KAMMASAKA - We Are Responsible for Our Karma

KAMMASAKA - this one word, but profound and deep in meaning is what each and everyone of us must remember. I first saw it in a Pali chanting book. And it basically is the word used by the Buddha to remind all sentient beings that we are responsible for our own karma since we created it ourselves. In this post, allow me to share with you my thoughts on Kamma (Pali) or Karma (Sanskrit).  

- We are responsible for our karma. 

- Nobody creates karma for us, as in a third party creates it and transfer it to us. In this sense, we can never 100% blame an accident on others, although that person (s) may be a participant(s). 

- Karma, once created, does not dissipate by itself. 

- Karma, once created, will ripen no matter how long it takes. 

- We cannot transfer one person's karma to another person. 

- Karma is a natural process and is not created by an Almighty Entity, nor did the Buddha established it.

- Every single rising and falling of our emotions, actions and thinking creates some karma, whether it be good, bad or neutral.

- As long as there is a rebirth, karma will ripen in this or future lives. Unless the root of rebirth, which is craving (tanha), the karma created will always remain. Once the causes and conditions ripen, it will manifest.

- When Buddhist Masters talk about non-duality, many people fall into the trap of thinking there is no good and no bad actions. 

- There is still good and bad in conventional reality. 

- The reason there is no good or bad in ultimate sense is when there is no more "self" - hence how can there be any actions be regarded as good when there is no self. And when all sense of self is gone (i.e. Complete Buddhahood), how can any negative actions be committed?

-  It is my opinion that true repentance and sincere practice may help somewhat in changing the course of karmic direction. Let me know if you think this is not correct. 

- If you know you have terrible karma, even saying "I am sorry" a billion times sincerely may help you "cushion" against any terrible suffering. The key is sincerity. You many repeat mantras, but if mantras are not repeated sincerely and taken to heart for each single mantra, then you will be just like a parrot. It will not be effective. 

- Our daily habits are the worse part of ourselves in generating negative karma but we are unaware of it. We usually never think anything we do is wrong! We think we are right all the time. 

- If our karma is not yet finished, and we try to end our lives thinking that we do not have to suffer anymore once we are dead, the karma will continue, only that you have more bad karma now (in forcefully ending your own life). You could be reborn in a much worse state than before! So, patiently bearing with whatever pain is necessary, even though it is hard! 

- Acknowledging our own misfortune is the first step. Secondly, we have to acknowledge that our misfortune could possibly be due to something we had committed in the past and now we are bearing the fruition of it. Thirdly, we should tell ourselves that we must have the strength to bear with the consequences of our own misdeed. This is done out of sincere repentance, and not arrogance. Apologising generally to whomsoever we may have done wrong in the past is one way to atone for the misdeeds we had committed. Practice metta/loving-kindness to all beings of the ten directions as a spiritual vow to spiritually cleanse ourselves. 

- Since we are responsible for our own karma, we must actively manage our store of karma. Don't dwell too much on the past. There's nothing you can do about it, except to change our wrong ways of the past. Instead, create as much positive karma as possible. In this regard, karma is not fatalistic, since we can manage our own actions, and thus managing unarisen future karma. 

There are more, but I will stop here. Hopefully you will reflect on how karma is created. If you wish to read more, try this - https://buddha-and-me.blogspot.com/2012/12/anti-blessings.html

#karma #kammasaka