KARMA - nobody but you yourself is in control of your fate
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Impartial Energy:Those who do not believe that there is an energy known as kamma should understand that this karmic energy is not a byproduct of any particular religion..
This is an existing universal law which has no religious label. All those who violate this law, have to face the consequences irrespective of their religious beliefs, and those who live in accordance with this law experience peace and happiness in their life. Therefore, this karmic law is unbiased to each and every person, whether they believe it or not; whether, they have a religion or not. It is like any other existing universal law.
Please remember that kamma is not the exclusive property of Buddhism. If we understand kamma as a force or a form of energy, then we can discern no beginning. To ask where is the beginning of kamma is like asking where is the beginning of electricity. Kamma like electricity does not begin. It comes into being under certain conditions.
Conventionally we say that the origin of kamma is volition but this is as much conventional as saying that the origin of a river is a mountain top. Like the waves of the ocean that flow into one another, one unit of consciousness into another and this merging of one thought consciousness into another is called the working of kamma. In short, every living being, according to Buddhism, is an electric current of life that operates on the automatic switch of kamma.
Kamma being a form a of energy is not found anywhere in this fleeting consciousness or body. Just as mangoes are not stored anywhere in the mango tree but, dependent on certain conditions, they spring into being, so does kamma. Kamma is like wind or fire. It is not stored up anywhere in the Universe but comes into being under certain conditions. -
Originally posted by sinweiy:did we say Kong/emptiness is nothing or not exist? hmm...u must have heard it wrongly.
What is Reborn ?
A very good, classic & somewhat complex question!
In brevity:
Causes & Conditioning is passed on & reborn ...
No being, substance, soul or self is reborn as such assumed constant entity or core substance has never existed or ever been observed in the first place...
So how can it then ever be 'reborn' !!!
Existence is a chain of discrete mental states (dhammas) all new yet conditioned
by the prior, both proximate and far.
Just like the pearl in a necklace is in contact with the next & next & next etc.
In that way do the prior mental moment condition the next;
Some Examples:
If angry now in this moment one cannot be happy in the immediate next moment,
but is conditioned to be either angry also there or indifferent!
If glad now in this moment one cannot be angry in the immediate next moment,
but is conditioned to be either glad also there or indifferent!
One is 'reborn' in every moment of life!
Frequency = ~ billions/second!
The conditioning in the terminal life moment is crucial as it determines the next state:
If having killed many beings in life how then to die in a peaceful & calm state ?
Due to the agitation of remorse & regrets in death moment => bad state rebirth.
If having given & done much good in life it is easy to die in peaceful state !
Due to the satisfied serene content in death moment => good state rebirth.
Mind or consciousness descends & settles at a new level corresponding or fitting
to its last mixture of characteristics. Very mechanic & not metaphysical at all!
Like a protein molecule sediments in a mixed solution according to its boyancy.
or
Like a comet goes into a orbit around a planet according to its own speed, mass & inclination angle.
No entity or person is found:
But a Noself state1 arising and ceasing
conditioning state2 arising and ceasing
conditioning state3 arising and ceasing
conditioning state4 arising and ceasing
conditioning state5 arising and ceasing
etc ... endlessly until Nibbana ...
bhikkhu samahita : - ]
/\From an Eternal Now:
Don't look at me, ask your own mod please. I am trying to get your explaination in mathematical logic terms right and now I got a headache for it instead.
'Emptiness' in Buddhism is very very different from 'Nihilism', it is not the kind of void of absence that some people may think of.
In Buddhism, all phenomena are conditioned and empty of inherent existence, which means, there is no 'thingness' in all things... see: Emptiness -
well, i tink emptiness is indeed difficult to understand and contradiction is very common when understanding emptiness.
for me i come out with this few factors to apply to anything. in order to understand the meaning of emptiness to ANYTHING, be it physical or mental.
1) it's always changing. (some use continuum.)
2) it's conditional or made up of parts.
so say this table for example. we ask. is it going to change? yes.
it's it make up of parts or conditions for it to exist? yes. hence conclusion, the table is empty in self-nature. this include we people.
note/fyi:Two Sides Of Emptiness
Here is a useful maxim to remember the core concept of Sunyata by:
Sunyata Affirms the Existence of Existence;
Sunyata Negates the Self-nature of Existence.
This means that Emptiness does not deny the existence of each and every thing, but it denies the existence of a fixed unchanging self behind each and every thing.
Using a river again as an example, we can say that a river (made up of many small streams) exists dependently or conditionally on the streams - this illustrates the first aspect of the above maxim. Because the river flows on and on (keeps changing), or unconditionally (as it has no unchanging identity or self) - this illustrates the second aspect of the maxim.
http://www.buddhistinformation.com/be_a_lamp_upon_yourself.htm
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Classification of Kamma
According to the time of giving results their are four kinds of kamma:
Kamma that ripens in the same life-time.
Kamma that ripens in the next life.
Kamma that ripens indefinitely in successive births.
Kamma that is ineffective.
According to function there are four kinds:
Regenerative kamma, which conditions rebirth.
Supportive kamma, which maintains the results of other kamma.
Counteractive kamma, which suppresses or modifies the result of other kamma.
Destructive kamma, which destroys the force of other kamma.
According to the priority of giving results there are also four kinds of kamma:
Heavy kamma, which produces its resultant in this very life or in the next. The jhânas are heavy wholesome kammas. Crimes such as matricide, patricide, murder of an Arahant, wounding a Buddha and causing a schism in the Sangha are heavy unwholesome kammas.
Death proximate kamma, which one does at the moment before death. If there is no heavy kamma then this determines the next rebirth.
Habitual kamma is any action that one does very often. In the absence of death-proximate kamma this determines the next rebirth.
Residual kamma is the last in the priority of giving results. This determines the next birth in the absence of habitual kamma -
"Kamma. You sow the seeds, there are the conditions to make them grow, and there's the fruits."
The importance of Kamma :
The only possession we really own, which we take with us from life to life.
"Every intentional act of body, speech and mind is a seed planted; that will grow when conditions are right.Thus as you sow, you shall reap." -
"The doer of good receives good, the doer of evil receives evil,"
Buddha is not passing a judgment of reward or punishment, but simply stating the fact of how the law of kamma operates. If you fall down from a tree and break your leg, it is not a matter of justice or punishment, but simply the operation of the law of gravity, a natural law which we all are subject to. Likewise, if you eat good food and remain healthy, your health is only natural, not a reward given to you by some supreme being. Whether a supreme being exists or not, you will remain healthy and strong if you treat yourself properly in accordance with the law of nature. Of course, we may refer to the broken leg as a punishment and good health as a reward, but that is just a way of talking. The law of kamma operates in much the same manner, the difference being that it functions within the framework of morality, based on the principle of cause and effect. -
I've came alot of misconception about emptiness, which should, in Buddhism context, means impermanence. The idea behind, is that since nothing is going to stay in a particular forever, we shouldn't hold attachment, as it will only causes suffering. Even our own body, we are getting older everyday, our physical appearance will change, there will come to a time where our organs will deteriorate, if we hold attachment to our existing body, we are going to suffer.Originally posted by sinweiy:well, i tink emptiness is indeed difficult to understand and contradiction is very common when understanding emptiness.
for me i come out with this few factors to apply to anything. in order to understand the meaning of emptiness to ANYTHING, be it physical or mental.
1) it's always changing. (some use continuum.)
2) it's conditional or made up of parts.
so say this table for example. we ask. is it going to change? yes.
it's it make up of parts or conditions for it to exist? yes. hence conclusion, the table is empty in self-nature. this include we people.
note/fyi:
http://www.buddhistinformation.com/be_a_lamp_upon_yourself.htm
/\
We came to this human realm because of previous life's karma, and we are now creating our karma for our next life. Of course, some karma will ripen sooner, probably this life. If it does happen, count yourself really lucky.
There's a chinese saying that's loosely translate into, you are what you are because of your past life's karma, you will be what you will be because of this life's karma (i'm not good at translation):
That's my 2 cents worth of thoughts.
P.S: I wonder why the norm is always cents and not dollars.. -
Cos cents < dollarOriginally posted by coolbluewater:That's my 2 cents worth of thoughts.
P.S: I wonder why the norm is always cents and not dollars..