Geshe la gave a short teaching this morning on the Laws of Karma. The topic is complex and profound and will be the subject of a few more lessons, but the following points can be distilled from today’s teaching.Because “suffering” comes from negative karmic seeds from the past, it is apt for us to understand more about (and have a firm belief in) the laws of karma/causality as it will help us to avoid planting negative karmic seeds, and also motivate us to plant more positive karmic seeds, in this life.
The laws of karma are linked to the principle of dependent arising – if there is an effect experienced today, this was due to a cause planted in the past. Therefore, one is one’s own friend or enemy – what one wishes to experience is in one’s own hands.
The practice of cognising emptiness of all phenomenon is also linked to the Laws of Karma. Because realisation that “self” is empty of inherent existence will in turn assist us in realising that we ourselves are also a product of causes past, and assists us in removing the propensity to cling on to the concept of the “self”, or in common parlance, our own egos and the selfishness that comes with it, which is what usually drives our negative acts.
The practice of developing bodhicitta, or compassion, is also aimed not only at cultivating an attitude of non harm, but also benefitting all sentient beings. It diverts us away from engaging in negative acts that harm, and therefore prevents sowing of negative karmic seeds.
The great treatises including the Lam Rim Chenmo (The Graduated Path to Enlightenment) written by our lineage founder Lama Tsongkhapa, talk about karma in detail, but there are 4 broad principles.
(a) Karma is determinative: If the cause is positive, one will have positive effects. If it is negative, one will experience negative effects.
(b) Karma, if not purified, has the potential to increase exponentially: If we sow a karmic seed today, it has a natural tendency to increase, whether it was a good or a bad seed. Just as a seed germinates into a sapling and then into a tree, it can actually spawn an entire forest. That is why whilst it is tempting to regard a small transgression as being insignificant, we need to pay close attention to each and every act or omission.
(c) If there is no cause, there is no effect: If one has not sown such a negative seed, one will not experience the suffering or negative events associated with such a negative seed. Geshe la gave the example of when sometimes, following earthquakes, or plane crashes, you will witness a few odd survivors who emerge relatively unscathed from the catastrophe. By Buddhist reckoning, it is because they have not sown the negative seeds associated with such sudden death.
(d) Once a cause is created, it will never disappear: Once sown, a karmic seed will ripen at some time in the future. This is like a shadow that will follow one’s consciousness from birth to birth. Geshe la then regaled the class with a story from the time of the Buddha. There was an old man about 80 years of age, who was very upset that his family abandoned him/ treated him badly, so he was determined to become ordained and went in search of the Buddha. On his way, he saw one of the Buddha’s chief disciples and asked to be ordained, but was told by that chief disciple that despite looking into the past 500 lives of the old man, he could not find that he had created the cause to be ordained, or the relevant seeds associated with liberation. The old man left in despair, and he encountered the Buddha on his way back, and Buddha asked him why he was so upset. The old man gave an account of his encounter with the Buddha’s disciple. The Buddha smiled and advised him that it was true that had not planted the relevant seed in his 500 previous lifetimes, he had actually created those causes before those 500 lifetimes past, Something which the Buddha’s disciple was not able to see. The Buddha then ordained the old man. The disciples of the Buddha were curious and asked what had this old man done in that past incarnation from long ago. The Buddha explained that the old man had, in one life, been born as a fly, and was by coincidence, perched on some mode of conveyance when that object circumambulated a holy stupa. Through such an act, he had created the cause for liberation and ordination! The old man practised hard as a monk, and eventually attained liberation as an arhat!
We can view our karma as a bank balance, save that unlike one’s bank account, the karmic bank balance will follow us into our next life or lives. That is why it remains so important for us to act so as to avoid accumulating more negative karma, and instead act to accumulate positive karma.
Geshe la related an incident from his childhood. Back in the day, there was no water source within the monastery, so the young monks had to gather them from the river nearby. Everyone was always under the impression that water was in abundance, as the river would flow 24 hours a day, and the water was free. Yet, their Master would advise them that they ought not to waste water!
When the young monks sought clarification from their Master, their Master answered them by reference to the laws of karma. He explained that if we use (what appears to be abundant) water extravagantly in this life, we may end up being reborn in our next life in a place where water is scarce. So having plenty of water now is no excuse for being extravagant in our use of water.
Geshe la went on to observe that with materialism dominant in today’s society, wastage is a common theme. Many over-order food when eating out. Some attempt to justify this by claiming it is to flaunt their wealth to their guests, or to ensure their guests feel well treated. But this is not just a wastage of one’s finances and food, but also a wastage of one’s positive karmic bank. Such practices are accordingly foolhardy.
Geshe la reminded everyone that with this precious human birth, and whilst one may have great financial wealth, great standing in society etc, there is one day we need to let all of this go i.e when we depart this world.
Unlike other sentient beings born in other realms, such as animals or hungry ghosts, we are gifted with wisdom to be able to prepare ourselves for the next life/ lives. We of course can and should enjoy the positive acts of past karma, but we must equally prepare a sufficiently positive karmic bank, to allow ourselves to enjoy positive conditions in the next rebirth. That’s why in Buddhism, the laws of karma are so important, as they will guide us towards our practices and as result of that, towards liberation. Those who understand the laws of karma will be law abiding citizens, good members of society, and be universally regarded as a good person. Such are the merits of understanding the laws of karma, and practising in accordance with those laws.
The laws of karma explain why it is that some people are born in war torn countries, poor countries, countries with very harsh weather conditions, whilst others are born in places where there is freedom, good weather and environment. These are also due to causes or karmic seeds sown in the past. Our karmic link to our parents are also relevant to this process of where we are born.
Geshe la concluded the day’s session by answering a student’s question on how we can best purify any negative karma. Geshe la emphasised that most important aspect is to be able to recount and regret one’s transgressions or downfalls, tracing it back to the original intent behind any (already committed) act or omission. It is confession of such downfalls and making resolve not to commit them again, when make light/ incense offerings etc or other positive karmic acts, that will assist us in purifying negative karma. Geshe la also said that the same confessionary mindset should be borne in mind when one practises mantra recitations, whether it is the 6 syllable mantra of Chenresig, the 100 syllable mantra of Vajrasattva, or the practices associated with the 35 Confessional Buddhas. Geshe la advised that it is always a good practice begin the day by recounting any negative thoughts occuring in the course of the night (even when dreaming) and confessing them, and to do the same exercise in the night before sleeping, confessing and developing a sense of regret for any negative acts from the day – these are useful purification practices.
During next week’s lesson, Geshe la will talk more about the purification of negative karma, the different types of karma, and how we apply these laws to our daily lives. Thank you, everyone, for attending this session and we would again warmly invite everyone to participate next week, as this season of Dharma talks continues.
The Maha Tare Team