by Shamika Soysa

Created on: September 09, 2008

Everything is not due to "Kamma"

One of the main teachings of Lord Buddha is the Law of Kamma. However, this is one of the teachings which have been taken incorrectly by many Buddhists. We used to hear many saying "Karume" to explain many of the negative incidents happen to them. This is against the teachings of Lord Buddha and Kamma does not provide explanations or excuses for all the incidents occur in ones life.

What is Kamma?

Acts by a human involves a thought process. At every instance there occurs a chitta (consciousness). These chittas occur in two ways;

1. Sahetukas (with roots)
2. Ahetukas (without roots)

There are six roots all together and they are two fold

1. Akusala Hetu
1) Lobha (attachement)
2) Dwesha (hatred)
3) Moha (delusion or ignorance)

2. Kusala Hetu
1) Alobha (non-attachment or generosity)
2) Adwesha (non-anger, goodwill or loving-kindness)
3) Amoha (knowledge)

At a particular instance when a chitta occurs caused by one or more of akusala hetu then it become an akusala chitta (Immoral consciousness) and same happens with kusala chittas (moral consciousness). Both kusala and akusala cittas constitute kamma (kusala kamma & akusala kamma). Those types of consciousness that arise as the inevitable results of these kusala and akusala cittas are called Vipaka (resultant) Cittas.

To make it simple, when you perform any act there will be whole lot of chittas occurring. They may be all kusala chittas or all akusal chittas or may be a mix. Depending on that when someone performs a volitional act based on kusala chitta he or she collects kusala kamma and based on akusala chittas, the akusala kammas. Kamma would add up to the Samsara and keep on causing the results (kamma vipaka) until the end of Samsara that is until one attains Nibbana. As long as you collect kamma you will be born for them to result. This is explained clearly in conditioned genesis (patichcha samuppada).

All what a Buddhist should understand is that if you perform any act with a good intention, there will be a good result sooner or later. If you perform any act with a bad or evil intention then there will be bad or evil result sooner or later. None other than your own act would cause results of all Karmic acts. Therefore, the Buddhist advice is to engage in good deeds as much as possible not only to attain Nibbana but also to live a peaceful life.

Pancha Niyama Dhamma (Five Cosmic Laws)

Many Buddhists think that everything happens because of Karmas which we have done in the previous birth. This is

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