Karma and reincarnation

[RedDragon94]

How does one experience Karma? Is it a daily thing or is it carried over from past lives?

For example, let's say that I walk into a store and give a needy individual money then when I get home my Dad gives me money as an early birthday present. Is that the way karma works? Is that your experience? Can you give me an example of this?

If karma is based upon the actions of a past life are you aware of the reason why good or bad things happen to you? Are you aware of the actions you have taken in your past life and how they affect you now?

 

[LuisDantas]

How does one experience Karma? Is it a daily thing or is it carried over from past lives?

Both. But you should not assume that "past lives" have much or any relation to your specific person or your identity.

There are those who think that they do, but others (myself included) find such a notion difficult to reconcile with the basic Buddhist doctrine.

For example, let's say that I walk into a store and give a needy individual money then when I get home my Dad gives me money as an early birthday present. Is that the way karma works?

Not really, unless you have a very unusual Dad.

Is that your experience? Can you give me an example of this?

Karma is absolutely common and mundane. It is not magical retribution. A good example is that of making a point of remembering people's names and greeting them. That tends to cause an overall friendlier environment than what you would otherwise have.

If karma is based upon the actions of a past life are you aware of the reason why good or bad things happen to you? Are you aware of the actions you have taken in your past life and how they affect you now?

I don't really believe such a way of thinking makes much sense or is very useful. But if you want to go there, past lives (not yours, of course, but those of our precursors) have made a point of ending slavery, and that led to good things to us all when it comes to social treatment.

 

[RedDragon94]

Karma is absolutely common and mundane. It is not magical retribution. A good example is that of making a point of remembering people's names and greeting them.

So, it's more of an immediate and ethical than it is supernatural?

 

[LuisDantas]

Far as I know, it is not at all supernatural.

 

[RedDragon94]

Far as I know, it is not at all supernatural.

Is this the opinion of all Buddhists?

 

[shivsomashekhar]

How does one experience Karma? Is it a daily thing or is it carried over from past lives?

For example, let's say that I walk into a store and give a needy individual money then when I get home my Dad gives me money as an early birthday present. Is that the way karma works? Is that your experience? Can you give me an example of this?

If Karma is based upon the actions of a past life are you aware of the reason why good or bad things happen to you? Are you aware of the actions you have taken in your past life and how they affect you now?

It depends on how you define Karma. Karma is based on the concept of cause/effect. Plant a mango seed, you get a mango tree (if all goes well). Eat bad, it impacts your health adversely. Don't do well in school; lower the chances of a decent career.

Religion takes this concept and expands on it to span multiple life times - so they can explain birth defects and the like. Many also see it as a justice system, so they do not feel cheated. It works both ways - to dissuade one from negative inclinations and also to provide comfort to those who feel wronged by someone.

 

[RedDragon94]

It depends on how you define Karma. Karma is based on the concept of cause/effect. Plant a mango seed, you get a mango tree (if all goes well). Eat bad, it impacts your health adversely. Don't do well in school; lower the chances of a decent career.

Religion takes this concept and expands on it to span multiple life times - so they can explain birth defects and the like. Many also see it as a justice system, so they do not feel cheated. It works both ways - to dissuade one from negative inclinations and also to provide comfort to those who feel wronged by someone.

I get the feeling that Buddhism has a lot to do with training your mind a certain way.

 

[LuisDantas]

Is this the opinion of all Buddhists?

Of course not, but it is a very orthodox reading far as I can tell.

There is a lot of fantasy being passed around as Buddhism.

Hindus might have a more supernatural reading of Karma, though.

Also, let me point out that Karma does build up along generations, and causes quite a lot of impact.

You just should not think of it as being personal. In Buddhism personal identity is basically accidental and ephemeral.

 

[LuisDantas]

Religion takes this concept and expands on it to span multiple life times - so they can explain birth defects and the like. Many also see it as a justice system, so they do not feel cheated. It works both ways - to dissuade one from negative inclinations and also to provide comfort to those who feel wronged by someone.

I don't think that fits with Buddhism, though. It sounds like a new age/spiritist reinterpretation of Karma.

 

[LuisDantas]

I get the feeling that Buddhism has a lot to do with training your mind a certain way.

Definitely. The basic techniques of Buddhist meditation are all about training one's mind to be well aware of things and at peace at the same time, so that wise choices can be made.

 

[George-ananda]

My understanding is that there are different types of karma; some might play out in this life and some may play out in a future life.

However I don't give karma much thought. I can't change the past. I can only try to live well now through whatever good/bad events.

 

[crossfire]

How does one experience Karma? Is it a daily thing or is it carried over from past lives?

For example, let's say that I walk into a store and give a needy individual money then when I get home my Dad gives me money as an early birthday present. Is that the way karma works? Is that your experience? Can you give me an example of this?

If karma is based upon the actions of a past life are you aware of the reason why good or bad things happen to you? Are you aware of the actions you have taken in your past life and how they affect you now?

If you are interested in what Buddha said in the suttas, here you go:
Nibbedhika Sutta: Penetrative

Spoiler: sutta quote

"'Kamma should be known. The cause by which kamma comes into play should be known. The diversity in kamma should be known. The result of kamma should be known. The cessation of kamma should be known. The path of practice for the cessation of kamma should be known.' Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said?

"Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, & intellect.

"And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play? Contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play.

"And what is the diversity in kamma? There is kamma to be experienced in hell, kamma to be experienced in the realm of common animals, kamma to be experienced in the realm of the hungry shades, kamma to be experienced in the human world, kamma to be experienced in the world of the devas. This is called the diversity in kamma.

"And what is the result of kamma? The result of kamma is of three sorts, I tell you: that which arises right here & now, that which arises later [in this lifetime], and that which arises following that. This is called the result of kamma.

"And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma.

"Now when a disciple of the noble ones discerns kamma in this way, the cause by which kamma comes into play in this way, the diversity of kamma in this way, the result of kamma in this way, the cessation of kamma in this way, & the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma in this way, then he discerns this penetrative holy life as the cessation of kamma.

 

[RedDragon94]

If you are interested in what Buddha said in the suttas, here you go:
Nibbedhika Sutta: Penetrative

Spoiler: sutta quote

"'Kamma should be known. The cause by which kamma comes into play should be known. The diversity in kamma should be known. The result of kamma should be known. The cessation of kamma should be known. The path of practice for the cessation of kamma should be known.' Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said?

"Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, & intellect.

"And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play? Contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play.

"And what is the diversity in kamma? There is kamma to be experienced in hell, kamma to be experienced in the realm of common animals, kamma to be experienced in the realm of the hungry shades, kamma to be experienced in the human world, kamma to be experienced in the world of the devas. This is called the diversity in kamma.

"And what is the result of kamma? The result of kamma is of three sorts, I tell you: that which arises right here & now, that which arises later [in this lifetime], and that which arises following that. This is called the result of kamma.

"And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma.

"Now when a disciple of the noble ones discerns kamma in this way, the cause by which kamma comes into play in this way, the diversity of kamma in this way, the result of kamma in this way, the cessation of kamma in this way, & the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma in this way, then he discerns this penetrative holy life as the cessation of kamma.

Thank You.

 

[Darkstorn]

How does one experience Karma? Is it a daily thing or is it carried over from past lives?

People do get confused about this: So i'll explain. Karma is different between Buddhism and Hinduism, and even Jainism. The Buddhist view is that karma is merely the natural order of things: That nothing comes from itself and that everything happens due to cause and effect.

I.E: If you drop a rock, it falls. That's karma in its most basic level: It's not about doing good or evil things.

For example, let's say that I walk into a store and give a needy individual money then when I get home my Dad gives me money as an early birthday present. Is that the way karma works? Is that your experience? Can you give me an example of this?

That's how it works in Hinduism: You do good deeds, then there's a reward... I don't want to insults Hindus but... It's basically magic.

In Buddhism, it's more like, if you give a needy individual money, he or she MIGHT repay the favor. Or he or she might not: That's not the point. You don't do good deeds expecting a reward: You do them because it eases the suffering of those around you. And that's it. No reward.

If karma is based upon the actions of a past life are you aware of the reason why good or bad things happen to you? Are you aware of the actions you have taken in your past life and how they affect you now?

Again this is more to do with Hinduism BUT since karma is essentially "nature" in Buddhism; It does apply to previous lives. Just... You won't ever get rewarded for good deeds DUE to karma. Or punished for bad. But if you play your cards right; You can deduct what happens of certain actions... Actually that is the point:

One with "developed" sense of karma would see a MULTITUDE of possible outcomes from an action... And adjust the action to "point" the karma the right way essentially.

TLDR: Karma = Natural order, and in fact, it is basically the same thing as when phycisists say that everything happens due to cause and effect.

 

[RedDragon94]

People do get confused about this: So i'll explain. Karma is different between Buddhism and Hinduism, and even Jainism. The Buddhist view is that karma is merely the natural order of things: That nothing comes from itself and that everything happens due to cause and effect.

I.E: If you drop a rock, it falls. That's karma in its most basic level: It's not about doing good or evil things.



That's how it works in Hinduism: You do good deeds, then there's a reward... I don't want to insults Hindus but... It's basically magic.

In Buddhism, it's more like, if you give a needy individual money, he or she MIGHT repay the favor. Or he or she might not: That's not the point. You don't do good deeds expecting a reward: You do them because it eases the suffering of those around you. And that's it. No reward.



Again this is more to do with Hinduism BUT since karma is essentially "nature" in Buddhism; It does apply to previous lives. Just... You won't ever get rewarded for good deeds DUE to karma. Or punished for bad. But if you play your cards right; You can deduct what happens of certain actions... Actually that is the point:

One with "developed" sense of karma would see a MULTITUDE of possible outcomes from an action... And adjust the action to "point" the karma the right way essentially.

TLDR: Karma = Natural order, and in fact, it is basically the same thing as when phycisists say that everything happens due to cause and effect.

Thanks, that really sorts it out for me.

 

[aoji]

Nibbedhika Sutta: Penetrative

he discerns this penetrative holy life as the cessation of kamma.​

Not everyone is willing to see this life as holy, nor that one will work out past life karmas in the present life.

In Hinduism, karma is of three kinds:
Prarabadha Karma
This karma is unchangeable within the scope of one life, since it is the 'setup' for the life in question. It is the karma of one's past lives. After death, the atma leaves the body, as the casting off of old vestments, and carries with it the samskaras (impressions) of the past life of thoughts and actions and events. These samskaras manifest themselves in the unchangeable situation into which one is born and certain key events in one's life. These include one's time of death (seen as governed by an allotment from birth of the total number of one's breaths for that life), one's economic status, one's family (or lack of family), one's body type and look: essentially, the setting of one's birth, the initial base.
Samchita Karma
The samskaras that one inherits from the last lives create one's personality, inclinations, talents, the things that make up one's persona. One's likings, abilities, attitudes and inclinations are based on the thoughts and actions of past lives. One's samchita karma is somewhat alterable through practice and effort towards change. This might be seen through the Hindu system of yoga and the dynamic of the gunas. An example would be someone who, through meditation, slowly evolved into a more stable personality.
Agami Karma
Agami karma is the karma of the present life over which the soul has complete control. Through it one creates one's karma in the present for the future of the current life and in life-times to come.
The Hindu cannot say, sometimes, if a major event in life is the doing of Prarabadha or Agami Karma. The idea of "bad things happening to good people" is seen by the Hindu as a result of Prarabadha Karma, more simply understood as karma from a past life.
In Hinduism, karma works within a cyclical framework that sees the phenomenal universe being created and eventually dissolving back into itself, back into realization that it was nothing other than Maya imposed on the truth of Brahman. So Karma will eventually be worked out.
Karma does allow for anirudh (Divine Grace). Through exceeding devotion and love of God, the Hindu believes one can be helped to speed through Karma phal (Karmic fruit). By developing 'vairagya' or 'detachment' from the fruits of one's karma, as Lord Krishna most famously summarized, one can transcend karma and be liberated. One is aided by love of God. All the Yogas of Hinduism seek to transcend karma through different means of realization.

Buddhism
In Buddhism, only intentional actions are karmic "acts of will". Often misunderstood in the West as "cause and effect", in actuality, Karma literally means "action" - often indicating intent or cause. Accompanying this usually is a separate tenet called Vipaka, meaning result or effect. The re-action or effect can itself also influence an action, and in this way, the chain of causation continues ad infinitum. When Buddhists talk about karma, they are normally referring to karma that is 'tainted' with ignorance - karma that continues to ensure that the being remains in the everlasting cycle of samsara.
This samsaric karma comes in two 'flavours' - good karma, which leads to high rebirth (as a deva, asura, or human), and bad karma which leads to low rebirth (as a hell-sufferer, as a preta, or as an animal).

There is also a completely different type of karma that is neither good nor bad, but liberating. This karma allows for the individual to break the endless cycle of rebirth, and thereby leave samsara permanently.

This seems to imply that one does not need to act in a good manner. But the Buddhist sutras explain that in order to generate liberating karma, we must first develop incredibly powerful concentration. This concentration is akin to the states of mind required to be reborn in the Deva realm, and in itself depends upon a very deep training in ethical self-discipline.

This differentiation between good karma and liberating karma has been used by some scholars to argue that the development of Tantra depended upon Buddhist ideas and philosophies.

Understanding the universal law of Karma provides order to a beginningless and endless universe. Alongside this view is the related notion of Buddhist rebirth - sometimes understood to be the same thing as reincarnation - which has its roots in the principle of Karma.

http://www.thenazareneway.com/karma.htm

Although many Asian concepts of karma are fatalistic, the early Buddhist concept was not fatalistic at all.

... instead of promoting resigned powerlessness, the early Buddhist notion of karma focused on the liberating potential of what the mind is doing with every moment. Who you are — what you come from — is not anywhere near as important as the mind's motives for what it is doing right now.

This belief that one's dignity is measured, not by one's past, but by one's present actions, flew right in the face of the Indian traditions of caste-based hierarchies, and explains why early Buddhists had such a field day poking fun at the pretensions and mythology of the brahmans. As the Buddha pointed out, a brahman could be a superior person not because he came out of a brahman womb, but only if he acted with truly skillful intentions.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/karma.html

 

[kalyan]

Karma is something you do...whatever piece of work you do it is karma...Right now, I am typing this post, this activity is 1 karma...Based on the ideology with one does a karma or an activity a thing called karmic bondage develops...Its called KARMA BANDHANAM in sanskrit....(knots of karma binding you)....The Karma itself is not of 3 kinds as said earlier each activity is a karma, but the karma stores is what I say are maintained in 3 baskets...one is sanchita, prarabdha and Agami .

Sanchita---the one that was already sown and the karmic fruits already grown but still these have not acted on the jIva/atma/I...so these all go into a stock called sanchita karmas....Imagine a big big basket....Sri Krushna, the swayam bhagavan says in BhagawadGita that sanchita karma is like a vast sea and each droplet he takes from that huge sea and that karma is bestowed to a jIva and he is given a body to evaporate in the present body....so that tiny droplet makes ur current body and as long as you have that sea of karmas you will be rotating through the cycles of life and death...Imagine that how scary.......So back on topic, that tiny droplet is called prarabdha karma, the tiny droplet karma...lets say that the lifted tiny dropet contains information that you have wasted knowledge that was given in human birth...so based on that information Sri Krushna gives a birth equivalent of stone where you cant express knowledge or when you died in previous birth atleast thinking that I should have done something good, then because of that thought Sri Krushna will give a birth or place into a body which can do good work.....Next is agami karma, the seeds that you have sowed, but the fruits have not come yet...the future karmas lets say....these all karmas act on the jIva continuously in whatever activity we do...So how do we stop these karmic records from overriding you each and every moment...? SRI Krushna gives a solution...when one does any karma as a service to Sri Krushna himself, rejecting the 3 dangerous notions of 'I did this', 'These are mine', 'These are for me', then one slowly burns off sanchita karmas vast sea because practically everything belongs to Sri Krushna alone.....when only all these 3 kinds of karmic storage burns then only 1 can attain moksham or liberation...Remember nothing belongs to you as it is Sri Krushna's property, remember this or with any logic if you cant keep things on Krushna, place the feeling of I on the nature, just dont keep it on yourself...very difficult thing to do but so is moksham...this topic is very heavy and for more reference u need to refer BG or vedam.

Adiyen Chinna Jeeyar Swamy daasa.
Hare Krushna

 

[Rick O'Shez]

In Buddhism, it's more like, if you give a needy individual money, he or she MIGHT repay the favor. Or he or she might not: That's not the point. You don't do good deeds expecting a reward: You do them because it eases the suffering of those around you. And that's it. No reward.

Hmm. The suttas are full of references to beings reappearing in different realms according to their actions, ie kamma.

Here's an example:

"Here, student, some woman or man is a killer of living beings, murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings. Due to having performed and completed such kammas, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell. If, on the dissolution of the body, after death, instead of his reappearing in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell, he comes to the human state, he is short-lived wherever he is reborn. This is the way that leads to short life, that is to say, to be a killer of living beings, murderous, bloody-handed, given to blows and violence, merciless to living beings."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.135.nymo.html

 

[Rick O'Shez]

How does one experience Karma? Is it a daily thing or is it carried over from past lives?

In the Buddhist suttas the effects of kamma are experienced both in this life and future lives. See the sutta quote in post #12.

The point is that one's actions always have consequences.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

That's how it works in Hinduism: You do good deeds, then there's a reward... I don't want to insults Hindus but... It's basically magic.

If you read what the Buddhist suttas say about kamma and rebirth it really isn't all that different. To put it crudely, Buddhist rebirth = Hindu reincarnation minus the atman.