The issue of karma has absorbed me now for quite some time. While no sane person would deny the law of cause and effect, it's far from obvious that the law of cause and effect MUST have a moral/ethical dimension. There's no doubt that ethics matters in the human realm: yes, it's conducive to social cohesion and cooperation; it facilitates human endeavors and reciprocity/assistance is more likely if one is ethical and generous. I've no doubt that ethics is of great benefit in other ways - but that's clear only within the framework of the human level, not in some wider cosmic sense. But to assert that a human birth is primarily the result of ethical practice in a previous life is highly questionable; one can believe it, and it would remain only a belief - not knowledge. Clearly intelligence is what a human being needs to be truly human; the capacity for self-reflection, for self-examination, to step back from one's attachments and examine the effects of one's actions. Ethics may or may not be involved, but the central issue is intelligence - and these, ethics and intelligence are distinct; they're not necessarily connected. Intelligence sees that it's more advantageous to be ethical than not: for example, if you're a shady businessman who's acquired a reputation for dishonesty, you begin to lose credibility. If you screw people over, they'll be less and less likely to help you in the future. And so on. Ethics is a useful social construct or practice. There are clear benefits to ethics. But to then claim that ethics has cosmic, profounder and wider significance (propelling favorable or unfavorable rebirth) seems an unwarranted extension. I'm not suggesting the claim is wrong, but it needs a much stronger foundation. There are many layers of the mind in which ethics doesn't seem to penetrate, in which ethics has no role. Ethics implies some exercise of rationality, self-restraint. But where the subconscious is concerned, ethics cannot play a part because the subconscious is too powerful and it's beyond one's control. It is pre-rational, not rational, so ethics is irrelevant. What's going on at that level is too vast and profound to admit of ethical considerations which remain somewhat superficial; ethics is not strong enough to influence the subconscious/unconscious - whatever you want to call it. It may be these profounder levels of mind that are determining your rebirth (if there is such a thing), not the superficial layers where the Buddhist concept of karma still holds a place. Moreover, it's intelligence (not ethics) that may determine whether or not one can successfully navigate through these rather terrifying realms of mind. On a pragmatic level, the law of karma as construed by Buddhists is not necessarily the best way; there's a simpler, more direct way of dealing with circumstances. One problem with the Buddhist law of karma is that if people believe it, they may easily feel guilty or culpable for behaving unethically in a previous life. (A) Most likely they do not know this to be the case; they only believe it, so they may be wrong; (B) That sense of culpability may strengthen self-consciousness, the ego, not diminish its force. I think that following the principal of Occam's Razor is beneficial here (as in most cases): if the Buddhist concern is responsibility for one's actions, then one can assume responsibility without recourse to a belief in karma and past lives - a belief, remember, which is NOT knowledge. So figuratively speaking, if you find a large pile of shit at your doorstep, the point is not to hang your head, believing you had it coming because you did something nasty in a past life; that's not necessary and it's not clear whether it would even be advantageous to believe it. The point is: What are you going to do about it? Getting angry, frustrated is a waste of energy; a little intelligence can see that easily. What is the best way of handling the situation? That requires no belief in a past life. It requires intelligence, action, resourcefulness. You focus on what needs to be done at that moment. And you monitor your mind because the state of the mind will affect the outcome; you don't want to be mired in negative feelings because they're counterproductive. A clear mind is clearly the best thing to have. You're responsible for the situation because irresponsibility will not work in your favor.
I have a question. Does one's physical, emotional, and mental suffering in this life reduce one's negative Karma or increase one's positive Karma, or has no effect on one's Karma?
HI Tomamrhein. Would be great to hear Khen Rinpoche’s answer to this question! My understanding is that it probably depends on how we respond to or treat our suffering when it arises. If we respond to our suffering by doing things like, escalating it with our thoughts and/or actions or treat it with aversion or try to avoid it then it will probably get stronger, even when it stops manifesting and returns to the Alaya as a Karmic seed. But If we treat our suffering with compassion, embrace it and use it to open our hearts further to ourselves and others that are suffering in the same way then that's what I understand that Khen Rinpoche calls purifying? I would love to read others thoughts on this. Thanks so much to Khenpo Rinpoche and all of you who make these much needed teaching available to us! Best Wishes, A student from Palestine.
tomamrhein --It is cause and effect.... you act like an ass to people what might you get back? That is the practical version-In the now. But according to teaching yes, it will change the quality of future lives- BUT it depends on how you handle your misfortune or karmic experience NOW. If you practice to understand and act with compassion for self and others it has immediate karmic benefit in how you and others feel... the next life --as this life -- are uncertain. Don’t waste your time in tomorrow.
Interesting question. I think that it would depend on one's response to that suffering. If one compounds that suffering through emotions like bitterness or worry or anger towards others, clearly the negative karma expands or multiplies. If, however, suffering leads to a deepened creativity that benefits others (consider some artists, for example), then positive karma is generated. Another possible way of approaching the issue of karma is by sidestepping it, focusing on what needs to be done NOW. Those who accept the law of karma do so on the basis of faith; it cannot be proved or demonstrated. But THERE ARE more or less skillful ways of dealing with reality. Whether or not you "had it coming" no one can prove, but you have to deal with the shit, karma or not. You still need to be concerned with mental hygiene because mental hygiene contributes to well being and happiness, regardless of whether you believe in karma and rebirth.
Off topic, but I was thinking a few days ago how karma stories are part of some fiction writing. With karma, if the result is the opposite of what you expected, isn't that exactly what irony is.
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Rinpoche, because of this RUclips Channel, my practice is deepening and I am not alone in the dark so much. Thank you. Grateful.
Love these teachings wish I could be there in person
been watching all your teachings. so enlightening
Mind is the school of thoughts.
I love karma! I have faith in Karma! It’s all about Karma!
The issue of karma has absorbed me now for quite some time. While no sane person would deny the law of cause and effect, it's far from obvious that the law of cause and effect MUST have a moral/ethical dimension. There's no doubt that ethics matters in the human realm: yes, it's conducive to social cohesion and cooperation; it facilitates human endeavors and reciprocity/assistance is more likely if one is ethical and generous. I've no doubt that ethics is of great benefit in other ways - but that's clear only within the framework of the human level, not in some wider cosmic sense. But to assert that a human birth is primarily the result of ethical practice in a previous life is highly questionable; one can believe it, and it would remain only a belief - not knowledge. Clearly intelligence is what a human being needs to be truly human; the capacity for self-reflection, for self-examination, to step back from one's attachments and examine the effects of one's actions. Ethics may or may not be involved, but the central issue is intelligence - and these, ethics and intelligence are distinct; they're not necessarily connected. Intelligence sees that it's more advantageous to be ethical than not: for example, if you're a shady businessman who's acquired a reputation for dishonesty, you begin to lose credibility. If you screw people over, they'll be less and less likely to help you in the future. And so on. Ethics is a useful social construct or practice. There are clear benefits to ethics. But to then claim that ethics has cosmic, profounder and wider significance (propelling favorable or unfavorable rebirth) seems an unwarranted extension. I'm not suggesting the claim is wrong, but it needs a much stronger foundation. There are many layers of the mind in which ethics doesn't seem to penetrate, in which ethics has no role. Ethics implies some exercise of rationality, self-restraint. But where the subconscious is concerned, ethics cannot play a part because the subconscious is too powerful and it's beyond one's control. It is pre-rational, not rational, so ethics is irrelevant. What's going on at that level is too vast and profound to admit of ethical considerations which remain somewhat superficial; ethics is not strong enough to influence the subconscious/unconscious - whatever you want to call it. It may be these profounder levels of mind that are determining your rebirth (if there is such a thing), not the superficial layers where the Buddhist concept of karma still holds a place. Moreover, it's intelligence (not ethics) that may determine whether or not one can successfully navigate through these rather terrifying realms of mind.
On a pragmatic level, the law of karma as construed by Buddhists is not necessarily the best way; there's a simpler, more direct way of dealing with circumstances. One problem with the Buddhist law of karma is that if people believe it, they may easily feel guilty or culpable for behaving unethically in a previous life. (A) Most likely they do not know this to be the case; they only believe it, so they may be wrong; (B) That sense of culpability may strengthen self-consciousness, the ego, not diminish its force. I think that following the principal of Occam's Razor is beneficial here (as in most cases): if the Buddhist concern is responsibility for one's actions, then one can assume responsibility without recourse to a belief in karma and past lives - a belief, remember, which is NOT knowledge. So figuratively speaking, if you find a large pile of shit at your doorstep, the point is not to hang your head, believing you had it coming because you did something nasty in a past life; that's not necessary and it's not clear whether it would even be advantageous to believe it. The point is: What are you going to do about it? Getting angry, frustrated is a waste of energy; a little intelligence can see that easily. What is the best way of handling the situation? That requires no belief in a past life. It requires intelligence, action, resourcefulness. You focus on what needs to be done at that moment. And you monitor your mind because the state of the mind will affect the outcome; you don't want to be mired in negative feelings because they're counterproductive. A clear mind is clearly the best thing to have. You're responsible for the situation because irresponsibility will not work in your favor.
I have a question. Does one's physical, emotional, and mental suffering in this life reduce one's negative Karma or increase one's positive Karma, or has no effect on one's Karma?
HI Tomamrhein. Would be great to hear Khen Rinpoche’s answer to this question! My understanding is that it probably depends on how we respond to or treat our suffering when it arises. If we respond to our suffering by doing things like, escalating it with our thoughts and/or actions or treat it with aversion or try to avoid it then it will probably get stronger, even when it stops manifesting and returns to the Alaya as a Karmic seed. But If we treat our suffering with compassion, embrace it and use it to open our hearts further to ourselves and others that are suffering in the same way then that's what I understand that Khen Rinpoche calls purifying? I would love to read others thoughts on this. Thanks so much to Khenpo Rinpoche and all of you who make these much needed teaching available to us! Best Wishes, A student from Palestine.
tomamrhein Reduces negative karma as long as you don't project it onto a place, person or thing- even yourself.
tomamrhein --It is cause and effect.... you act like an ass to people what might you get back? That is the practical version-In the now. But according to teaching yes, it will change the quality of future lives-
BUT it depends on how you handle your misfortune or karmic experience NOW.
If you practice to understand and act with compassion for self and others it has immediate karmic benefit in how you and others feel...
the next life --as this life -- are uncertain. Don’t waste your time in tomorrow.
Interesting question. I think that it would depend on one's response to that suffering. If one compounds that suffering through emotions like bitterness or worry or anger towards others, clearly the negative karma expands or multiplies. If, however, suffering leads to a deepened creativity that benefits others (consider some artists, for example), then positive karma is generated.
Another possible way of approaching the issue of karma is by sidestepping it, focusing on what needs to be done NOW. Those who accept the law of karma do so on the basis of faith; it cannot be proved or demonstrated. But THERE ARE more or less skillful ways of dealing with reality. Whether or not you "had it coming" no one can prove, but you have to deal with the shit, karma or not. You still need to be concerned with mental hygiene because mental hygiene contributes to well being and happiness, regardless of whether you believe in karma and rebirth.
💖💖💖🙏🙏🙏💖💖💖
Off topic, but I was thinking a few days ago how karma stories are part of some fiction writing. With karma, if the result is the opposite of what you expected, isn't that exactly what irony is.