Best Of
Re: Does all karmic debt need to be paid for a person to reach nirvana?
As one of the most karmically selfish (or at least shellfish) person here:
I am kind because it serves me well
I follow the best course of action for the time, place and people
I iz good for Nothing but Nothing is good for me
So emptiness is NOT Nihilism (whats the point) but an emptying into others directions and needs.
Have a great day everyone. Karma allowing. 
https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/compassion-and-meaning-moving-beyond-nihilism/
lobster
Re: Does all karmic debt need to be paid for a person to reach nirvana?
@Jason said:
@Ren_in_black said:
If so, is this written somewhere, or is it something that's been sort of understood through the logic of the teachings?This particular idea is not found in Pali Canon and is associated more with the Jain’s view or karma, e.g., see MN 101 and MN 136 and Thanissaro Bhikkhu’s study guide on the topic.
As far as past actions, there are teachings that present skillful actions can help mitigate the results of previous unskillful actions but cannot fully eliminate them (SN 42.8). In other words, there are some consequences that may arise even if one does a lot to counteract them. And awakening changes the logic, although one can still experience the effects of past actions, but their relationship to them will be different and the creation of new karmic results is no longer an issue. St. Maximus explains it well, I think, in Opuscula theologica et polemica (albeit from a Christian perspective), when he writes, “A perfect nature has no need of choice [i.e., intentional actions or karma], for it knows naturally what is good. Its freedom is based on this knowledge." And the noble eightfold path is what can help us get there (SN 35.145).
Jason
Re: Does all karmic debt need to be paid for a person to reach nirvana?
@Ren_in_black said:
@Jeffrey said:
Or can anyone do what Buddha has done?Jeffrey I think you've hit the actual core of my question.
And if the answer is no, then what are we even doing here?
How do you explain the value of selflessness to the selfish?
or life's potential freedoms to the habitually enslaved,
or sufferings cessation to the cravings we love?
how
Re: Just for fun: the random, useless announcements thread!
You gotta love Hokkaido, Japans northern island.
Or build a really big snowman!
Jeroen
Re: Just for fun: the random, useless announcements thread!
Snowstorm in Japan last week.
Oof.
Walker
Re: Just for fun: the random, useless announcements thread!
Had a little bit of drizzle earlier this evening.
Shoshin1
Re: Does all karmic debt need to be paid for a person to reach nirvana?
Perhaps..
The degree to which any karmic dept is addressed is the same degree to which Nirvana's graces are manifested.
and/or....
If a person is just a temporary cab ride of Karmic inertia, what is that person that reaches Nirvana when that karmic inertia becomes inert?
how
Re: Just for fun: the random, useless announcements thread!
My seniors moment with keys a couple of days ago......
Lost 1/2 of my house/ bike/ car and snooker club keys 2 days ago. There were 9 keys on a large looped bright green shoelace that were very easy to see and easy to manipulate. When not in use, they live at home in a drawer near the front door. Yesterday when I got back to my doorstep from a busy day, and went to open my front door, I found that half my keys were missing from that shoelace. I automatically went through all the places in my mind in my day where I'd taken out my keys for my bike lock and might have dropped them. That amounted to about 12 places far flung from each other on different ends of my city. My mind raced at the thought of the hours backtracking in the dark on what seemed like a very slim chance at finding them. At the end of my driveway as I was setting off on my search I decided to turn around to check out the key drawer inside, and as unlikely as that seemed and there were the missing keys. No idea how they could have slid off a still-tied shoelace string but there were all the missing keys.
Now while awfully grateful to find them, it's hard to think of just how many times in that day I took out my keys and used them while not noticing that half of them were missing.
how