Karma
Discuss in brief the Buddhist teaching of Karma
Introduction:
Confronting unfortunate or unfair things in our lives, we apt to ask: “Why did it happen to me, but not to the others?” By comparing ourselves to the others, it’s not uncommon to spot something better from the others. They may have better appearance, or be wealthier or wiser than us, hence we usually complain of the unfairness that happened to us.
Unlike determinism or fatalism which advocates that everything in our world is predetermined by an unknown almighty power and our fates can never be altered, Buddhism teaches us that everything that happened to us or is happening to us is due to our own karmas, which were produced in remote or proximate past, in the current life or past lives, by our own actions and volitions. This implies that our futures also depend on our present deeds. In other words, there is nothing else but ourselves who are controlling our own “fates”.
In this essay, I will discuss the concept of karma in Buddhist teaching, including its definition, the mechanism behind it et cetera. In addition, I will also comment on the teaching of karma, and discuss how it influences and changes my life, and lastly talk about my anticipation of this doctrine.
Definition and fruition of karma: Karma is a mental force produced by every deed conducted by us, verbally, mentally or physically. In simple words, whenever we are conscious, we are in most cases creating our own karmas because every word we speak and everything we do including sleeping or breathing is carried out with our volitions, or desires to attain something. For example, we breathe because we desire to survive. On the other hand, when we do something unconsciously, unintentionally or involuntarily, the action does not constitute karma because the chief element composing karma, volition, is absent.
Once the karma is produced, its fruit (vipāka in Pāli ) will be reaped by the doer of karma at a certain
Introduction:
Confronting unfortunate or unfair things in our lives, we apt to ask: “Why did it happen to me, but not to the others?” By comparing ourselves to the others, it’s not uncommon to spot something better from the others. They may have better appearance, or be wealthier or wiser than us, hence we usually complain of the unfairness that happened to us.
Unlike determinism or fatalism which advocates that everything in our world is predetermined by an unknown almighty power and our fates can never be altered, Buddhism teaches us that everything that happened to us or is happening to us is due to our own karmas, which were produced in remote or proximate past, in the current life or past lives, by our own actions and volitions. This implies that our futures also depend on our present deeds. In other words, there is nothing else but ourselves who are controlling our own “fates”.
In this essay, I will discuss the concept of karma in Buddhist teaching, including its definition, the mechanism behind it et cetera. In addition, I will also comment on the teaching of karma, and discuss how it influences and changes my life, and lastly talk about my anticipation of this doctrine.
Definition and fruition of karma: Karma is a mental force produced by every deed conducted by us, verbally, mentally or physically. In simple words, whenever we are conscious, we are in most cases creating our own karmas because every word we speak and everything we do including sleeping or breathing is carried out with our volitions, or desires to attain something. For example, we breathe because we desire to survive. On the other hand, when we do something unconsciously, unintentionally or involuntarily, the action does not constitute karma because the chief element composing karma, volition, is absent.
Once the karma is produced, its fruit (vipāka in Pāli ) will be reaped by the doer of karma at a certain
References: 1. Nyanatiloka Mahāthera. “Fundamental of Buddhism: Four Lectures.” Buddhist Publication Society. 1994. 2. Leonard A. Bullen, Nina van Gorkom, , Bhikkhu Nāṇajīvako, Nyanaponika Thera, Francis Story. “Kamma And Its Fruit: Selected Essays.” Buddhist Publication Society. 1975. 3. Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. “The Theory of Karma.” Buddha Dharma Education Association. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm