“This world is produced by Karma; this world manifests by means of Karma. All sentient beings are produced by Karma; they appear through the cause, Karma; They are fully classified by Karma” – White Lotus of Great Compassion Sutra
“What is karma? It is the Karma of mind and Karma of thought” – The Collection of Abhidharma
We have already introduced Karma in the “Basic Karma” article.
Here, we elaborate on the concept of Karma.
THE FOUR QUALITIES OF KARMA
a) The Actor – the actor will experience the results of all the causes that the actor creates. The Karma of someone who has killed will ripen in the mind and five heaps* of that actor. It cannot be passed on to another.
b) Strict Result – a person experiences the proper effects of the virtues and non-virtues one has created. Seeds of Happiness beget fruits of happiness, The same for suffering.
c) Big from Small – Great results can come from small causes, whether positive or negative.
For instance, the last of the 1000 Buddhas was a poor man. When he saw a Buddha passing by, he worked to earn some money, and used this money to offer a meal to that Buddha. This simple act triggered the generation of the great ‘Mind of Enlightenment’ within him.
d) Inevitable – unless an antidote appears to neutralize a previous Karma, it will eventually ripen. Karmas may lie dormant even for millions or billions of lifetimes. Yet, when it joins the gathering of the right conditions, the karma will lead to its proper result.
KARMA AS PERSPECTIVE AND ATTITUDE
What we see and perceive are influenced by our Karma.
For instance, humans see feces as disgusting. Human mind, eyes and nose perceive it as foul. However, pigs see feces (mixed with mud) as pleasurable. The mind, eyes, nose and skin of the pig perceive the same thing as pleasurable.
That is why they can swim and sleep in it. These explain the different Karmas of different sentient beings.
KARMA AND THE SIX REALMS
According to the Buddha, there are six realms in the Desire Realm. These realms are created mainly by one of the six emotional afflictions. Beings from the different realms see differently due to their dominant emotions.
Similar to the pig’s example, there is a saying:
If there is liquid in a cup, a human being will see the liquid as water, a hell being will see it as blood-pus, a god will see it as golden nectar.
The liquid is seen differently, due to individual Karmic perceptions. This explains how our Karma affects and builds our perceptions and surroundings.
1.Hell realm – hatred
- Hungry ghost realm – stinginess
- Animal realm – confusion
- Human realm – desire
- Demi-god realm – jealousy
- God realm – pride
SOURCE OF KARMA: EMOTIONAL AFFLICTIONS
All the Karmas that create all the vast and endless realms above and below are due to emotional afflictions.
An emotional affliction arises due to three parts: the 1) object, the 2) habitual tendencies and 3) the confusion.
Because these three parts come together, emotional affliction will arise. Emotions then produce positive and negative Karma, which create our surroundings, pleasures and sufferings.
KARMA AND REBIRTH
In Buddhist philosophy, due to Karma accumulated by this mind, this mind craves to develop a physical form again and again.
Generally speaking, any ‘mind’ is made up of four parts:
1)Feelings,
2) Thoughts,
3) Formations,
4) Consciousness.
These non-physical factors make up the ‘mind’ (See Five Heaps*), specifically the ‘ignorant’ mind.
When the proper conditions of the Five Heaps* meet, rebirth happens. Since beginningless time, through uncountable rebirths, our own self has accumulated vast amounts of habits and tendencies.
KARMA AND BUDDHA
Buddha-nature is our tendency to become a Buddha. This is the most basic quality of our mind.
To become a Buddha, we:
1) purify all of our Karmas within our mind and 2) we accumulate infinite merit.
When this happens, our Buddha-nature will reveal itself. This is also the logic of cause and effect.
PURIFYING KARMA
Confessing to the Buddha is a very powerful method of purifying Karma.
To purify our ordinary negative Karma and accumulate ordinary positive Karma, we engage in mental, verbal and physical actions in different situations daily. These are the purposes of the rituals, Buddhist practices, Sutra chants in Buddhism.
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*Five Heaps or Five Aggregates – each sentient being in the Desire Realm is made up of five heaps, or aggregates – the Form, Feelings, Thoughts, Formations and Consciousness.