KARMA-THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT
Nature of Karma: is a 'seed energy' deposited in
our mind as a result of any kind of physical, vocal and mental action.
Karma is the performing actions: positive or negative. Karma means action or deed.
Two Main Types of Karma:
1. Samsaric, which ripens in any of the 6 Realms
of existence.
2. Non-samsaric, which is free from the
possibility of ripening in any of the 3 unfortunate realms (animal being,
hungry ghost, hell)
The karma of ordinary beings is of the 1st kind
and the karma of arya/noble beings is of the 2nd.
Varieties of karma:
Virtuous, non virtuous and neutral,
Merit, demerit and unshakable,
Bright, dark and balanced
Joy, suffering and balanced
Divisions of Samsaric Karma:
1) Unskillful Karma - which results in suffering. How
is unskillful karma produced? When for instance, you feel irritated with
someone, a strong attachment to the 'I' arises and you feel that the self which
works, eats, studies and dies has true independent existence. You feel
irritated because your ignorance obscures the true nature of relative SELF and
you cling to it, as if it were self existence. This ignorance is the
basis of all afflictions.
2) Skilful karma - which is the cause of happiness. For
example if you see someone who is about to kill a bird, this provokes a feeling
of compassion. Should this compassionate intention take the form of action
through body or speech and the bird is freed, the strength of this skilful
karma is increased. The result is happiness for yourself and others.
3) Aspects of Karma:
a) Individual karma is created by 1 person and he alone will
experience the results.
b) Collective karma: is produced by a group of people &
the results are experienced by that same group in similar circumstances. It is because they have collected the same cause that when the
circumstances are present people will face the sufferings or joys.
4) Characteristics of karma/(action):
a) Karma is definite: a good and positive karma will never produce pain,
suffering and unhappiness. A bad and negative karma will never produce
happiness, enjoyment, bliss.
b) Karma multiplies rapidly: It is evident that external
seeds multiply and grow very fast in quantity if provided conducive conditions.
Karma is inner seed of pain or joy. Tiniest bad karma may multiply and
grow to huge mass of bad karma if it is not purified within time.
c) One never meets the result if one does not create the
cause: A
person will enjoy or suffer the result of karma that is only done themselves.
d) If one creates the cause, no matter how much time passes,
the result will happen when the conditions are right: A bad karma committed can be
cleared only through proper practice of purification-through standard remedial
purification practices of Dharma.
Purify Your Karma: (Karma is your own creation: good or
bad): in both cases I did it: It is important to contemplate and understand the
disadvantages of samsaric existence - of falling into 3 lower realms (animal
beings, hungry ghost, hell). As long as we are under the control of karma
and its result, there is no guarantee that our future lives will be protected.
You create your heaven and hell here: If you act according
to moral principles by upholding human dignity, you can create your own heaven
right here in this world. You can also create the hell-fire on this earth
itself if you abuse valuable human life. By helping others morally, you
help yourself and by helping yourself morally, you help others.
Key Results:
a) The fully RIPEN results: committing harmful acts
while motivated by hatred bring about birth in the hells. Committing
harmful acts out of desire leads to birth as a preta (hungry ghost) and out of
ignorance to birth as an animal. Also, strong impulse of desire, anger or
ignorance motivated with actions causes birth in the hells. Should the
impulse be less strong and the number of actions less, it causes rebirth as a
hungry ghost and if still less strong and numerous, as an animal.
(10 harmful actions to be avoided: taking life, taking
what is not given; sexual misconduct; lying; sowing discord (causing rift
between 2 people); harsh speech; worthless chatter (gossip); covetousness; wishing harm on others; wrong views)
b) Effect similar to the Cause: even when we
finally get out of the lower realm in which the fully ripened effect had caused
us to be born, and obtain a human form, we go on experiencing the effect
similar to the cause. In fact in the lower realms there are many
different kinds of suffering similar to particular causes. These effects
that are similar to the cause are of two kinds: actions similar to the cause
& experiences similar to cause. For example taking life: to have killed in
previous life makes our present life not only short but also subject to
frequent disease.
c) Actions similar to the Cause; All such tendencies
are the residue of former actions. For example if we kill before, we still like
to kill; if we stole, we enjoy taking what is not given-driven by their karmic
urges. Some enjoy doing good instead. The same is true for animals too. The
instinct of animals such as wolves to kill or mice to steal, is in each case an
effect similar to and caused by their former actions. This is why it is said:
To see what you have done before, look at what you are now.
To see where you are going to be born next, look at what you
do now.
Reliance on the Knowledge of the Buddha - (Method):
1st STEP OF TANTRA PATH (AIM OF NGONDRO/PURIFY
PRACTICE) - FOUNDATION
Aim of Ngondro practice refers to 'lay the foundation'. Only
then practice + teachings of Buddha prepare us for Sacred Path of Tantra. Profound and powerful effect a deep purification and transformation at all levels of
practitioner's being (body, speech & mind):
a) To purify our ourselves
b) Transform our mind
When we take our 1st step on the Path (Noble Eightfold
Path), after purification then we are capable of helping others. For example,
if we did not lay the foundation, its like building a palace on thin ice.
Powers of Purification:
a) The Power of Base: You created negative actions through
(body, speech, mind). You take refuge in the enlightenment beings and you
generate compassion for non-enlightenment beings.
b) The Power of Regret: If there is no
regret no repentance. To renounce evil and adopt good in whatever one
does through a detailed understanding of the effects of actions. To
confess harmful actions and downfalls, the root of all evil, through the 4
strengths using meditation and recitation on Vajrasattva.
c) The Power of Antidote: Mental action is more
important than physical.
d) The Power of Non-repeating: Promising not to
do it again.
