Karma and Rebirth

Karma:
Karma' is a Sanskrit which literally means action'. This is a key concept in Buddhism, as it is in Hinduism. At its most simple, the Buddha taught that our actions (including thought, word and deed) have consequences. In short, good deeds lead to happy states and bad deeds lead to unhappy ones. The following quotation from a Buddhist scripture known as the Dhammapada will give you a flavour of what the Buddha meant by this specific teaching:

'Mind foreruns all evil conditions...mind-made are they;
if one speaks or acts with wicked mind...pain pursues him...

Mind foreruns all good conditions...mind-made are they;
if one speaks or acts with pure mind...happiness follows him...'

For Buddhism, therefore, there is no such thing as good fortune or bad luck. What we experience is a result of what we have done in the past. If we have lived a good moral life then at some point in the future there will be positive consequences. If we have been morally unsound, at some point in the future we will suffer because of this. What this means in effect is that we have total responsibility for what happens to us. If bad things happen to us it is not the fault of God or someone else but ultimately a consequence of what we have done in the past. It is important to note that this karmic process relates only to intentional acts. If we accidentally injure someone that is not our fault and there are no karmic consequences. However, if we intentionally hurt someone, karmic consequences do result.

Defining Good and Bad:
But how does Buddhism define good and bad? Buddhism often uses the terms wholesome (kusala) and unwholesome (akusla) to describe what is morally good or morally bad. According to the Buddha's simple formula, wholesome actions are those that are beneficial to oneself and/or others. Unwholesome actions are those which harm oneself and/or others. So, for example, if you hit someone intentionally this is wrong. First, it brings harm to the person you have hit. Secondly, it will have karmic consequences in the future which could take a number of forms. You could feel unhappy at what you've done and be overcome with remorse. Or, you might be prosecuted and fined by the police. Or, it may result in future suffering in some indirect way in the future.

In terms of moral justice, the law of karma has a commendable logic of its own. No-one escapes the consequences of their unwholesome actions; those

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