Oakville Zen Meditation
Karma: Sanskrit word for “ action/ volition”. Its origin is found in Indian religion and philosophy.
It defines the moral and ethical law of causality that is to say: cause is inducing effect.
More precisely:
Action ( doing) and intention (thinking) trigger or will trigger consequences accordingly.
Action and intention are interrelated meaning action >>>intention and vice versa.
Is the concept of Karma specific to Buddhism & Indian religion? No.
Since it is based on moral, ethical behavior, and proper thinking, Karma can be found in every religious tradition, and any intellectual school but under a different name.
However, and in contrast with other religions, Karma should be understood w/o the intervention of a divine entity ( God) or an external agent acting between the causal factor - me, you- and its consequential effects.
i.e. “ If you act properly, God will reward you. If you misbehave, God will punish you “
This is an important point.
Also, because of the Buddhist concept of reincarnation, Karma is predominant in this philosophy, especially in the Tibetan branch, since its effects can be transmitted from the previous life to the current and even future ones.
Is Karma irreversible?
No
One should not believe that “bad karma” or “good karma” is affecting life forever.
Bad karma can be reversed by proper behavior and positive thinking.
The opposite is also true: Good karma can also be reversed by improper behavior and negative thinking.
Is Karma limited to an individual’s action/thought?
No. We are all interconnected.
Karma may affect collectivities as well in 2 ways:
1- One individual affecting a larger community.
2- One community affects another community.
Everything is energy, including your thoughts and emotions, which are energy in motion. Because energy is never lost, everything you do and think is a form of energy that generates a corresponding effect that will come back to you.
Final words: Karma determines the future existence of an individual/collective w/o any external agent. If one believes in the law of causality, what is its practicality you may ask? It can be used to remind us to be more mindful of your thoughts, actions, and deeds before we make decisions. To believe or not in moral/ethical causality is up to each of us. THANKS, Arnaud
PS: You will read about karma if you enter “karma” in the “SEARCH” icon in the top upper corner of “DHARMA LECTURES” on our website oakvillezenmeditation.com. Several teachings about karma in various formats have been listed since 2014.
