Author Topic: A question of karma  (Read 13712 times)

Offline violet

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #15 on: November 22, 2013, 08:02:59 PM »
it is interesting to compare karma with Newtons Third Law of Motion - every action has an equal and opposite reaction.  Especially when you understand that karma is actually a sanskrit word meaning 'action'...

Wonderful.

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Offline GaryTheDemon

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #16 on: November 22, 2013, 09:58:42 PM »
Newton's laws are of course flawed and so would be a comparison to some extent but it can be a useful starting point :)

If you cannot love, then at least don't hate.
If you cannot help, then at least don't hurt.



Offline Simon2

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #17 on: November 29, 2013, 12:42:42 PM »
Gary, just wondering if your concept that if you are not hurt as much by someomes actions then they will not suffer as much.

I would rather look at the "intent" that the other person had in doing you harm.
The fact that you were able to diminish that harm, does not in my view, reduce the level of karma that they should suffer in return.

They did not, by any action of their own reduce the harm on you, but rather you, yourself, were able to reduce / diminish the impact.
To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue;

These five are gravity, generosity of (the) soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.
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Offline Torey

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #18 on: November 29, 2013, 01:49:48 PM »
I wholly respect that others may believe in Karma, but for myself personally I do not believe in it.  I believe in cause-and-effect and perhaps there may be some manner of energetic repercussions for certain actions, but I do not believe in Karma as a complete machine for doling out "good" and "evil" based on the "goodness" or "evilness" of our actions.  I realise that the concept is far more involved than this black-and-white description, but I simply do not believe in it.

As far as the Threefold Law, I do believe that it was influenced by the concept of Karma.  I also, not surprisingly, do not believe in the Threefold Law - but again respect if others do.

Offline Roma

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #19 on: November 29, 2013, 04:00:54 PM »
I believe karma is about learning. More how a teacher would organize lessons rather than any form of mathematical 'punishment' or 'reward' system  :)

Offline GaryTheDemon

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #20 on: November 29, 2013, 08:01:34 PM »
Here's something I penned earlier today (but couldn't type in at the time)...

Intent is a big part of it, true.
 
There is a concept in Buddhism regarding karma which seemed to fit my view J
 
When you intend to cause harm (for example) there is the intention and the result.
 
The intention is part of the forming of the result (the karmic fruit) which will ultimately ripen for the harmER.
The other part is whether or not the result was successful.  In Buddhist terms, this concerns whether a karma is ‘complete’ or ‘incomplete’.  If incomplete then it means that the results of the action will be less.
 
Looking at it very simply, whether or not you are hurt by someone is dependent on:
 
a)      Their karma
b)      Your karma
 
If you don’t have the karma to be hurt then you cannot be.
If you do have the karma to be hurt, then you CAN be.
 
A world of assassins cannot harm you if you do not have the appropriate karma.
A world of butterflies will smother you if you DO have the appropriate karma.
 
But between such extremes there is mitigation (using some positive karma to address negative – e.g. taking medicine when sick for example).
 
There is also what I personally call ‘postman karma’ where our karmic relationship with someone is not necessarily negative but they deliver some pretty nasty packages to us due to the fruiting of karma from other relationships.  This might well be the case with random killings as an extreme example.  If someone does something to you – possibly oblivious to actually doing it and certainly without ill intent – then they might be ‘postmen’.  The risk is that by responding to them, it creates a karmic relationship that then is ongoing.  Like accidentally being punched by someone who slips… they you punch them back.  So they kick you.  So you head butt them …. And so on, life after life.
 
Buddhism also teaches us that we cannot often change the things that happen to us but we can change our response to them.  This is one of the reasons why.  Because it enables the cycle of karmic relationships to end.  It breaks the chain.  But from a boddhisatva perspective, it can also render their karma ‘incomplete’ which means they will suffer less.  It’s a joint benefit:  by suffering less, we – err – suffer less!  And they suffer less.  And future encounters will be less likely to result in pain and/or suffering for either.
 
The whole point of complete versus incomplete karma is that we may ‘wish’ for an outcome but that is not the same thing as achieving it.  Just as achieving something is not the same as wishing for it.  The latter is kind of like being postman.  The former is like incomplete karma.
 
If you believed that pressing a red button would destroy the universe and you pressed it and it did – the amount of negative karma would be unimaginable.  But if you believed it and pressed it and nothing happened, the effect would be far less on you from a karmic perspective.
 
So I believe that reducing the amount you suffer from things is a great idea.  Not only because by reducing that suffering you suffer less (!) but also because it can render others’ karma INCOMPLETE and thus they will suffer less.  This in turn will mean less negative interactions in future.  In fact, your desire to reduce their suffering – while possibly effecting little or no change in this life – can quite dramatically change future encounters.  You might end up being lovers for example because you have helped create a positive karmic relationship where previously there was none (postman) or negative…
 

If you cannot love, then at least don't hate.
If you cannot help, then at least don't hurt.



Offline GaryTheDemon

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #21 on: November 30, 2013, 08:16:19 PM »
There is also something I would call 'karma karma' LOL.  It controls how and when karma fruits.  That's why we don't get it all at once. 

If you cannot love, then at least don't hate.
If you cannot help, then at least don't hurt.



Offline Simon2

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #22 on: December 03, 2013, 11:27:20 AM »
Gary, I liked your last two posts and think you explained your position very well, particularly in respect of the "Principles of Buddhism".

Great work, as usual. LOL
To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue;

These five are gravity, generosity of (the) soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.
(Confucius)

Offline MsChief

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #23 on: December 03, 2013, 11:29:23 PM »
LOL OMG please don't tell me karma doesn't exist, I have a nasty ex I was hoping karma would take care of.

Seriously . . . I see karma as the universe balancing that person's/soul's . . . . ?  Experiences?  Lessons?  Not sure what you would call it.  The universe is being the judge and jury.

Then again, I am not saying because most of my deeds in this life time have been for the good, that I am expecting to be rewarded (. . . . but it would be nice every now and again ;)).  I am also not saying "hehehe I can be a naughty girl next time" to balance the scales either. 

I actually rely heavily on karma.  I don't need any more grey hairs, ulcers or stress, so I leave a lot of things up to karma.  I don't wish harm to anyone, but I do hope that they are taught a lesson of sorts.

I totally believe (and want to believe) that "every dog has it's day".
It's not just spooks that hide in closets . . . . .  this  medium does  too.

Offline GaryTheDemon

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #24 on: December 04, 2013, 12:35:53 AM »
I can only really see three possibilities (enlighten me do if there are more LOL).

1. Karma exists
2. God exists and punishes/rewards people
3. You can do anything you like to anyone you like without any consequences.

I must say I am more in favour of 1. than 2. and definitely don't think I could cope with 3.  But that's me.

If you cannot love, then at least don't hate.
If you cannot help, then at least don't hurt.



Offline Christine

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #25 on: December 04, 2013, 09:26:30 PM »
Hm. I do see too much of number 3. I look for karma to be delivered yet I wait and wait.
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Offline GaryTheDemon

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #26 on: December 04, 2013, 09:31:17 PM »
The biggest complaint against karma that I have (which is pointless LOL) is that it takes too long.  I'd rather it was immediate but it can take years - or lives - to come to fruition. 

If you cannot love, then at least don't hate.
If you cannot help, then at least don't hurt.



Offline Simon2

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #27 on: December 10, 2013, 04:57:24 PM »
I thought the quote below may help some understand:

“it is impossible to build one's own happiness on the unhappiness of others. This perspective is at the heart of Buddhist teachings.”
― Daisaku Ikeda
To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue;

These five are gravity, generosity of (the) soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.
(Confucius)

Offline Colleen

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Re: A question of karma
« Reply #28 on: December 11, 2013, 10:46:47 AM »
Excellent quote Simon.
Stop the torture. Stop Yulin. Become the voice of animals who cannot talk.

 


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