by VajrasattvaOne

Created on: February 01, 2007   Last Updated: May 14, 2007

Stated simply, karma is the universal law of cause and effect. It is not something Buddhists "believe in". It just is. Every action has its consequence. Positive action has positive effects and negative action brings negative effects. This is one of the reasons why Buddhists are so conscious of the actions they perform call it mindfulness and so diligent in seeking to act in a way that is beneficial for all.

I remember my first reaction to the concept of karma not the concept we have invented in the West, which corresponds more to the idea of fate but the idea that every action is a cause which produces an effect. This was overwhelming to me. Everything? Absolutely everything? How can you possibly stay on top of every action, every thought, to ensure that you don't do something negative?

The answer is that, as ordinary beings, we can't. We can only do our best, and strive to improve. But the actual workings of karma are quite complex. Pabongka Rinpoche teaches in Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand that in order for karma to be created and to achieve its full force, four factors must be present:
1.the basis
2.intention
3.the act itself
4.the completion, or final step

The first example he uses is the non-virtuous act of killing. (Note here that killing refers not just to human beings but to all sentient beings, even the tiniest insects.)

The basis in the act of killing is another sentient being which is to be killed. Then, you must form the conscious intention to commit the act. Next, you must do it. The completion is the actual death of the other being.

But to give an example, which might seem a little odd, of how karma is created, if John decides to kill Joe, but ends up killing James by mistake, the karma is not complete. Karma has still been created because of the intention, which is an important factor, and because of the actual killing, but its force is reduced. So you're not really getting off the hook. On the other hand, it makes it easier not to be overcome with guilt when you unintentionally step on an ant on the sidewalk.

But why should we be concerned about karmic results, about killing, say, a mosquito that has just bitten us? The reason is that, in some ways the old saying "What goes around comes around," is really quite apt. According to Buddhist teaching, the only thing that goes around and comes around is our mindstream, a sort of energy-consciousness which has existed since beginningless time. The mindstream is indestructible. That's what remains after you die. And that's what remains when you are reborn. Not the same body. Not the same personality, but a kind of memory-consciousness. And the mindstream contains the latencies of all the actions you've ever performed over countless lifetimes. In a way, non-virtuous karma is a time bomb waiting to explode. And the killing of the mosquito is a negative action induced by aversion or anger. The residue of that anger remains until it is exhausted at some future point when you experience the results.

It sounds draconian. But even "draconian" implies a value judgment. Karma just is. It is impersonal in its workings, and therefore works in just the same way for positive actions as for negative ones. If you want positive results, (and who doesn't?) then engage in positive actions. If you want to be treated with respect, be respectful. If you want love, be loving. If you want to become a Buddha, begin by emulating the compassion of the Buddha.

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