Kamma (karma)

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Why do we need to know the essence of Kamma?
Because our lives connected are with it and happen according
to it. To be more precise, we can say that life is actually a stream of kamma.
Desire to do deeds (kamma) causes one to perform actions and receive the results
of those actions; then, desire to do deeds arises again and again endlessly.

Therefore, life is merely a pattern of kamma.
If we rightly understand kamma, we
can lead our lives smoothly, without any problems or suffering.
There are two
primary kamma doctrines. One has been taught since before the Buddha's time and
is still taught outside Buddhism; the other is the Buddhist principle of kamma.
The first doctrine presents only half of the story. In that doctrine, one cannot
conquer kamma and remains always under its domination; one actually desires to
be under its power and asks for its help, without ever trying to fight for one's
own liberation. One thus performs kamma as if accumulating assets for more
satisfactory rebirth. One never thinks of ending kamma. One expects to rely on
it instead of trying to end it. In Buddhism, we can understand kamma up to the
level that we can conquer it or be liberated from it, that is, we do not carry
the burden of kamma any more. We neither sit waiting for things to happen, nor
leave our fate in the hands of gods, nor follow superstitions like purifying our
kamma in sacred rivers.
To be beyond kamma seems incredible to most people;
they may consider it a deception or a salesman's trick. Nonetheless, it really
is possible if we take the Buddha as our True and Noble Friend. This will help
us in practicing the complete set of Ten Rightnesses: the noble eightfold path
plus right insight knowledge and right liberation in accordance with the law of
specific conditionality (idappaccayata). In such practice, there is no foolish
feeling that leads to desire for the various results of kamma (actions). A
doctrine master from Southern India and contemporary of the Buddha heard that
the Buddha taught the cessation of kamma. He then sent his disciples to ask the
Buddha questions and to ask for His instructions. This well-known story is told
in the Solasapanha, Parayanavagga of the Khuddakanikaya in the Pali Canon. Many
people learn the Buddha's answers from this story and take them for study and
practice.
Wrong teachings concerning kamma are nowadays publicized in books
by various Indian and Western writers under the topic of "Kamma and Rebirth."
They are about kamma and rebirth as understood in Hinduism, but are presented in
the name of Buddhism. So the right teaching of Buddhism is being misrepresented.
This should be known and corrected for the undistorted essence of the kamma
principle found in Buddhism. The half-way teaching about good and evil deeds and
their results that was presented before His time or outside His teaching was
accepted by the Buddha as being a correct kamma-teaching, that is, not a wrong
understanding of kamma. However, the Buddha added to it the final aspect,
namely, the end of kamma as a Buddhist principle, thus completing the teaching
on kamma. This cessation of kamma goes by two names. It can be called "the third
kind of kamma" because there are good deeds, evil deeds, and the kamma leading
to the end of both good and evil deeds. We also may count in another way that
is, as good deeds, evil deeds, mixed deeds, and the kamma that is the end of all
kamma. If we count in this later way, then the additional kamma taught in
Buddhism becomes the fourth kind of kamma. However, if we take mixed kamma as
either good actions or evil actions, then there are only three kinds of kamma;
and the kamma that ends all kamma becomes the third kind.
This way of counting
is easy, convenient, and concise.
If the third kind of kamma is left out, the
teaching isn't the essence of kamma in the true Buddhist sense.
Kamma and
Rebirth. There is a rebirth every time one does a deed, and that rebirth occurs
spontaneously at the moment of action. We need not wait for rebirth to come
after death, as is generally understand in the worldly sense. When one thinks
and acts, the mind is spontaneously changed through the power of desire and
clinging, which lead to becoming and birth in accordance with the law of
Dependent Co-origination (paticcasamuppada).
There is no need to wait for
physical death in order for rebirth to occur.
This truth should be realized as
the true teaching of Buddhism. It is a core principle of the original,
untarnished Buddhism that states there is no self (atta) to be reborn. How the
concept of rebirth after death crept in Buddhism is difficult to explain, and we
need not concern ourselves with it. Merely prevent rebirth within the stream of
Dependent co-origination, that is enough for us. Stopping egoistic rebirth is
truly in accordance with Buddhism, and such action will be the kind of kamma
with we can take as refuge. When a good deed is done, goodness spontaneously
arises; when an evil deed is done, evilness spontaneously arises. There is no
need to wait for any further results. If there will be any birth after death,
that rebirth only occurs through the kamma one has done in this very life and
the results of which have already occurred here. We need not worry about rebirth
such that it obstructs our practice.
Receiving the Fruits of kamma. We should
see the truth that the mind performing a deed is kamma itself and the subsequent
mind is the result of that kamma. Other results that follow it are only
uncertain by-products, since they may or may not occur, or do not keep up with
our expectations due to other interfering factors. The results of action that
occur to the mind performing them are certain. Moreover, this is in line with
the Buddhist principle that there is no self or soul to be reborn, as stated by
the Buddha in the Kevatta Sutta. To hold the view that a soul is reborn means
deviation from the truth of not-self. Whenever a good or evil deed is done,
goodness or evilness spontaneously arises accordingly without having to wait for
later results. Nonetheless, most people expect certain results according to
their wishes; then, they are disappointed because of interfering factors. Such
intervening circumstances may lead one to hold a wrong view that good actions
brings bad results and bad actions brings good results. We should be careful of
this wrong view and should develop right understanding concerning the fruits of
kamma.
Receiving the results of kamma must always be self-apparent,
immediate, inviting of inquiry, and should never contradict the truth that the
five aggregates of human life are not-self. Mind is merely a phenomenon pushed
this way and that by conditions to do things according to environmental factors.
The resulting reactions must be accepted and are defined as good or evil
according to one's feeling of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Both always push
us into suffering, thus we should aim at ending kamma or getting beyond it.
Then, we will have realized, awakened, and fully blossomed, which is genuine
Buddhahood.
There is a moralistic definition of kamma that retains a sense of
self that is the owner of this and that. This definition contradicts the
principle of not-self stressed by the Buddha. We should correctly understand
this definition; otherwise, we will not benefit from practicing this teaching,
since we will not be able to go beyond kamma. Being endlessly under the power of
kamma is not the kamma teaching of Buddhism. Instead, aim at practicing the
kamma that ends all kamma. This will prevent us from unwittingly going
astray.
Activity & Reactivity. The action or movement of sentient beings
that is done with volition, particularly that of craving and arising through
defilements, is called kamma. An activity that is not caused by defilement, for
example, an Arahant's intention, is not called kamma; it is called "kiriya
(activity)." The result of kiriya is called "patikiriya (reaction)", while the
result of kamma is called "vipaka (fruit of action)." These results justly occur
in accordance with the law of nature. Ordinary people have ordinary volition
(cetana) as the cause of their actions, which are thus kamma. Good volition
leads to good action; evil volition leads to evil action. Through moral and
cultural training, everybody is taught to do good deeds that do not cause
trouble to anybody and give good results to everyone.
Therefore, kamma concerns
the law of nature and is scientific.

Types of Kamma.

There are many types of
kamma depending on the characteristics of deeds and their doers.
Some act with
selfishness for the selves they desire to be. Some perform the action that lead
to the ending of self and the realization of Nibbana. There are people who are
pleased with worldly prosperity, heavenly prosperity, and successful realization
of Nibbana, which always seem to contradict one another. Some like to show off
their good deeds, while others perform their good deeds secretly. Some proclaim
their meritorious deeds with fanfare, while others do not need such fanfare.
Some do their deeds with excessive ceremony, while others do theirs without any
ceremony at all. Some do theirs out of fear for black magic or superstition,
while others do theirs properly as Buddhist practice. Therefore, it is apparent
that there are various types of kamma. Nevertheless, they all can be classified
into two categories: those with self or for the sake of self, and those that aim
for the ending of self and of selfishness. Some do deeds in a business-like
manner, expecting excessive profits. Others wish for the end of the vicious
circle of life and death. Look for yourselves! Ordinary people do good deeds
merely for the sake of excessive profits.
Kamma and not-self. The question of
kamma and not-self is confusing and difficult to understand in various ways. A
monk once asked the Buddha, "How does kamma done by not-self give results for
self?" This question arose because of the teaching on not-self that points out
how the "actor" is merely a mind-body process void of self. After an action
(kamma) is done by a selfless mind-body, how could it have any results for a
"self" that is the "doer" who intentionally did that deed. The new concept of
not-self contradicts the old concept of self. There is a self that claims to be
not-self and does things in the name of not-self, but the feeling of self still
exists to receive the results of the deeds. Thus, the monks question. If we see
it rightly, we will understand that when the mind-body is not-self, the results
of its actions will happen to a selfless mind-body, also. However, if that
mind-body is full of feelings of self, the results of its actions will always
happen to this apparent self. If kamma is not-self, its result will be not-self,
and what occurs in accordance with kamma will be not-self. The things, whether
human or animal, that we conventionally speak of as "actors (doers of kamma)"
will also be not-self. The facts of kamma and not-self are never separate and
never oppose each other.
The ending of kamma is the same thing as Nibbana; in
other words, it is synonymous with Nibbana. From where, then, come the teachers
who instruct the people that death is the end of kamma? When someone dies,
people murmur, "oh well, his kamma is finished." Moreover, they often say that
one dies according to ones merits and kamma, without realizing that what is
happening to them now is also according to their good and bad kamma, until they
really reach the end of kamma, namely, Nibbana.
Nibbana is freedom from kamma
and its results. Further, Nibbana is freedom from the vicious samsara (cyclic
existence) that keeps spinning according to kamma. Nibbana, therefore, is lovely
and loveable, not frightening in the least. Even so, people prefer being trapped
within the vicious cycles of birth and death according to their kamma,
particularly the kamma they desire as a result of their defilements, although
they never get what they wish. Those who have big egos will normally hate and
fear the end of kamma because the ego or self desires kamma-results that appear
lovely according to their viewpoints.
Kamma is attachment (upadhi) or burden.
When one performs kamma, life goes according to kamma, that is, one is bound by
kamma no matter whether it is good or evil kamma. Good kamma makes one laugh and
bad kamma makes one cry, but both weary us almost to death. Even so, people
still like to laugh, since they misunderstand that good kamma is great virtue.
When kamma does not bind our lives, it is as if there are no chains on our legs,
whether iron chains or diamond-studded gold chains. Life becomes a burden when
it is weighed down by kamma and we have to carry and support it. The end of
kamma makes our lives light and free, but only a few people like it because the
veils of atta (self) obscured it.
In conclusion, as Buddhists let's try to do
only the kamma that is the end of kamma. When we see that kamma has occupied and
ruled our lives, we will strive to practice, improve ourselves, and fight in
every possible way to triumph over both good and evil kamma, so that none of
them will oppress our minds. Let's develop minds that are clean, clear, and calm
because no kamma and no results disturb it. Nowadays, most people understand
kamma as something bad and undesirable. This is correct because both good and
evil kamma are despicable in that they cause the vicious cycles of birth and
death to go on without cessation.
Kamma in Buddhism is that kamma (action)
which leads to the end of all kamma so that life is above and beyond kamma. It
is something to be understood and fully integrated into our lives. "Living
beyond kamma" is something to be realized and attained.



Mokkhabalarama,
Chaiya
April 7, 1988