Do You Believe In Karma ?

[Abandon]

Is karma real or not ?

Is it compatible with Christianity?

How does it work?

[sabaijai]

Is karma real or not ?

Is it compatible with Christianity?

How does it work?

I think all religions talk about karma in some way, that is the way one's actions accrue positive or negative results. The Christian 'Golden Rule' is one way of summing it up very succinctly, as is the Thai proverb 'Do good, get good; do evil, get evil.'

The various Christian sects are divided as to how much effect good acts have on one's future, from the extreme of medieval Catholicism where good works were everything - thus the building of grand cathedrals and the sale of indulgences (forgiveness for sinful acts) by clerics - to the extreme view of foundationalist Christians today who believe that 'Christ fulfills the law', and thus good acts are irrelevant as long as you accept Jesus Christ, etc.

Likewise differing Buddhist sects are divided on how they view karma. The Suttas are not very specific about how karma (literally 'action') and vipaka (result of karma, often mistakenly called 'karma' by westerners) works. The Abhidhamma - which we know Pandit35, in his superior wisdom doesn't recognise or can't use - is quite detailed.

Theravada Buddhism - as informed by Abhidhamma - basically states that kusala citta (wholesome mental states) lead to kusala karma (wholesome/skilful action), which produces kusala vipaka (wholesome results). Meanwhile akusala citta (unwholesome or unskilful mental states) lead to akusala karma (unwholesome/unskilful action) and thus akusala vipaka (unwholesome results).

[Ajarn]

In my own life, Karma, in it's basic form, has proven itself to be a fact to me. I've come to the conclusion that there is something going on in the universe beyond my vision. I'm just too lazy to find out more, so I just keep it simple. I KNOW that when I do something bad, something bad will come back. I'm a bit less sure how the 'do good, get good' works, because the 'get good' often seems to be delayed longer than the 'get bad'..

Maybe in the next life

[Ajarn]

The human mind is such, that it can be made to believe anything.

Karma, like religion, is part of a 'belief system'.

Things 'happen' in Life, and none of them are good, evil, right, wrong or indifferent. They are just happenings. If we take all 'thinking' animals from the earth, then nothing is right or wrong, good or evil. All would simply be Nature, doing its thing.

Good, evil, right and wrong only exist in the minds of thinking animals, as thoughts/opinions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Killjoy

[Darknight]

The human mind is such, that it can be made to believe anything.

i agree

Karma, like religion, is part of a 'belief system'.

It is in your belief system , for me it's more a part of nature

Things 'happen' in Life, and none of them are good, evil, right, wrong or indifferent. They are just happenings. If we take all 'thinking' animals from the earth, then nothing is right or wrong, good or evil. All would simply be Nature, doing its thing.

Good, evil, right and wrong only exist in the minds of thinking animals, as thoughts/opinions.

I agree again. In fact Overal there's no good or bad, no right no wrong.

I would say there is only Karma..

Karma is the underlying mechanisme of Nature to allow all beings to interact with each other.

Over to sabaijai

Theravada Buddhism - as informed by Abhidhamma - basically states that kusala citta (wholesome mental states) lead to kusala karma (wholesome/skilful action), which produces kusala vipaka (wholesome results). Meanwhile akusala citta (unwholesome or unskilful mental states) lead to akusala karma (unwholesome/unskilful action) and thus akusala vipaka (unwholesome results).

I fins it a very good description and one i experienced many times. For me it does exist and even on a short term bases. In basic it's action causes reaction fundamentals.

However i would not categorize certain actions as good versus bad, as in order to experience these situations somehting "bad", might lead to "good karma" in the persons involved.

also a perceived "good" intention might lead to "bad" karma.

For me this thus also mean there's no good or no bad if you look at it in a helicopter view.

Just an endless interaction between people, animals, souls, energies, spririts, entities whatever you like to call them.

How can you get out of that endless cycle? Realize it's there and realize it's workings.

[drummer]

However i would not categorize certain actions as good versus bad, as in order to experience these situations somehting "bad", might lead to "good karma" in the persons involved.  also a perceived "good" intention might lead to "bad" karma.

Sort of like "The road to He!! is paved with good intentions? eh?

[Suthep_Steve]

What makes nature or karma so different from good, evil, right and wrong? What makes them any more real?

[Abandon]

So if I get my car stolen, is that my karma stemming from an action I made before. Is it chance?

Is it because I parked it in the wrong place?

[Heng]

Things 'happen' in Life, and none of them are good, evil, right, wrong or indifferent. They are just happenings. If we take all 'thinking' animals from the earth, then nothing is right or wrong, good or evil. All would simply be Nature, doing its thing.

And for many, karma might just be another name for nature doing it's thing. In nature, right down to each atom through physical law "every action has an equal and opposite reaction."

[Heng]

So if I get my car stolen, is that my karma stemming from an action I made before. Is it chance?

Is it because I parked it in the wrong place?

Some would go as far as to say that it could have been because one of your parents or siblings used to be a car thief.... the much dreaded "genetic" or "guilty by association" karma.

[Ajarn]

Things 'happen' in Life, and none of them are good, evil, right, wrong or indifferent. They are just happenings. If we take all 'thinking' animals from the earth, then nothing is right or wrong, good or evil. All would simply be Nature, doing its thing.

And for many, karma might just be another name for nature doing it's thing. In nature, right down to each atom through physical law "every action has an equal and opposite reaction."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, even the Scientists among us can show some faith in that..

[Darknight]

However i would not categorize certain actions as good versus bad, as in order to experience these situations somehting "bad", might lead to "good karma" in the persons involved.  also a perceived "good" intention might lead to "bad" karma.

Sort of like "The road to He!! is paved with good intentions? eh?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not really but i mean you can never be certain of which action will lead to "good" or "bad" karma.

For example: If you fire a man because his work is not up to standard even though you know that he will get a lot of personal problems because of it as he has outstanding loans etc..

DO you keep him and gain good karma?

Do you fire him and gain bad karma?

Or do you fire him and gain good karma because he is in a position now to learn from his situation that's been haunting him for years and it's what his life needs ?

I mean it's all black or white and so easely quantified.

So if I get my car stolen, is that my karma stemming from an action I made before. Is it chance?

Is it because I parked it in the wrong place?

Maybe it is because you struck it rich before and needed to learn to lose something ?

maybe your poor and have to work hard in this life , so you can start again?

Maybe you're generous enough so allow the thief to learn his karmic lesson ?

Who knows ? Only you can have a guess about it

I also think karma only manifests itself quicker if the individual has a "karmic need" for it.

The serial killer will not see the result of his actions untill much later in other lives. Whilest the buddhist monk might notice everyday small occurrences of karmic interaction because he's much more in tune to it and his "need" is bigger.

In a Karmic Sense the serial killer is not "bad" but merely at the beginning of a journey.

In a social sense of course it's unacceptable and Bad.

That's probably the reason why monks not speak out on wordly matters as they just see them as an everlasting play between individuals, The karmic wheel.

Intervention would mean taking part and joining the karmic thread again.

If you can be your own "Observer" you'll find many strange connections with others. That you can't explain logically.

What's love on first site?

Why do you love a place long before you've ever set foot there ?

How come a young child can have a talent playing Classical masterpieces at the age of 5 ?

How come you "click" with some persons and immediate want distance from others ?

[The Gentleman Scamp]

If I lie hurt somebody's feelings and somebody hurt's mine - that is what they call Karma.

If I walk around a house in the U.K. in my bare feet in the middle of the night and step on a plug with the pins up - that's bad luck.

If I only have 100baht notes when paying for a 10bht motorcycle taxi ride - that's sod's law.

But it's all nature, and it is natural of us humans to have to have something to believe in.

It is also our greatest weakness.

Probably.

[Janner]

To go back to the original question, " Do you believe in karma"?

If I didnt believe in cause and effect then would I not harbour ignorant thoughts on the teachings of Lord Buddha and the existence of samsara?

I believe most deffinitly in cause and effect , sow as you will reap. people are like mirrors I find kindness matches kindness and so on but obviously not in 100% of cases.

The correct motivation in creating + karma is essential otherwise I believe it wont be +. A good example is giving to a good cause for personal gain. The cause is good but the motivation is incorect resulting in the wrong type of required karma.

Yes in most religions you can find similar threads of ideas even with karma but not an exact view.

A good thought provoking subject....

Janner

[Nordlys]

Is karma real or not ?

Is it compatible with Christianity?

How does it work?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Isn't final judgement in Christianity about weighing of good and bad karma?

By the way whose bad karma is it when the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima/Nagasaki? Is that Harry S. Truman who signed the order? Or Robert Oppenheimer and his team who developed the bomb, or Albert Einstein who recommended FDR of nuclear weapon's program? Or is it the bombardier who pushed the button or Paul Tibbets and his crews who flew Enola Gay to Hiroshima? Or the Japanese government that delayed the acceptance of Potsdam declaration or the emperor whose life they tried to save by negotiating the unconditional surrender (during which time the bombs were dropped)? Or Japanese people themselves for allowing imperialistic, fascist ruler to come in power? Or is the bombing the result of bad karma accumulated by Japanese so Americans did not build karma out of this?

As a kid, I was taught to believe "what goes around comes around", that you commit a sin, you pay for it. And I was told by my mother as a child that whoever pushed that button will go to ######. Well if you try to be reasonable I don't think it is right to place a blame on the bombardier or the pilot. But then, whose bad karma is it that was created in this situation? 100,000 people died and no bad karma? How does a Buddhist see it?

And... can you quantify karma?

[sabaijai]

So if I get my car stolen, is that my karma stemming from an action I made before. Is it chance?

Is it because I parked it in the wrong place?

Because your kar-ma ran over somebody's dog-ma.

Just some (bad) Buddhist humour

[devildog683]

i dont know if i would say i believe in karma, maybe something not exactly by that name. i do think good gets rewarded with good in many cases in life

[sabaijai]

Over to sabaijai

QUOTE

Theravada Buddhism - as informed by Abhidhamma - basically states that kusala citta (wholesome mental states) lead to kusala karma (wholesome/skilful action), which produces kusala vipaka (wholesome results). Meanwhile akusala citta (unwholesome or unskilful mental states) lead to akusala karma (unwholesome/unskilful action) and thus akusala vipaka (unwholesome results).

I fins it a very good description and one i experienced many times. For me it does exist and even on a short term bases. In basic it's action causes reaction fundamentals.

However i would not categorize certain actions as good versus bad, as in order to experience these situations somehting "bad", might lead to "good karma" in the persons involved.

also a perceived "good" intention might lead to "bad" karma.

Darknight, note I said kusala or akusala, not good or bad. Skilful/wholesome/kusala leads towards the fruit of the path, while unskilful/unwholesome/akusala leads away from the fruit of the path. So it's not a matter of good and evil or accruing merit, it's a matter of following the path to nibbana, simply put.

Intent carries the main content of karma, so identical actions with differing intents yield differing results. A lot of people seem to have difficulty grasping this notion.

Ravisher, everything we believe or act on forms part of a belief system, whether we consciously build it or not. Does your nihilism (stuff just happens, it doesn't mean anything) extend to physics as well? Are the laws of physics just mental constructs? You could test this by taking a step off the roof of the highest nearby building. In Buddhism the workings of karma can be seen as a subtler form of physics.

Nihilism

There's an earlier, lengthy thread on the topic of karma in this forum branch which you'll find if you search for 'karma'.

[Darknight]

Darknight, note I said kusala or akusala, not good or bad. Skilful/wholesome/kusala leads towards the fruit of the path, while unskilful/unwholesome/akusala leads away from the fruit of the path. So it's not a matter of good and evil or accruing merit, it's a matter of following the path to nibbana, simply put.

Intent carries the main content of karma, so identical actions with differing intents yield differing results. A lot of people seem to have difficulty grasping this notion.

Kinda what i was trying to say as well it's just that most western people seem to simplify it to good or bad. I also agree that intention is the prime factor even without action it can and does lead to karmic results.

But i would like to make a sidenote as well on this.

It's not because you consiously think your intentions are good (like giving advice to change somebody's mind for example in a carreer)

That when your intentions subconsiously are triggered by previous karmic events, you might well subconsiously try to hurt that person (thus giving the onset of further karmic dealings)

Although you think you're doing it for the best , it's quite the opposite.

The only solution to this problem is to stand outside yourself and start to witness yourself. Slowly Karmic interactions become more clear in relationships and other matters. You become more aware. The more aware you are, the more Skilfull versus unskilfull your actions become

Although "letting things go" is mostly more apropriate then Acting at all.

[ThaiPauly]

So if I get my car stolen, is that my karma stemming from an action I made before. Is it chance?

Is it because I parked it in the wrong place?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It could well be positive Karma for you Pandit if the brakes failed after the theif had stolen it.!

Bad Karma for the theif

was it meant to be?

[camerata]

There seem to be a lot of different opinions about the nature of karma and how it works, as there are about rebirth. In fact, I don't see how anyone can believe in karma without believing in rebirth too. But if the fruits of our present actions are to appear in future lives, and there is no continuous self-identity between lives, what is the motivation for acting out good karma in the present life? If "I" fall into a lower realm because of my actions, why should I care? since it won't be "me" who suffers!

Since the sutras are a bit vague about karma, I've often wondered if the Buddha offered this system primarily for public consumption. As a "moral law of cause and effect" - as it's often called - it's very neat really. Together with the equally fuzzy idea of rebirth, it seems to conveniently provide what Buddhism otherwise would lack (but other religions push) - consolation after death for the hard life of the present.

I think that practising dharma works fine as a means to the cessation of suffering and fear of death, the two things that drive most religious endeavour, without any reference to karma or rebirth. And the Buddha constantly exhorted his disciples to try to attain nirvana in this life. But without karma/rebirth, it all becomes a big gamble. One could spend half a lifetime giving up wordly pleasures and suffering on the path to nirvana and never make it. Pretty depressing, really. But with an infinite number of lifetimes to try it, the picture suddenly becomes much brighter.

As an aside, I rather like Ajarn Chah's comment on this: "There are two kinds of suffering, the kind that leads to more suffering and the kind that leads to nirvana."

I have read comments by Theravada monks that the truth of karma becomes apparent with meditation, and also that the truth of rebirth becomes evident when one experiences past lives during the higher jhanas of meditation. In other words, this is something that is beyond conceptual thinking but can be "proven" to ourselves by experience.

But it's tempting to think that if we go beyond conceptual thought, the wisdom that arises must to a large extent be based on our past experience. So perhaps the Buddha's own attained wisdom relating to karma and rebirth was strongly influenced by the prevailing Hindu attitudes at the time. Perhaps another "awakened one" in another time, with no knowledge of Buddhism, would figure out the way to nirvana without karma/rebirth.

I never really got anywhere trying to compare karma to physical laws. Physical laws can be tested in experiments if we have the right equipment and it is sensitive enough. Karmic law can't really be tested - or perhaps the means of testing it is beyond conceptual thought. Anyway, how physical laws came to exist will never be known, and I guess the same applies to karma.

Is karma real? I think the question should be "Should we believe in karma?" If we aim for nirvana in this life and are tough enough not to need any after-life consolation, I don't see why belief in karma/rebirth is necessary. But this is kind of a rationalist perspective that seems to take away the spirituality of the path to nirvana. And, on the other hand, living life as if karma is real would seem to lead in the right direction too but give us eons more time to get where we're going.

Ultimately, the most persuasive argument for accepting karma/rebirth is that the Buddha and all the arahants down through the ages believed in it. Whether it's real or not seems kind of irrelevant - as part of the mental cultivation that led to their enlightenment, it worked for them.

[Darknight]

From Sabaijai's link to nihillism

When we abandon illusions, life is revealed as nothing; and for the existentialists, nothingness is the source of not only absolute freedom but also existential horror and emotional anguish. Nothingness reveals each individual as an isolated being "thrown" into an alien and unresponsive universe, barred forever from knowing why yet required to invent meaning.

Make it

"When we abandon illusions, life is revealed as nothing; and for the existentialists, nothingness is the source of not only absolute freedom but also existential and eternal extasy"

And it would describe nibbana

[camerata]

Although "letting things go" is mostly more apropriate then Acting at all.

I've always thought that Thais seem to prefer to let things be rather than act and risk bad karma. I remember a case of a baby elephant that got hit by a truck and severely wounded a couple of years ago. It took quite a while to die. According to farang who wrote letters to the Bangkok Post, it should have been put out of its misery because it was obviously suffering so much and going to die anyway. The Thai attitude (from the vets treating it) seemed to be that this was a result of the animal's karma and they shouldn't interfere, and of course that killing it would be bad karma for them.

[Darknight]

There seem to be a lot of different opinions about the nature of karma and how it works, as there are about rebirth. In fact, I don't see how anyone can believe in karma without believing in rebirth too. But if the fruits of our present actions are to appear in future lives, and there is no continuous self-identity between lives, what is the motivation for acting out good karma in the present life? If "I" fall into a lower realm because of my actions, why should I care? since it won't be "me" who suffers!

True observation indeed, but the "ME" or "I" wil gradually learn that the "IT" or "transcending entity part" does in someway survives, get's reborn, relearns, dies etc..

The "Me" will develop a more consious mind after so many times. The "Me" will slowly start ot remember. You go through the wheel of karma and rebirth so many times untill you start to notice and start to act differently out of an "inner knowing"

Since the sutras are a bit vague about karma, I've often wondered if the Buddha offered this system primarily for public consumption. As a "moral law of cause and effect" - as it's often called - it's very neat really. Together with the equally fuzzy idea of rebirth, it seems to conveniently provide what Buddhism otherwise would lack (but other religions push) - consolation after death for the hard life of the present.

For me it's no consolation at all. It's added responsibility, it's clearing up the past.

I think that practising dharma works fine as a means to the cessation of suffering and fear of death, the two things that drive most religious endeavour, without any reference to karma or rebirth. And the Buddha constantly exhorted his disciples to try to attain nirvana in this life. But without karma/rebirth, it all becomes a big gamble. One could spend half a lifetime giving up wordly pleasures and suffering on the path to nirvana and never make it. Pretty depressing, really. But with an infinite number of lifetimes to try it, the picture suddenly becomes much brighter.

Or more pssimistic if you realize you've spent so many already , and have so many more to go depends on your view point.

As an aside, I rather like Ajarn Chah's comment on this: "There are two kinds of suffering, the kind that leads to more suffering and the kind that leads to nirvana." 

I have read comments by Theravada monks that the truth of karma becomes apparent with meditation, and also that the truth of rebirth becomes evident when one experiences past lives during the higher jhanas of meditation. In other words, this is something that is beyond conceptual thinking but can be "proven" to ourselves by experience.

Indeed and only by experience. YOu can have some insights other then through meditation , it's not the only way, but only the experience can change or widen your perception.

I experienced a large karmic bond with a ex-relationship to the point of knowing stuff that couldn't logically be known. Experiencing past and present lives mixed to confusion. Dealing with past things rather then present ones. Unfortunatly we couldn't work it out yet again this time.

I won't comment on actual stories as for most readers this would be to far out there, but it was a very weird, wonderfull and stressing 3 years.

But it's tempting to think that if we go beyond conceptual thought, the wisdom that arises must to a large extent be based on our past experience. So perhaps the Buddha's own attained wisdom relating to karma and rebirth was strongly influenced by the prevailing Hindu attitudes at the time. Perhaps another "awakened one" in another time, with no knowledge of Buddhism, would figure out the way to nirvana without karma/rebirth.

Maybe , but i can only speak for myself. I have had this "knowledge" i'm writing here since i was a young child. i was completely thought an opposite religion which i investigated but found non-complete at the age of 11. I can only explain the inner knowledge was already there. The translation maybe has improved over the years, i've had added experiences that raised the bar to put it as such, but the seed was there already. I have no formal scholarship, i've not studied extensively the scriptures and also not intend to do that yet. You as audience however can tell me in how much you find yourself in my writings and maybe explain why i've known this??

I never really got anywhere trying to compare karma to physical laws. Physical laws can be tested in experiments if we have the right equipment and it is sensitive enough. Karmic law can't really be tested - or perhaps the means of testing it is beyond conceptual thought. Anyway, how physical laws came to exist will never be known, and I guess the same applies to karma

.

Many more natural / physical / spiritual laws exists in this plain of existence. But they are so fine in perception, that only higher perception can envision them. Karma is such a law. Can it be proven? NO. does it exist? For Me ,Yes.

Science can't prove it yet.

"Science is like sifting out a grain of sand with a large hammer"

Is karma real? I think the question should be "Should we believe in karma?" If we aim for nirvana in this life and are tough enough not to need any after-life consolation, I don't see why belief in karma/rebirth is necessary. But this is kind of a rationalist perspective that seems to take away the spirituality of the path to nirvana. And, on the other hand, living life as if karma is real would seem to lead in the right direction too but give us eons more time to get where we're going.

It doesn't need to be a belief, you can wait for the time it will be a "Known".

When, Why, How, at what time, this life, next life, Is actually totally irrelevant. Once upon a time...

Ultimately, the most persuasive argument for accepting karma/rebirth is that the Buddha and all the arahants down through the ages believed in it. Whether it's real or not seems kind of irrelevant - as part of the mental cultivation that led to their enlightenment, it worked for them.

Enlightenment can only occur when your Physical / Mental / Spiritual body is ready for it. The instant release of this knowledge , energy and compassion would actually destroy your self. Meditation is a slow process to get used to these things, i suppose rebirth could be viewed in the same manner

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Darknight]

Although "letting things go" is mostly more apropriate then Acting at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've always thought that Thais seem to prefer to let things be rather than act and risk bad karma. I remember a case of a baby elephant that got hit by a truck and severely wounded a couple of years ago. It took quite a while to die. According to farang who wrote letters to the Bangkok Post, it should have been put out of its misery because it was obviously suffering so much and going to die anyway. The Thai attitude (from the vets treating it) seemed to be that this was a result of the animal's karma and they shouldn't interfere, and of course that killing it would be bad karma for them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can understand the reasoning behind it ,but it was not really what i meant. more a "letting go" instead of a trying to convince others.

For the elephant the skillfull action in my view would have been here to join the animal in it's suffering and relieve it through whatever means neccesary. This would need to be done in connection with the animal and thusfore would not add "bad" karma.

[camerata]

For me it's no consolation at all. It's added responsibility, it's clearing up the past.

I meant that for most people there is a consolation in knowing that after a life of suffering, they'll be rewarded in a Christian heaven or by moving up to a higher Buddhist realm. Correspondingly, there's a consolation in knowing that the people who caused the suffering (the Hitlers, Stalins, criminals, etc) will get their just desserts. In other words, most people like the idea that some kind of cosmic justice is at work.

[Or more pssimistic if you realize you've spent so many already , and have so many more to go    depends on your view point.

Sure. I think this depends very much on our own situation. I haven't had much suffering in this life, so I'm ready for more. My GF, on the other hand, says this life is enough and should be the last.

Many more natural / physical / spiritual laws exists in this plain of existence. But they are so fine in perception, that only higher perception can envision them. Karma is such a law. Can it be proven? NO. does it exist?  For Me ,Yes.

Science can't prove it yet.

If science could prove that karma is real, I wonder if it would change people's behaviour much? I think most of us would still follow the dictates of our ego and do what we enjoy doing in the here-and-now. This is what happens in Mozart's opera, Don Giovanni. When Don Giovanni is finally confronted by a ghost who gives him the choice of repenting his wicked ways or going to he11, he prefers eternal damnation to going against his own nature.

It doesn't need to be a belief, you can wait for the time it will be a "Known".

When, Why, How, at what time, this life, next life, Is actually totally irrelevant.

Well, OK, but if you have to wait a long time there's a certain amount of faith required in the meantime.

Edited April 27, 2005 by camerata

[sabaijai]

You can observe the laws of karma and rebirth without believing in reincarnation (transmigration of souls from one existence to another), when rebirth is seen - as it is written about in the Tipitaka - as a moment-to-moment process.

The multiplicity of ideas about karma, good and evil and their relation to Buddhism reminds me of a famous A.K. Coomaraswamy quote: "Buddhism is most famous today for everything it originally was not."

[Popeyethesailorman]

so how's this? True story. A woman at a party got hit over the head with a beer bottle. While at the hospital in surgery, they dicover she has a malignancy and she is operated on and her life is saved. She later sues the basher and wins. The basher goes to jail. Does the basher get good Karma or bad? .

[Darknight]

so how's this? True story. A woman at a party got hit over the head with a beer bottle. While at the hospital in surgery, they dicover she has a malignancy and she is operated on and her life is saved. She later sues the basher and wins. The basher goes to jail. Does the basher get good Karma or bad? .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Both bad,

De woman for sueing him after the facts. if she would have deeper insight she might have realised she needed to be put in the hospital for her to get saved.

The basher for indeed having the intent to hurt and not realising their intertwined karma. Which maybe can be turned to good by realizing it when he's in jail

Karma can be solved in an instant by realizing the current process and acting skilfully.

If the basher would have been enlightened (or maybe he was ) he would have acted with a complete concious notion, accepted the outcome of the court ,pleaded guilty, meditated in jail and would have been happy that he was able to solve their communal karma. In that way it would have been good for the basher

Simply put

a thought provokes an action, an action provokes a reaction.

Skifull/wholesome thoughts will provoke Skifull/wholesome actions which in turn provoke Skifull/wholesome reactions.

[Boon Mee]

Is karma real or not ?

Is it compatible with Christianity?

How does it work?

It's REAL

Totally compatible. "Do unto others..."?

Works when you're sleeping and when you're awake!

Edited April 29, 2005 by Boon Mee