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Switch to Forum Live View Cause and Effect = Justice?
5 years ago  ::  Aug 25, 2008 - 11:58PM #11
sgi_chris
sgi_chris
Posts: 124
The karma of Buddhism (regardless of any school or denominations) is different from the original view of Hindu Karma. Regardless of shoshu, shu, or SGI we all know that it is only the Lotus Sutra, and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo that will set the "dry grass" of past karma afire, all it takes is a spark.

Karma is not an instantaneous "spanking" from the universe. Karma is much deeper since The Daishonin's Buddhism teaches us that our karmic thoughts, words, and deeds will pave the way for our future destiny.

If we want to know why things are the way they truly are currently, we need only look to the past. And, to percieve what is to come in the future, only look to the now.
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5 years ago  ::  Aug 27, 2008 - 7:32AM #12
H82Diet
H82Diet
Posts: 29
[QUOTE=sgi_chris;715141]The karma of Buddhism (regardless of any school or denominations) is different from the original view of Hindu Karma. Regardless of shoshu, shu, or SGI we all know that it is only the Lotus Sutra, and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo that will set the "dry grass" of past karma afire, all it takes is a spark.

Karma is not an instantaneous "spanking" from the universe. Karma is much deeper since The Daishonin's Buddhism teaches us that our karmic thoughts, words, and deeds will pave the way for our future destiny.

If we want to know why things are the way they truly are currently, we need only look to the past. And, to percieve what is to come in the future, only look to the now.[/QUOTE]

I have an incredibly wonderful life.  I just don't perceive it to be that way because I'm a very happy person, it is that way.  If I look to my past, I have done quite a few things I would think might cause me to be suffering right now, yet I'm not in the slightest.  Other forms of Buddhism say that those past bad causes may catch up with me sooner or later.  But as I understand it, Nichiren Buddhism says that the causes I make now will be what I get in the future and that my chanting is setting the dry grass of past karma afire.  How much better could it get than that? 
I was a Christian and before I started learning about Buddhism I thought that all my "sins" (past bad causes) were forgiven. Then I read about Karma but before I fully understood Nichiren's teachings I walked around dreading the appearance of the effects of my past bad causes.  That is no way to live... with a dark cloud of dread looming over your head.  Then, after much reading, I finally got it and realized that all I had to do was chant and make good causes now and that would be my future.  My Buddha nature would come out and face my obstacles as opportunities to grow.  It is happening to me and I am joyous over it.  I no longer react to bummer situations with negative emotions.... I try to see the good in them. 
I love this practice!
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5 years ago  ::  Aug 31, 2008 - 7:53PM #13
Cinorjer
Cinorjer
Posts: 124
I usually don't reply here since I'm not of the Nichiren school and so not qualified to answer for that practice, but karma is basic enough that there should be no difference between the various schools.

The truth is, Karma is much misused in Buddhism because of an instinctive desire people have for justice in the universe.  We see evil people prosper and good people suffer, and want some sort of accounting.  Yes, bad actions do tend to lead a person to bad consequences, but that is not a universal law by any means.  Plenty of people spend their life hurting others and die rich and even famous.  Since it obviously isn't happening in this life, then we imagine a cosmic judgement after death, where punishment and reward will be certain.  For God worshiping religions, it's Divine judgement.  For Buddhists, it's Karma handing out the cosmic justice.

Thinking of past life Karma as responsible for your fate in this one ahs a fatal flaw.  We focus on good people who suffer or meat tragedy and explain it away as, well they did something bad in a past life.  That makes us feel a little better about suffering, that it isn't entirely pointless.  But the flip side must be true, and people who are rich and powerful must deserve this wealth because of good done in past lives, even if they did bad things to get it in this one.  And that is nonsense. 

Those who live by the sword will die by the sword is a statement of general trend, not a promise of individual fate.  We understand that.  Karma is not cause and effect, only the law that actions have consequences and a general tendency for bad decisions in life to cause bad results.  But the biggest mistakes in our lives can end up being the best things to happen to us, seen afterwards. 

So why do bad things happen to good people?  Because things, both good and bad, happen to people, both good and bad.  The good news is Buddhism is a message of freedom from the wheel of Karma.
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5 years ago  ::  Sep 03, 2008 - 1:32PM #14
etoro
etoro
Posts: 547
Here is a good artic;le on karma.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/9280/kamma2.htm
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5 years ago  ::  Sep 10, 2008 - 2:52PM #15
sgi_chris
sgi_chris
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I usually don't reply here since I'm not of the Nichiren school and so not qualified to answer for that practice, but karma is basic enough that there should be no difference between the various schools.



No qualifcation is nessessary, since karma is a simple, yet profound, principle in Buddhism. I agree with your perspective.

Furthermore, from my last point...

Karma neither lies between nor on the sides of good and evil. These truly human concepts of perception are not sufficent in describing the actions of cause and effect. However, as humans we feel that we need the titles of "good" and "evil" to not just percieve, but process the actions, and reactivity of the Universe. For Buddhists, this makes "darkness" and "light" lie on a more fundamental, symbolic level, not literal.  The Daishonin mentions demons as both heavenly and hellish, one may ask that in a pop cultural world where "demons" are seen as servants of a greater Devil, how can there be "good" demons?

Because the Daishonin knew that demons were symbolic of much deeper human intension. Asura's are Hindu demons that torcher others, but in the Daishonin's Buddhism they are symbols of intended rage and anger, the ausras are us when we are in the anger world state. Demon's symbolize "good" or "evil" intensions. The same is true for fundamental "darkness' it is the inner negativity that manipulates situations based on the enviroment of the practitioner.

Karma is not only a process of change, it is change. It is also justice that appears unbiased. Rather than a belief  that a God,  endowed with  human characteristics, seeks to discipline his own creation, based on "sinful" traits that were either created God or allowed by God to exist.

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4 years ago  ::  Dec 23, 2008 - 9:49PM #16
Littlebear4181
Littlebear4181
Posts: 23
To speak of Karma you must pre facia speak of "dependant origination"
As Lakota say "Mitaku ye Oyasin" 
We are all related.

When this is understood then we understand that KU  and Karuna are important
in that everything is empty, but there is also the need for compassion for what happens to me, happens in the big picture to all beings.

When even one smallest being is devalued, it injures the whole world just some.

Littlebear
Randy
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2 years ago  ::  Aug 08, 2011 - 2:52AM #17
Bob_the_Lunatic
Bob_the_Lunatic
Posts: 3,458

I would say not at all.  Justice is an opinion of a 3rd party, that's what justice is.  Justice is also a subjective concept-something people might argue about.


 


Karma is just a law.  So think of it that way-is gravity emotional?  No, it just is.  I think of Karma more like Newton's 2nd Law (I believe that's which one it is) :  Every action has an opposite and equal reaction-it's really that pure.


 


The NATURE of a cause determines the NATURE of the effect.  That which you do, you do to yourself.  Not justice, rather perfection...
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