfortunately, it's not always easy in life to define good and bad, wholesome or kusala action and unwholesome action (akusla) . Fortunately, Buddhism does offer some useful criteria. Good can be defined as what benefits yourself and/or others; bad is what brings harm to yourself and/or others. If you' re a drug dealer no doubt in the short term there are material benefits; however, this rests on the terrible suffering of others and so therefore cannot be a good act. To give medicine to those who are sick obviously brings happiness and does no harm to you as an individual. Therefore it is seen as a good act. Many times in life there are ethical choices to be made which are not always quite so straightforward but applying this formula can be very helpful. Reap What You Sow The results of your actions can be experienced almost in this this life and in future lives. In Buddhism, therefore, it is impossible - except by reaching nibbana - to escape the consequences of your actions. This teaches us that we are the ones who are ultimately responsible for our own destinies. It means the opposite to being controlled by forces outside ourselves. Our present condition is a result of what we did in the past. If we want to change the present or the future then we have to use our will - our ability to choose. In Buddhism, there is no God to punish us for our misdemeanors or reward us for our acts of virtue. In day to day activity, the thought of kamma is excellent for making you think before you act. If I do this, what will be the consequences for myself and for others? If I do that, what suffering or joy will I bring to others? It tells us that we can't lie, steal, cheat, kill and so on without ultimately paying the consequences. The law may not catch us but the law of kamma will! buddhism.about.com/library/weekly/aa072502a.htm
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Post by Lady Anastasia on Jun 16, 2007 19:04:43 GMT -5
Action, Cause and Result The Four Ordinary Foundations In The Torch of Certainty, written by the nineteenth century Tibetan scholar Jamgon Kongtrul, the author describes 'the Four Ordinary Foundations' which are designed to move the individual to religious reflection and then action. The first of these 'ordinary foundations' is to meditate upon the precious human rebirth. The second of these is impermanence. The third is 'action' or the law of kamma or karma. Kamma is the law of moral causation, good deeds lead to happy states, bad deeds to unhappy ones. The source of suffering in life is the bad or unwholesome deeds we have committed. Such deeds stem from greed, hatred or delusion or, as they are described in The Torch of Certainty, 'mental darkness, attachment and aversion'. Collectively, these are also known as the three poisons. The sources of happiness in life are the opposite of these three - wisdom, non-attachment and non-aversion. It should be noted, however, that ultimate happiness cannot be found simply by doing good deeds. Enlightenment is also about the experiential understanding of the true nature of existence which comes through meditation. The Torch of Certainty identifies ten unwholesome actions and ten wholesome actions. Amongst the unwholesome actions are consciously taking the life of another being, stealing, inappropriate sexual behaviour, false speech, coveting what others have, rejoicing in the unhappiness of others, and holding perverse views such as denying that the law of kamma exists. Wholesome actions include saving lives, giving food and money to others, speaking truthfully, patching up quarrels, being happy about the good fortune of others, and having faith in the Buddha's teachings. Karmic consequences only apply to intentional acts - treading on an insect by accident for example would be classed as an unfortunate rather than an unwholesome act. The consequence of committing unwholesome acts is rebirth in one of the lower realms of samsara, such as a hell being or an animal. The consequence of performing wholesome actions is to be reborn as a human being or as a heavenly being. Specific benefits are listed such as a ling life, a pleasing form, and a noble birth. The process is simple: 'when you plant buckwheat, you get buckwheat, when you plant barley, you get barley'. Good moral behaviour, therefore, is seen here and in Buddhism more generally as a pre-requisite for spiritual progress. However, it is also something that should go hand in hand with meditation through which ultimate realization is made possible. buddhism.about.com/cs/vajrayana/a/Action.htm
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Post by Lady Anastasia on Jun 16, 2007 19:05:07 GMT -5
Heirs to Your Deeds
The Law of Kamma Revisited
We don't have to look around too far to see that people are born into a variety of conditions. Some are born into wealth, others into poverty; some are born ugly, others handsome; some have high positions in society others low; some have robust health, some are sickly; some stupid, some wise. The Buddha was once asked why this should be so. His answer was much more precise than we might have expected.
First of all he outlines that those who kill livings beings are reborn in 'a state of deprivation', which may be a hell world depending on the extent of the offence. Those who cause harm to living beings- using their own hand or weapon - are also likely to be reborn in a state of deprivation too, but if they are reborn as a human being it is likely that that person will be sickly. The converse of this is that non-harm leads to a 'happy' destinations and a healthy life.
A person who displays a great deal of irritation and ill-will, who is given to hatred and anger and responds badly to criticism, is likely be reborn ugly. In contrast, a person who displays few or none of these negative characteristics is likely to be reborn beautiful. A person who envies others' 'gains, honor, respect, reverence, salutations, and veneration received by others' will have no bearing or influence on others; as above, the converse is true.
A person who does not give to others (in this case 'recluses and brahmins' - holy men in short) is likely to be reborn into a state of deprivation and poverty. A person who gives willingly, however, is likely to be reborn into wealth. A person who shows respect to superiors worthy of respect will be reborn into a superior position in society, whereas someone who shows no respect will be destined to a low birth. Those who do not ask brahmins and recluses questions about what actions are wholesome and what actions are not are- understandably perhaps - likely to be born unintelligent; those who are born wise have asked the right questions and acted accordingly.
These examples show the law of kamma or karma in action. The key passage is this: 'Beings are owners of their actions; they originate from their actions, are bound to their actions, have their actions as their refuge'.
This teaching causes us to reflect on two things - our current position in this life and the consequences of our actions. What we are today has been conditioned by what we have done in the past. It is no use blaming others for what we are - our choices have been the most inflluential factor. On the other hand, if our life is miserable, then we still have a degree of autonomy - wholesome actions now will lead to beneficial states. It also suggests that if we have a pleasant life now we should not be complacent but continue to act wisely and well.
Having said all this, whatever someone's status, high or low, ugly or beautiful or somewhere in between, Buddhism teaches that we are all bound to suffering unless we do something about it. At no point should there be an attitude that we should be indifferent to each other's misfortune because 'we have brought it on ourselves'. This may explain misfortune but should not be a reason for ignoring it.
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