What is Karma ?

[kentuck]

Is it the same as God? Or is it simply a like reaction to another action? Where does it come from? And why? It seems that every thought and every lie has an opposite thought and a counter truth just waiting as the like response? But no one seems to know when it will happen. However, it does seem to be happening. It almost makes one believe in God...

[Rainscents]

1. What comes around... goes around?

Karma is bitch and you really have to watch out for... so, be good!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. It's basically the rule that every action has consequences.

"In Buddhist teaching, the law of karma, says only this: `for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according as its cause was skillful or unskillful.' A skillful event is one that is not accompanied by craving, resistance or delusions; an unskillful event is one that is accompanied by any one of those things. (Events are not skillful in themselves, but are so called only in virtue of the mental events that occur with them.)" http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/freenet/rootdir/menus/sigs/religion/buddhism/introduction/truths/karma2.html

[kentuck]

4. Excellent...

:)

[TomInTib]

3. Karma is a town in Iraq.

Seriously.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. Karma is a bitch, and she is my friend!

She comes back 7-fold on your ass.

:evilgrin:

[Maraya1969]

6. Here is one explanation

The Law of Karma

In Buddhist teaching, the law of karma, says only this: `for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according as its cause was skillful or unskillful.' A skillful event is one that is not accompanied by craving, resistance or delusions; an unskillful event is one that is accompanied by any one of those things. (Events are not skillful in themselves, but are so called only in virtue of the mental events that occur with them.)

Therefore, the law of Karma teaches that responsibility for unskillful actions is born by the person who commits them.

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/freenet/rootdir/menus/sigs/religion/buddhism/introduction/truths/karma2.html

In my own life I feel if I act with hostility I will attract hostility. Kind of like a bar fight. I don't know about it coming to you after time has passed. I think that if you realize your angry or fearful beliefs and try and change them you change you whole Karma.

So it is never to late to change the course of your life.

[Clarkie1]

8. What is the spinning prayer wheel saying? I'm curious. nt

[Breeze54]

10. Rethugs are losers and the Dems will take all!! n/t

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

WORKING WITH THE INVISIBLE

http://www.dharma-haven.org/keys/invisible.htm

http://www.dharma-haven.org/keys/invisible.htm#Prayer%20Wheels

A short teaching by Lama Zopa, Rinpoche:

"Just touching and turning a prayer wheel brings incredible
purification and accumulates unbelievable merit."

"One idea I have is to use them for healing. Anyone with a disease
such as AIDS or cancer, whether or not they have any understanding
of Dharma, can use the prayer wheel for meditation and healing."

-----------------

Advice on the Benefits of Prayer Wheels
Lama Zopa, Rinpocheby Lama Zopa, Rinpoche

http://www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/benefits-of-prayer-wheels.html

In Solu Kumbu all the old men and women turn prayer wheels every day.
When they are at home in the morning and in the evening before they go to bed,
they hold a mala in their left hand, a prayer wheel in their right,
and recite OM MANI PADME HUNG. And when they walk around, they constantly
turn the prayer wheel and recite OM MANI PADME HUNG.

I often used to think, "How does turning of the prayer wheel become Dharma practice?"
I had this question in my mind, simply because I was ignorant as to the benefits of
the practice. I didn't know what an important practice it is and how beneficial it is
in terms of purification. Just touching and turning a prayer wheel brings incredible
purification and accumulates unbelievable merit.

At Lawudo I found many old manuscripts, handwritten texts by the Lawudo Lama.
The previous Lawudo Lama was called Lama (Kunsang) Yeshe and some people think
he has something to do with my life. The Lawudo Lama did not have a monastery,
but lived in retreat in a cave......

Electric Dharma Wheels: Thardo Khorlo


:shrug:

[Maraya1969]

18. Om Mani Padme Hum It is a chant. Here is an explanation

I'll try to find the place where I got the screen saver for you. PM if you want it.

http://www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/meaning-of-om-mani-padme-hung.htm

Om Mani Padme Hum

The Meaning of the Mantra
in Tibetan Buddhism


Tibetan Buddhists believe that saying the mantra (prayer), Om Mani Padme Hum, out loud or silently to oneself, invokes the powerful benevolent attention and blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion. Viewing the written form of the mantra is said to have the same effect -- it is often carved into stones, like the one pictured above, and placed where people can see them.

Spinning the written form of the mantra around in a Mani wheel (or prayer wheel) is also believed to give the same benefit as saying the mantra, and Mani wheels, small hand wheels and large wheels with millions of copies of the mantra inside, are found everywhere in the lands influenced by Tibetan Buddhism.

[Clarkie1]

29. Thank you. nt

[Duer 157099]

7. Isaac Newton believed in karma; science is based on karma

and even described a scientific law that says the same thing (3rd law of motion): every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

So, it's scientific, see?

[John Q. Citizen]

9. The concept of Karma is often misunderstood in the West to be

akin to punishment (for a "bad" deed) and reward (for a "good" deed.)

This is a misconception.

Karma is more like throwing a stone in a pond and the ripples move out from the stone through the water. It is cause and effect.

If one acts with compassion, one creates more compassion in the universe. If one acts without compassion, one creates more suffering in the universe.

However, this doesn't necessarily directly affect the actor, either way. But it might, because the actor is of course part of the universe.

That's my non-Buddhist explanation. Since I am not a Buddahist.

[Quixote1818]

15. Now thats a kind of Karma I could believe in. See my post below

nt

[demwing]

17. I suggest that this interpretation is not a misunderstanding

but simply a different understanding, based on the Hindu version of karma.

In many varieties of Hinduism, God can mitigate the effects of karma for the sake of his devotees. Also, innocent creatures (such as animals and children) do not accumulate karma, though they may be affected by karma that has been accumulated in a previous life.

The idea that karma may act as a reward/punishment system predates the Buddhist model, and is not at all a western invention.

[Rex]

11. It is

the battle between entropy and equilibrium. Do you seek a balance in nature or want to go on a rampage? Do you cheer on the obvious fatal blow or wince?

It's all in the weather. ;)

[omega minimo]

12. What isn't?

:shrug:


Karma is the way the world works. The sooner we all figure that out, the better.

:thumbsup:

[upi402]

13. action and its subsequent results

for all that you do and will do

nice notion, hope it's fact. I also hope there really IS a hell.

[Quixote1818]

14. I don't believe in Karma

It encourages people to do good only because they think something good will come back to them very much like Christianity offers heaven to those who seek Jesus. One should be willing to do good for no gain or even if you are sacrificing something. One should be willing to give up on life's comforts for principle and principle alone.

The reward of acting by principle and not for reward of good Karma, is peace of mind and inner happiness.

But if Karma works for you and helps you to be a better person, then awesome!

[demwing]

16. Based on your response

I'd say you're misunderstanding the principle of karma, or cause and effect.

What you seem to have an issue with is not karma, but karma yoga, the system of belief that encourages one to use the mechanics of karma to better one's position in life.

I can understand why you might not appreciate that system. But saying you don't believe in karma is similar to saying you don't believe in physics. Karma does not exist based on any person's belief. It simply is, and can be used, abused, ignored, or merely observed dispassionately.

Your choice.

[Vorta]

24. That drives me nuts sometimes

I try to do good and be giving, but trying to do it without pride is extremely difficult because just about the time you are being selfless, your little voice chimes in with a pat on the back or speculation of benefit.

[H2O Man]

19. Instant Karma

was a very good song.

[Meshuga]

26. Karma Police

Another good song. The tune even sounds Beatle-esque. It sorts of sounds like Sexy Sadie.

[Meshuga]

27. Karma Chameleon

I wasn't too big of a fan of Culture Club. I swear!

[cobalt1999]

20. Short answer...Karma is B.S. n/t

[kentuck]

21. B.S. is Karma..

:)

[KharmaTrain]

22. My Wife's Been Asking The Same Question For 30 Years...

But in this house we only dispense the good karma.

[rucky]

23. Ask Carson Daily. n/t

[Roark]

25. From my college days...

I recall my religion professor explaining that Karma was the concept of humanity blocking transcendence.

There was no "good" karma, only bad, and your job in life was to rid yourself of your "bad" karma (aka, karma) by doing right. Removal of Karma increases your position in the next life (tied to the caste system) and increasing your karma would result in a downslide on the social or evolutionary ladder (you come back as a cockroach). The concepts of good and bad karma are western translations of an eastern concept.

[moobu2]

28. It’s just a silly old superstition

Superstition - 1. irrational belief: an irrational but usually deep-seated belief in the magical effects of a particular action or ritual, especially in the likelihood that good or bad luck will result from performing it

Encarta

If you think about this rationally, you can easily see that it's a silly belief system, kinda like thinking that if you break a mirror, you get 7 years bad luck or spilling salt and thinking that if you don’t throw some over your shoulder, you're asking for trouble etc...



Or think about this ….What did any of the babies and young children , who are tortured raped or murdered every year, do? What did the 1,000’s of starving babies and young children who die every year in Africa do? What about all the people who are born with horrible birth defects? What did any of them do to deserve such “Karma”? Nothing at all.

Bad shit happens and we attempt to connect it with something or some action so it makes sense because of how our brains work, that‘s all it is.

[A HERETIC I AM]

30. In "The Divine Comedy" By Dante Alighieri, Karma is .....

the wind that blows in Purgatory, bring back all the evil and bad things a person did in his lifetime.

An Italian poet using an Eastern religious concept in his writing about his journey through the Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise.

[Goblinmonger]

31. If Earl can figure it out

I'm sure most people can.

[wcepler]

32. you are what you do

you are what you do -- forget about "consequences" -- karma is NOW