According to the law of karma, differences among individual beings and between humans and animals are the result of their respective karma. In general, this law explains why some people are lucky, wealthy and healthy, while others are sick, poor and miserable. The Buddha taught that karma drives beings into the endless cycle of birth and death, up and down within the six realms. But He also taught that karma is not destiny (fate) or determinism. Hence, we should not naively consider karma as fixed and unchanged.
Karma is defined as voluntary/intentional action, or action done with full awareness. In physics, Newton discovered that for every force there is always a counter force that is equivalent to the original force but in the opposite direction. Similarly, in metaphysics and in ethics, for every intentional action by humans, there are equivalent counter actions. The discussion on karma is therefore one about intentional actions and their counteractions or results. The law of karma is closely related to the law of cause and effect in Buddhism.
There are mainly two types of karma: good (kushala, skillful) versus bad (akushala, unskillful). Another type of karma is involuntary or neutral action, action done without any intention or the involvement of consciousness.
Kushala or good intentional actions are those that benefit the doer, benefit others, and/or benefit both the doer and others. They are free from greed, hatred, and ignorance, and done out of altruism, compassion and wisdom. Skillful intentional actions lead to happiness to the doer, others, and/or both. On the other hand, bad intentional actions are those that cause harm to the doer, others, and/or both. Such unskillful actions bring about sufferings. The results of the intentional actions could happen sooner or later, but they are inevitable. Only time and the long-term consequence or result of the intentional action can tell us whether it is good or bad. This is similar to the process of a fruit forming from a flower. With wisdom, however, one may be able to predict or recognize whether an intentional action is skillful or not, even before its result or consequence comes into full existence.
Because karma is not unchanged or predestined, it is possible to transform one's karma. From the Buddhist perspective, our intentional actions could be related to or caused by our body (e.g., killing, stealing, and adultery), our mouth (lying, slandering, using vulgar language, and abusing someone verbally), and our monkey mind (greed, hatred, and ignorance). By preventing these ten actions from arising, we can avoid their bad results or consequences, namely, sufferings in the present life and sufferings in future lives. Skillful actions include either preventing and eradicating the above-mentioned ten unskillful actions, or cultivating good karma through giving (donation), practicing the precepts and leading a moral life, meditation, and developing wisdom by learning the Dharma. While stealing leads to imprisonment and poverty, giving or donation brings happiness and wealth to the doer.
However, the interpretation of karma is a complicated process dependent on many factors and specific situations or conditions in which the action actually takes place. The weight or power of karma depends on both the doer (subjectively) and the receiver of the action (objectively). That is, it depends on whether the action is done repeatedly, whether the doer carried it out with a strong determination or with any remorse or not afterward. It also depends on whether the receiver of the action is a virtuous and extraordinary person with accumulated high spiritual development and power or not. In terms of consequences, there is a huge difference between killing a robber and assassinating an Arahat.
Therefore, it is not simple to understand and interpret karma and its power, but, in general, the consequence or effect is usually corresponding with the cause. Although the result could be delayed for many lives, one cannot avoid one's karma, for it follows us like our shadow, and in due time we will definitely reap what we have sown.
Regarding neutral actions, or actions done unintentionally (e.g., accidentally causing death to a little worm while tilling the soil), it is said that their impact on our karma is very weak, and trivial. However, we need to learn more about the weight of different types of karma, and their respective impacts on us right in this life and beyond.
Source:
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma1.htm
Karma is defined as voluntary/intentional action, or action done with full awareness. In physics, Newton discovered that for every force there is always a counter force that is equivalent to the original force but in the opposite direction. Similarly, in metaphysics and in ethics, for every intentional action by humans, there are equivalent counter actions. The discussion on karma is therefore one about intentional actions and their counteractions or results. The law of karma is closely related to the law of cause and effect in Buddhism.
There are mainly two types of karma: good (kushala, skillful) versus bad (akushala, unskillful). Another type of karma is involuntary or neutral action, action done without any intention or the involvement of consciousness.
Kushala or good intentional actions are those that benefit the doer, benefit others, and/or benefit both the doer and others. They are free from greed, hatred, and ignorance, and done out of altruism, compassion and wisdom. Skillful intentional actions lead to happiness to the doer, others, and/or both. On the other hand, bad intentional actions are those that cause harm to the doer, others, and/or both. Such unskillful actions bring about sufferings. The results of the intentional actions could happen sooner or later, but they are inevitable. Only time and the long-term consequence or result of the intentional action can tell us whether it is good or bad. This is similar to the process of a fruit forming from a flower. With wisdom, however, one may be able to predict or recognize whether an intentional action is skillful or not, even before its result or consequence comes into full existence.
Because karma is not unchanged or predestined, it is possible to transform one's karma. From the Buddhist perspective, our intentional actions could be related to or caused by our body (e.g., killing, stealing, and adultery), our mouth (lying, slandering, using vulgar language, and abusing someone verbally), and our monkey mind (greed, hatred, and ignorance). By preventing these ten actions from arising, we can avoid their bad results or consequences, namely, sufferings in the present life and sufferings in future lives. Skillful actions include either preventing and eradicating the above-mentioned ten unskillful actions, or cultivating good karma through giving (donation), practicing the precepts and leading a moral life, meditation, and developing wisdom by learning the Dharma. While stealing leads to imprisonment and poverty, giving or donation brings happiness and wealth to the doer.
However, the interpretation of karma is a complicated process dependent on many factors and specific situations or conditions in which the action actually takes place. The weight or power of karma depends on both the doer (subjectively) and the receiver of the action (objectively). That is, it depends on whether the action is done repeatedly, whether the doer carried it out with a strong determination or with any remorse or not afterward. It also depends on whether the receiver of the action is a virtuous and extraordinary person with accumulated high spiritual development and power or not. In terms of consequences, there is a huge difference between killing a robber and assassinating an Arahat.
Therefore, it is not simple to understand and interpret karma and its power, but, in general, the consequence or effect is usually corresponding with the cause. Although the result could be delayed for many lives, one cannot avoid one's karma, for it follows us like our shadow, and in due time we will definitely reap what we have sown.
Regarding neutral actions, or actions done unintentionally (e.g., accidentally causing death to a little worm while tilling the soil), it is said that their impact on our karma is very weak, and trivial. However, we need to learn more about the weight of different types of karma, and their respective impacts on us right in this life and beyond.
Source:
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma1.htm
Peter Della Santina. Fundamentals of Buddhism
