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MY PERFECT TEACHER
EXPLAINS
KARMA
You do not have
to wait until only the next life to experience the
results of karma created. You can also experience the
result in this life.
These 10 virtuous actions do not only lead to the
happiness of future lives.. This life is samsaric
happiness. If these 10 virtuous actions are done with
bodhicitta, the altruistic mind to benefit all
sentient beings,. They become the cause of the
highest happiness which is Enlightenment.
There are 3 types karma:
- karma created in this life which results are
experienced in this life
- karma created in this life which results are
experienced in the next life
- karma created in this life and which results are
experienced after many lifetimes
Karma that is repeatedly done becomes very
powerful. Karma that is done in relation to a
powerful object such as one’s parents, etc. also becomes
very powerful. This is true of even small harmful or
disrespectful actions on the one hand, or small actions
of service and respect on the other.
This is especially true of actions done in relation
to the guru, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. These are very
powerful objects. Consequently, one can experience in
this life the suffering results of negative actions
committed in relation to the guru, Buddha, Dharma, and
Sangha, as well as experience in this life the favorable
results of any small virtuous actions done in relation
to the objects of refuge.
The four general outlines of karma are:
1) Karma is definite. This means that
having committed an action, one will definitely
experience the appropriate result according to the kind
of action done: virtuous actions bring positive results
and non-virtuous actions bring suffering results.
2) Karma is expandable. This means that
once karma is created, its results will be experienced
in many, many future lifetimes. Thus, the suffering result of
a non-virtuous action will be experienced many
times, not only in this
life but in hundreds or even thousands of lifetimes to
come. It is said by Nagarjuna - the great pandit who is
like a second Buddha and who propagated the Mahayana
teachings, especially those on emptiness - that if one
cheats one sentient being, then the result will be that
one will be cheated for a thousand lifetimes by others.
This is from Nagarjuna’s
text Letter to a King. One shouldn’t be careless even in
doing one small negative karma thinking this wont hurt
me.
It is mentioned by Buddha in the sutra Dul lung, one
small fire spark can burn piles of hay mountains high.
Same, one shouldn’t think one small virtuous will not
benefit me. Like the example, by collecting drops of
water one a large bucket can be filled! Therefore one
need to, by practicing remembrance and awareness, one
should abandon even the smallest negative karma and
practice even the smallest virtue.
3) Karma always has a cause. If one
hasn’t created the karma, that is, if one has not done
the action that is the cause, one can never experience
the result of that.
4) Karma created is never lost. This
means that once karma is created, it will not disappear
of its own accord. If virtuous or non-virtuous karma is
not interrupted, then it will never get lost. However,
if karma is interrupted, then it can be destroyed. For
example, by
purifying a non-virtuous action, you can interrupt the
potential to experience the suffering result. In
order to interrupt negative karma, one must purify it
through practices such as strong confession. If one has
created negative karma such as the ten non-virtues or
other negative actions, just living one’s life being
scared, upset, and depressed, that alone is not a
solution. The solution is to do something to purify the
negative karma immediately. If negative karma has been
created, then it can be purified.
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