Kamma is complicated and is beyond our comprehension

Question:  My daughter is currently on medication for bi-polar disorder. I would like to know in terms of karma, what have I done wrong?

Than Ajahn:  Kamma is complicated and is beyond our comprehension. So just accept the fact that this is your kamma. Whatever kamma you have, it is complicated. You don’t know what you did today, how can you know what did you do two years ago? Everything that you did in the past contributed to what you are today. That’s all you have to know.

Question:  *How to help my daughter who always has health problem and need to go through pains*. She is only 4 years old this year but has gone through 2 surgeries. I know the duty as laypeople is to follow five precepts closely daily. I also recite Buddhaguna chant and make monthly donation. However, it seems that it does not help my daughter much. Can you please advise how to help my daughter?

Than Ajahn:  Actually the problem is not with your daughter, the problem is with you. You suffer when you see your daughter suffers. So first of all, you have to deal with your problem that you must not suffer seeing your daughter suffers. In order for you not to suffer you have to look at kamma.

The Buddha said that people are what they are because of their past kamma, so if your daughter is suffering, it is due to her own past kamma which causes her having to face this consequence and there is nothing you can do about it except doing whatever you can like sending her to see the doctors or go to hospital. But you don’t know whether she suffers or not, maybe she doesn’t suffer. If she is a Sotapanna, she doesn’t feel any pain, she won’t suffer. So the problem is not your daughter, the problem is you, you suffer seeing your daughter suffers and you don’t want her to suffer.

If you want to get rid of your suffering then you must not want her not to suffer, you have to leave it to her own kamma. If she has good kamma, she only suffers the pain of the body but not her mind. Her mind may be peaceful and calm. There is nothing you help her because this is the consequence of her past kamma.

You can solve your own problem by accepting that this is the work of kamma and there is nothing you can do about it except things related to her physical parts like sending her to doctors, but whether she will get well or not, it is up to the doctors or the treatment. You don’t know whether she suffers or not because her mind might not suffer if she has Dhamma, she might be able to let go of the painful feeling. There is nothing you can do regarding her sickness, but what you can do is something regarding yourself, you don’t have to suffer with her by accepting that this is the consequences of her past kamma and try to do the best for her. The chanting and monthly donation you do is more for yourself rather than for her.

By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto