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There are a few misunderstanding by American Buddhists around here about the concept of karma and rebirth. I say rebirth because that is closer to what it means in Hinduism, which is the primary religion that has this concept of the cosmic force of karma that attaches to the jiva, the sentient being, and is the cause of the birth and death cycle of samsara, the world of names and forms, pain and suffering.
Karma is not a punishment, it is what we endure as a result of our action. Actions in particular that are committed with intention, say Madoff, who took money from people on promise of returns and made off with it, and lied, all for greed. That will accrue one kind of karma, and yes there are varieties of karma. In his next birth he may get cheated by someone and lose all his money. That would be his karma paying dividends.
May be you killed an ant by stepping on it without knowing. That too is karma, but does not carry much weight.
You stop your car in the rain, get down, and give a 10 dollar bill to a homeless person taking shelter. That is also karma. That will cancel your bad karma. So it is double entry book keeping here. If you are Buddha, you will have no karma as he had totally renounced the world, all his attachments, desires and cravings.
Now. If you open CD and read a post that is a nuisance directed at you, you react in turn. that bad bad feeling this causes in you? is due to bad karma, may be the ant you stepped on. So now you have to endures this pesky post, that which the Cosmos delivered to you: a pest and his pesty post.
You are presuming that it's some sort of cosmic justice system. I see it more as cause and effect. And I didn't get that from "Western Buddhism".
Let me make something clear. I have never been to an 'American Buddhist temple'. Not even once. My temple experiences have all been at Thai Theravada temples*. Even the 3 temples in America that I have been to are run by Thai Theravada monks and Thai Theravada abbots, and are directly connected to specific Thai temples in Thailand. They serve the Thai community that live here; 95% or more of their lay people are Thais, with an occasional American thrown into the mix. Similarly, the vast majority of books, pamphlets, or other publications I have read were written by Thai monks, often clumsily translated, but by Theravadan Thais.
Personally, I look at 'Western Buddhism' as 'pop Buddhism'. Which is fine. If one gets good stuff from pop Buddhism, so be it. But I'm not into it.
What I do notice is that you tend to lump all of Buddhism together. A Theravadan Thai temple is totally different than a Zen Buddhist temple in Japan...than a Mahayana Buddhist temple in Vietnam, than a Buddhist temple in Tibet. To learn how diverse the Buddhist world is, you might want to review https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism
* A few of my students who were Buddhist did invite me to their temples. They were Burmese and the temples were run by Burmese monks and abbots, not Americans. And their laity were almost entirely Burmese and other Asian. Not Americans.
So go ahead and attach any label you wish on me, which is just one more example of how wrong you often are.
I beg to differ.
Word karma itself means "doing", "acting".
It is not what is normally understood, as some sort of aftereffects, resulting from one's behavior.
It is - actual - act of living, acting, doing whatever in the physical world. It is not just act via physical actions. It is, also, seeding unholy thoughts.
What karma results IN, is Destiny.
Now, THAT is what gets you down the road, through many existences.
I beg to differ.
Word karma itself means "doing", "acting".
It is not what is normally understood, as some sort of aftereffects, resulting from one's behavior.
It is - actual - act of living, acting, doing whatever in the physical world. It is not just act via physical actions. It is, also, seeding unholy thoughts.
What karma results IN, is Destiny.
Now, THAT is what gets you down the road, through many existences.
You mean it is one’s DESTINY to endure pesky posts from pests? Because of karma.
I wonder then what the DESTINY of the pest is who delivers the posts. Would it have any relation to the seeding of unholy thoughts?
Interesting angles there, Ukroz.
Here is the the Sanskrit Dictionary with sanskrit and english. https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/transla...h=karma&dir=se
I personally wouldn't relate negativity with spirituality even though we can have negative experiences when discussing the topic. Ukrkoz's post is pretty close to how I would view karma.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ukrkoz
I beg to differ.
Word karma itself means "doing", "acting".
It is not what is normally understood, as some sort of aftereffects, resulting from one's behavior.
It is - actual - act of living, acting, doing whatever in the physical world. It is not just act via physical actions. It is, also, seeding unholy thoughts.
What karma results IN, is Destiny.
Now, THAT is what gets you down the road, through many existences.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cb2008
You mean it is one’s DESTINY to endure pesky posts from pests? Because of karma.
I wonder then what the DESTINY of the pest is who delivers the posts. Would it have any relation to the seeding of unholy thoughts?
Interesting angles there, Ukroz.
Here is the the Sanskrit Dictionary with sanskrit and english. https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/transla...h=karma&dir=se
One of the things I accept is not having an idea fully fleshed out when I post here. I run the risk of others pointing out the downsides of my ideas and I am okay with that. The main reason for this is because this is normal interaction for most people. What might be unsettling is how they say it. Sometimes they have a negative tone and it is done on purpose. Other times, we perceive a more negative tone because when they respond to posters who we perceive to be their "friends", their posts are more carefully worded.
I personally wouldn't relate negativity with spirituality even though we can have negative experiences when discussing the topic. Ukrkoz's post is pretty close to how I would view karma.
One of the things I accept is not having an idea fully fleshed out when I post here. I run the risk of others pointing out the downsides of my ideas and I am okay with that. The main reason for this is because this is normal interaction for most people. What might be unsettling is how they say it. Sometimes they have a negative tone and it is done on purpose. Other times, we perceive a more negative tone because when they respond to posters who we perceive to be their "friends", their posts are more carefully worded.
I have no problems with posts that sincerely engage, fully formed thoughts or otherwise.Moderator cut: Off-topic
I believe spirituality has everything to do with creating and receiving positive energy, and also, as importantly, avoiding negative energy. Both Buddhism and Hinduism lay emphasis on sangha, the company you keep. This does not mean echo chamber, but recognizing dialog and discussion that promotes mutual growth, recognizing the divinity within mutually, and avoiding empty quarrel. Discourses in Vedanta often begin with such a prayer.
Last edited by Mightyqueen801; 05-05-2022 at 07:25 PM..
Reason: Off-topic portion removed
Karma as a cosmic force manifests in our tendencies that lead us to specific goals. In Sanskrit it is called Vasana, that which resides. This is the effect of karma, which Ukrokoz calls destiny. By observing a code of conduct, such as the 8 fold path, one can discharge the vasanas, and create positive karma, modify our detiny.
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