5.Not Everything is Due to Kamma
Buddhism accepts that Kamma is the chief
causeof differences among menthe short-lived
and the long-lived, the diseased and the healthy,
the ugly and the beautiful, the powerless and
the powerful. the poor and the rich, the
low-born and the high-born, the ignorant and
the wise. The Buddha said that Kamma
differentiatesbeings into low and high states.
But Buddhism does not assert that everything is
due to Kamma. The law of Kamma is only one of
the twenty-four causal conditions (Paccaya),
described in Buddhist Philosophy o
Abhidhamma.
If the present life is totally conditioned or
wholly controlled by our past actions, then
Kamma is certainly fatalism or
predetermination.A person willnot be freeto
mouldhis present or future.Such a fatalistic
doctrine isnot the Buddhistlaw of Kamma.
For instance, a boy may be born into a poor
family because of some past unwholesome
Kamma. But by hard work and favorable
circumstances he is able to become successful
in life. Even a person born dumb, deaf or blind
is capable of formingfresh good Kamma to
restore the balance in his present and future
lives.
One such person was Helen Keller who was
dumb, deaf and blindat a very young age, but
by courage and will-power she was able to
overcome her handicap to the profit of herself
and others. She learned to 'listen' and speak by
putting her fingers on the lips of others to
detect movements. Later, she was able to
deliver public lectures calling for more social
service efforts and welfare works to alleviate
the sufferings of handicap persons.
There are five universal orders (Niyama) which
operate in the physical and mental realms, of
which Kamma is only one of them. The other
four are the physical inorganic order, the
physical organic order, the order of the norm,
and the order of the mind.*
Kamma is an intricate law whose complex
mechanics is fully comprehended only by the
Buddha. Kamma-vipaka is one of the
unthinkable as stated in the Anguttara Nikaya.
The Buddhist aims at understanding the
principles of Kamma to help him in his path
towards purification.
6.You Are Responsible
The understanding of the law of Kamma makes
us responsible, self-reliant and spiritually
matured. We do not blame other people in the
face of troubles and misfortunes.
We realize that we are the architects of our
own fate. We are the creators or destroyers.
We build our own heavens or hells.
What we think, speak and do become our own.
It is these thoughts, words and deeds that dogs
our steps from life to life, either exalting or
degrading us in the course of our wanderings in
Samsara. Therefore, build a good store of
merits because rewards of virtue wait upon
good beings and support them in their future
lives.
7.Transcending Kamma
After a Kamma has borne fruit, it dies like all
other forces. But ·as old Kammas die, new ones
are created. So, carried along the current of
craving, which is self-renewing and never
satisfied, the life-process goes on. But when
there comes the aspiration to end craving, a
transformation takes place.
As the aspiration for Nibbana grows stronger,
cravings wither: first, the grosser cravings
springing from the three roots of evil; then, the
higher desires; then, the refined attachments.
As they wither and no more new Kammas take
their place, the current of life-process dries up.*See The Manual of Buddhism pp. 84 - 85 by Narada
Thera
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