The Four Reminders – Karma
- Paul Cook
- Jan, 17, 2017
- Buddhism, Dharma
- No Comments.
This is the third of the four mind-turning reflections, which have taken these from Madhyamavini’s blog. Karma explains how our past actions affect us, either positively or negatively, and that our present actions will affect us in the future. Buddhism uses an agricultural metaphor to explain how sowing skillful or unskillful deeds will result in good or bad fruit ( karma vipāka, meaning ‘ripening’).
Karma
Everywhere I look in the universe I see things arising and passing away in dependence upon conditions.
From galaxies and stars to micro-organisms, this pattern holds true.
Things aren’t random — they have causes and effects.
This is also true of my life.
What I am today is the product of many influences: my family, culture, education and relationships.
It’s also the product of choices I’ve made, of how I’ve acted, of my mental states and habits.
There are many things I cannot alter, and these I must accept.
But I can change those conditions that spring from my mind.
I can change how I think, I can affect how I feel.
Meditation and Dharma practice give me ways to do so.
I know that skilful actions have brought me happiness and fulfilment and have benefited others.
When I’ve been kind or generous I’ve seen others benefit, and it has given me happiness.
I know that my unskilful actions have harmed others, and harmed me too.
When I have been unkind I have seen the pain I have caused.
Those actions have reinforced negative states of mind that make me unhappy, and I’ve felt remorse and regret.
Therefore I should cultivate positive states, practice skilful actions and avoid unskilful ones.
This means practising the Dharma, which offers a sure path to establishing positive conditions.
To this path I commit myself.
Recent Posts
- Going Deeper Day Retreat
- Six Week Wheel of Life Course
- The Noble Eightfold Path
- Jack’s Dharma Life Appeal
- Bah Humbug
Archives
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- June 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
Categories
- Buddhism
- Dharma
- Metta
- Mindfulness
- Nature
- Reports from the Sangha
- Retreats
- Sangha
- Uncategorized
- Website
- Weekly Meditation