I sometimes get flummoxed when I read things such as "I hate 'karma'" or "karma explains nothing." It's like saying "I will cut myself with a very sharp knife and hate it when I blled," or saying "every actions produces a reaction" is meaningless because it is too abstract.
I think I get flummoxed because while so much has been written about karma from various perspectives, most of the time when karma is dicussed, its meaning is really not at all understood.
On the otherhand, I am increasingly doubting that the more common "buddhist" defintion of karma as a kind of moral determinism is too simplistic if not just outright wrong....
Personally I think that karma not only explains nothing, its corny. It postulates a tick-tock mechanical universe at odds with the real surprising, smelly, sweet, unpredictable reality.
According to how most people interpret karma, I agree with you Peter. It can be erroneously thought of as kind of a reward/punishment...heaven/hell system. If you do A. you will be rewarded, but if you do B., you will suffer.
My understanding of karma is more along the lines of cause and effect...occasionally observable, but most times not to our limited human mental capacity. Just because someone gets away with something according to OUR views of what is just, doesn't mean that person really got away with that something. There are always unseen and unknowable actions and reactions taking place. I am okay with not knowing, not having a hand in them and just letting reality hum along without my help. :)
I sometimes get flummoxed when I read things such as "I hate 'karma'" or "karma explains nothing." It's like saying "I will cut myself with a very sharp knife and hate it when I blled," or saying "every actions produces a reaction" is meaningless because it is too abstract.
ReplyDeleteI think I get flummoxed because while so much has been written about karma from various perspectives, most of the time when karma is dicussed, its meaning is really not at all understood.
On the otherhand, I am increasingly doubting that the more common "buddhist" defintion of karma as a kind of moral determinism is too simplistic if not just outright wrong....
Personally I think that karma not only explains nothing, its corny. It postulates a tick-tock mechanical universe at odds with the real surprising, smelly, sweet, unpredictable reality.
ReplyDeleteIts a device for getting the attention.
According to how most people interpret karma, I agree with you Peter. It can be erroneously thought of as kind of a reward/punishment...heaven/hell system. If you do A. you will be rewarded, but if you do B., you will suffer.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding of karma is more along the lines of cause and effect...occasionally observable, but most times not to our limited human mental capacity. Just because someone gets away with something according to OUR views of what is just, doesn't mean that person really got away with that something. There are always unseen and unknowable actions and reactions taking place. I am okay with not knowing, not having a hand in them and just letting reality hum along without my help. :)
[Hi Peter, hope you are well :) ]
I am Luz..thank you. Hope you are too.
ReplyDeleteWith much metta..._/\_
Selective metta, must be real.
ReplyDeleteKarma - it's true.