Has Anyone Been Expending Substantial Khamma In This Lifetime?

[rockyysdt]

Looking back over my life, from early childhood onwards, I've suffered considerable psychological pain in my lifetime.

I think I must have perpetrated quite a lot of pain and suffering to others in previous re births to have generated such bad khamma.

Insignificant when you compare it to the suffering of others in the world, non the less it's impacted greatly on the quality of my life.

I suppose the suffering we pay due to accumulated khamma can either propel us into further negative behavior or to fashion us into being better people.

I suspect that my suffering has helped me to to develop my empathy & care for the plight of others.

Has anyone else been experiencing the fruits of past negative khamma?

Looking back at your suffering, do you think it has helped shape your life for the better?

[Capealava]

I believe if one has compassion and empathy for others you suffer. You feel-no escape. Essential humanity. So is it good Karma or bad karma that brought suffering into your life. If past karma brought you suffering and you react to this suffering in a good way-then it is good karma

[phetaroi]

I believe if one has compassion and empathy for others you suffer. You feel-no escape. Essential humanity. So is it good Karma or bad karma that brought suffering into your life. If past karma brought you suffering and you react to this suffering in a good way-then it is good karma

Interesting and I agree. Most of us want to avoid suffering, but I have said before that personally I think some suffering is...hmmm...worthwhile.

[sabaijai]

I don't think 'expending' is a good choice of words. Whatever kamma you perform, there will be vipaka (the result of kamma). Kusala kamma begets kusala vipaka, akusala kamma begets akusala vipaka. You can't do anything about past kamma, the vipaka is unavoidable. But you can work towards more kusala kamma in the present.

[proto]

 

I suppose the suffering we pay due to accumulated khamma can either propel us into further negative behavior or to fashion us into being better people. I suspect that my suffering has helped me to to develop my empathy & care for the plight of others. Has anyone else been experiencing the fruits of past negative khamma?

I feel it the opposite way around. Well, none of my various business adventures ever succeeded, but nevertheless - my life has been an easy one. Never had any real financial problems. Well, I were homeless and lived in the bushes of a park of my hometown for a while, but didn't feel that like suffering - more like an adventure. Now, at the age of 59, I am a bit worried. I've had all the opportunities, one could possibly wish for regarding living a life with no other responsibilities than practice related and no worries about money or any other kind of problems related to physical survival. Although, I've had my periods over the years, where I did do practice (guided by Vedanta and Yoga teachers) - I realize I didn't put in enough effort to pay off the good karma I must previously have had accumulated as to be able to live that easy and effortless.

However, about two years ago I thought that I had chest pains, suggesting lung cancer, and thus I had to get on accords with the chance that even ***I*** might seize to exist. This turned my attention to Buddhist literature and I've been practicing walking and sitting meditation on a regular basis since then. Haven't visited a doctor regarding the chest pains, but they are mainly gone and seem to reappear only when I've done a lot of computer work and no physical exercise for a couple of days. So, although I now don't feel the time of my death to be anyway near, I am now very devoted to an (almost) daily practice - not because of accumulated bad karma, but rather because of hitherto wasted good karma. --- I feel that if I do not strive to take advantage of the apparent good position regarding practicing, earlier accumulated good karma has given me, ***I*** most likely would have to next lifetime deal with the survival struggles of a Zimbabwean peasant, a Myanmar Karen, or someone else in similar situations where the struggle for bare survival by no means leaves luxury time for practice or mindfulness - (if not worse).

Edited May 14, 2010 by proto

[IMA_FARANG]

Ah, karma.

That seems to be the big sticking point with many people. Now I know I am a different "Buddhist" than many. I won't debate the point.

But my question is: "Why do you (or anyone who is a Buddhist) make so much of "karma"?"

If you are walking down a street, looking for a certain address, and suddenly you realise you have gone past the place you wanted to go; what do you do? Well, you turn around and go in the right direction,don't you?

So if you think you are generating "bad karma", what do you do?

You turn around and go in the opposite direction. You do those things that generate "good karma".

Isn't that clear? It's not rocket science as they say.

So stop worrying about "karma". Live your life so as to generate good karms.

Let the karma scorekeeper (if there is such a thing), take care of the "score" for you.

What could be simpler?

Just my humble opinion....for what it is worth.

Anyway, if you have another 10,000 rebirths to do for your past karma....what of it?

If at the end you find nirbanna or enlightenment...what have you lost? Not one thing, I would say.

As the saying goes, "In the end the very grass and the rocks themselves will shout enlightenment."

[phetaroi]

Ah, karma.

That seems to be the big sticking point with many people. Now I know I am a different "Buddhist" than many. I won't debate the point.

But my question is: "Why do you (or anyone who is a Buddhist) make so much of "karma"?"

If you are walking down a street, looking for a certain address, and suddenly you realise you have gone past the place you wanted to go; what do you do? Well, you turn around and go in the right direction,don't you?

So if you think you are generating "bad karma", what do you do?

You turn around and go in the opposite direction. You do those things that generate "good karma".

Isn't that clear? It's not rocket science as they say.

So stop worrying about "karma". Live your life so as to generate good karms.

Let the karma scorekeeper (if there is such a thing), take care of the "score" for you.

What could be simpler?

Just my humble opinion....for what it is worth.

Anyway, if you have another 10,000 rebirths to do for your past karma....what of it?

If at the end you find nirbanna or enlightenment...what have you lost? Not one thing, I would say.

As the saying goes, "In the end the very grass and the rocks themselves will shout enlightenment."

Interesting post, IMA.

I don't perceive that many Buddhists question that there is karma. I think the question is more an intellectual one -- what is the mechanism? This idea that "nothing" operates karma makes no sense to me at all, because I see no parallel in our own lives. I am even more at a loss at understanding how or even why (unless we assume it's because life is inherently unfair) that karma can extend beyond the current lifetime; what's the purpose?

And many might say, but why is all that important? To me the answer is because until we can truly understand the mechanism of karma, then I do not believe we can validate ALL of Buddha's teaching until we, as individuals, "pass".

I've talked about the karma thing with a dozen Buddhists that are far more knowledgeable than I. And to sum up there long-winded explanations in one phrase -- "Well, it just is." That is no different than the Christian who justifies things by saying, "Well, God works in mysterious ways."

But in the end, I think you're correct. Whether or not we understand the mechanism or not, we can choose to "do the right thing" just because it's right.

[sabaijai]

If you're in Thailand, phetaroi, I highly recommend this session to find out more about how kamma (possibly) works:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Upcoming-Wor...-T-t362912.html

[phetaroi]

If you're in Thailand, phetaroi, I highly recommend this session to find out more about how kamma (possibly) works:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Upcoming-Wor...-T-t362912.html

Thank you. But, after living here for a year, I am thinking of hanging it up and returning to Thailand. No final decision yet, but this is not the Thailand I remember and loved. I am not convinced that Thailand offers even a modicum of personal safety, and I think a serious social line may have been crossed during the current crisis.

But I will keep reading, because whether or in Thailand or in the States, I will continue to pursue an interest in Buddhsim.

[rockyysdt]

I don't think 'expending' is a good choice of words. Whatever kamma you perform, there will be vipaka (the result of kamma). Kusala kamma begets kusala vipaka, akusala kamma begets akusala vipaka. You can't do anything about past kamma, the vipaka is unavoidable. But you can work towards more kusala kamma in the present.

So rather than expending it, you're saying that we must suffer (akusala) or benefit (kusala) the consequence and result of a past volitional action (vipaka)?

When akusala vipaka occurs aren't we expending as it eventually depletes, unless of course we engage in further negative action?

[sabaijai]

I don't think 'expending' is a good choice of words. Whatever kamma you perform, there will be vipaka (the result of kamma). Kusala kamma begets kusala vipaka, akusala kamma begets akusala vipaka. You can't do anything about past kamma, the vipaka is unavoidable. But you can work towards more kusala kamma in the present.

So rather than expending it, you're saying that we must suffer (akusala) or benefit (kusala) the consequence and result of a past volitional action (vipaka)?

When akusala vipaka occurs aren't we expending as it eventually depletes, unless of course we engage in further negative action?

I think I see what you're saying. You're suggesting that once vipaka comes around, the associated kamma is finished, right? But actually it was finished when it arose and fell. Only the vipaka left to experience, and since it's unavoidable it may not be very useful (if possible at all) to focus on what might have caused the akusala vipaka. In fact you would have a hard time distinguishing akusala vipaka from simple bad luck, I suppose (I don't know that, I'm stretching).

If you're suggesting the vipaka needs to be expended, then that makes sense. Even after the Buddha was enlightened, it is said, he experienced vipaka. And so will you and I, unavoidable but post-enlightenment we won't care as much - just more phenomena arising and falling, instead of "Woe is me, I must have been a bad person, I must have performed bad kamma, to reap all this akusala vipaka."

In fact what seems like akusala vipaka might be something good, in terms of a lesson or an opportunity to develop sati.

[lungmi]

I believe if one has compassion and empathy for others you suffer. You feel-no escape. Essential humanity. So is it good Karma or bad karma that brought suffering into your life. If past karma brought you suffering and you react to this suffering in a good way-then it is good karma

Here you have a link to the best explanation I know of the law of kamma. Study it, you will find a lot of answers.

http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/good_evil_beyond.pdf

[Ijustwannateach]

Are there models for how karma works that do not involve reincarnation, assuming that I buy into Buddhism at a psychological level while remaining somewhat agnostic on the question of 'multiple lives'?