Karma
The Law of Karma states that actions have consequences.
The word karma simply means action.
The Law of Karma
- is an important Buddhist teaching; some appreciation of this law is essential to an understanding of Buddhism.
- springs from the Buddha’s teaching of the Principle of Conditionality. The Buddha understood that everything which exists is subject to change, dependent on conditions.
- is the application of the Principle of Conditionality to the process of life and death.
- is like a scientific law; it merely explains how things happen. It does not indicate the existence of a law-giver. There is no one who rewards or punishes us.
- does not mean that everything that happens to us is the result of Karma. In a complex web of conditions, there can be many reasons why something happens.
- applies only to deliberate, or ‘willed’, actions.
- asserts that skilful actions, based on compassionate, generous and clear states of mind, will have positive consequences and
- unskilful actions, driven by negative states of greed, hatred and ignorance, will have negative consequences.
Greed, hatred and ignorance are know as the Three Root Poisons. They can be seen represented by the cock, snake and pig at the hub of the Wheel of Life.
All actions of body, speech and mind have an effect. Change will happen anyway, but because of the Law of Karma, it is possible to change for the better.
Our life is shaped by our mind,
we become what we think.
Suffering follows an evil thought
like the wheels of a cart follow
the oxen that draw it.
Our life is shaped by our mind;
we become what we think.
Joy follows a pure thought
like a shadow that never leaves.
Dhammapada