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Karma Question
Hi all, I'm very interested in Buddhism but have an important issue I wondered if any of you exceedingly knowledgable people could help me with 
I'm grappling with the idea of karma at the moment and think I'm getting to grips with it.
I wondered if anyone could enlighten me as to buddhist views about physical disability in relation to karma. I know there will be many different personal views, but what does the Dhamma teach? Are there references to this?
I'm asking as my husband is a wheelchair user, so it's obviously something we think a lot about. He's very interested in Buddhism too
Thanks for any insight/opinion!
I'm grappling with the idea of karma at the moment and think I'm getting to grips with it.
I wondered if anyone could enlighten me as to buddhist views about physical disability in relation to karma. I know there will be many different personal views, but what does the Dhamma teach? Are there references to this?
I'm asking as my husband is a wheelchair user, so it's obviously something we think a lot about. He's very interested in Buddhism too
Thanks for any insight/opinion!
0
Comments
Here is a link that might be somewhat useful to you.
http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/freenet/rootdir/menus/sigs/religion/buddhism/introduction/truths/karma2.html
I believe there are a couple trains of thought regarding karma. I believe some state that:
1) We get karma from our actions, actions in past lives and actions of family members
2) We get karma from our actions in this life.
Negative actions beget negative karma - postive actions beget positive karma. I believe that removing negative karma from our lives and generating positive karma provides one with the opportunity to realize awakening and either a) attaining nirvana or an awakening of some sort or b) the same as "a" but also ending this cycle of rebirth and suffering.
If I'm wrong - I'm sure someone else will come in here and straighten me (us) out
-bf
, I'm not sure if this would interest you... It's a bit of a long read, but may bring some things into a more understandable light... save the link and trawl through it a bit at a time...
Hope this is of some help to you....
A good read.
-bf
Welcome to the forum. As for your question...
Well, first of all, in Buddhism we are encouraged to ask a very important question. That question is: Is this _______ skillful? That blank can be filled in with any number of words such as "question", "action", "thought", etc. Now, what makes something skillful? Something is skillful if it leads to dispassion, to being unfettered, to shedding, to modesty, to contentment, to seclusion, to aroused persistence, and to being unburdensome. This is all that the Buddha's teachings really focuses on. As he is often quoted as saying:
In Buddhism, we are taught to pay attention to the present first and foremost. It is only in the present that we can accomplish this task. The past is behind us, and the future is yet to come. Any such attention that directs one's mind to ponder and speculate about these things is generally considered unskillful, and unfit for our attention [especially in regards to a "self"]:
Now, this doesn't mean that we never think about the past, because sometimes we definitely need to. For example, we have learned many valuable lessons in the past, and those lessons should be remembered [like fire is hot, don't touch it]. We also are not asked to never think about the future, because sometimes we definitely need to. For example, we will need to plan for certain things for our own wellbeing, our children's wellbeing, and so. What we are admonished not to do is to give the past and future all of our time. When we do that we only gives rise to views, opinions, regrets, anxieties and ultimately suffering.
What the Buddha teaches us to do instead is to keep our mindfulness on what we are doing right here and now. The reason why is that our past kamma (action) is already done. We cannot change that. Whatever has been done will bear its results. The seeds are planted, and their fruits will grow [be they sweet or bitter]. What we can change is how we act in the present, and how we react to the results of our past actions. Even if something was done in the past [in this life or one before it] to result in a physical disability, nothing can be done about it. There is no reason to even worry about such a thing. To worry or ponder about such a thing will only add to our stress, not lessen it. All we really need to know is that our actions do have consequences. This isn't said to "scare" us into doing something "moral", but it said mainly to help us understand the cause and effect nature of the world. Skillful actions produce skillful effects, while unskillful actions produce unskillful effects. This is easy to see in some aspects, but difficult in others. It is very clear to see that shooting up heroin with dirty needles will lead to many unskillful effects, but it isn't so clear to see how thinking certain thoughts can lead to the same.
The Dhamma teaches just this: All of our actions of body, speech, and mind carry with them the potential for happiness, unhappiness, and Nibbana. It is up to us to observe which leads to which, and choose the ones that lead towards Nibbana. There is no other way for lasting peace. We may have short term happiness and pleasure, but that will soon change. Why? Because everything conditioned is impermanent, and subject to change. Happiness is conditioned on what makes one happy, as well as one to be happy. Our health can make us happy, for example, but our body will eventually grow old, get sick, and die. This causes unhappiness because the conditions for our happiness are no more. What we need to do is to use the time that we do have to understand this process. To observe it in all things, especially our minds. That way, we can condition our release from all forms of suffering.
There are many more things which I could say about kamma and the effects of such, but that would be better suited for another time. Right now what I really want to get across is that no matter why your husband is in a wheelchair, that doesn't have to affect his practice of Buddhism [if he so chose to persue it]. The Buddhist view is that we should all strive for our long-term benefit & happiness regardless of our physical condition and capabilities:
I hope that this helps to answer your question, albeit indirectly.
Jason
I would like to add that Karmic consequences may span across many lives (Reincarnation). The seeds that are planted today may bear fruits many lives later. And the consequences we are having today are the seeds that were planted many lifetimes ago.
I have a disability as well, though I'm not in a wheelchair. But I'm severely limited in physical capability and live with chronic nerve pain. Sometimes I think I have this "affliction" because of something I did in the past, when I was younger. I won't bore you with the details, but when I look back to that time I think I may have been much less sensitive and compassionate than I could have been to someone who was dear to me. My disability may or may not be a result of that past unskillful thought and action on my part but it did serve to make me look back and see how I could have been more compassionate at that time and with that person.
But I never spend time dwelling on that past. I have this disability now so I have to find a way to live with it. And because the injury that caused it happened while I was already in the midst of Buddhism the choice of how to deal with it became nice and clear. I recognized this challenge to be one of my teachers. It's actually been the best teacher I've ever had. It's with me 24 hours a day, everyday, and never takes time off. It forces me to practice mindfulness, patience, compassion and humility among a myriad of other things. I wanted to know the Dharma so much and now I have the greatest teacher in the world. It may sound crazy but I wouldn't change a thing. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity every single day. I never have to worry about getting drowned in the material world or losing the Buddhist path.
That's not to say that I didn't go through hell and fight it at first. I had a lot of trouble accepting it and the pain was, and still is, a challenge. I was demoralized by it for a while. But over time I adapted, as we do. And I began to see the deeper truth and meaning in it. Or the deeper meaning I assigned to it, I should say. And so far in my life, nothing has brought me deeper into the Dharma than this disability. So, in my reality, it's actually the greatest blessing I've ever had. If my past actions are the seeds that blossomed into my present suffering, then I acknowledge the unskillful nature of those actions, I regret them, I will not repeat them, I have suffered their fruition and now I'm going to enjoy myself
despite and because of my disability. That's all I know about this so far. If I find out anything else I'll be sure to let you know.
My heart and thoughts go out to you and your husband and I wish you great joy and peace and release from suffering.
Brigid
Hi there Karmadillo,
Many people on this site will answer from all points of view and all walks of life-some of the people here are disabled physically, but mentally they are much more able than myself and more than most of the general population. (I'd imagine) I believe it's because they spend the time to look within analyse and criticise their own minds and beliefs.
Most of us have different concepts of Karma/kamma. i come from the science/electronics world so i understand it to be more of a scientific principle than some wierd sh**. It is Simple "Cause-and-Effect".
Play with fire-you get burnt.
Drive fast with total disregard for safety-most likely you will have a crash (notice I did not say "accident").
Stick a burnt end of a stick in your eye-it will hurt
(although, I have heard that Driving a car is better than being poked in the eye with the burnt end of a stick-smart person who came up with that one. teehee)
Years ago when I was a young guy (really it was only about yesterday..that I was young) My class visited a spinal injury rehab place. (I was about 14 at the time) There was this guy who was quite matter-of-fact about his condition, he was a para. all the girls said "Oh dear-he so good looking etc., the boys said gee that was so unfortunate what happened to him, and so-on) however he explained just what had happened to him.
He was swimming in the Yarra (a brown-silt filled river that runs through Melbourne) when he dived-in head first from a bridge, without considering what might be beneath the surface (let's call this the "CAUSE", he hit his head-broke his neck there's the "EFFECT", to me it seems that-effectively it was HIMSELF that created the whole stream of events. It's unfortunate, but he was responsible for his actions. it is my understanding that maybe karma is not carried-over from one life to another(JUST MY THEORY), I think we live the results of our own actions in this life.
If I hurt someone that i love-(once again "CAUSE"), I feel crap for ages ("EFFECT").
hope this helps,
I'm rambling-sorry.
I thought I would also include this relevent Sutta:
May we all experience true Cessation and peace.
Jason
This certainly gives me lots to think about. I don't have any problem understanding the basics of karmic law. But, yassee, my husband is a fantastic, compassionate all round groovy dude :rolleyes:. His disability is inherited, affecting him since birth. To think that my lovely hubby could have brought this on himself in another life is something I have to get my head around, yanno? Yet, I know it doesn;t matter and I KNOW that thinking about it too much is unskillful thinking but.................. :-/
I'll get there!
Thank you all
Sas
That is the same problem that we all share in samsara (perpetual wandering). Until we completely remove avijja (ignorance) we have the potential to do some very unskillful things in the ways of body, speech, and mind. But, if you look at it another way, just the fact that he has had a human rebirth means that he also did some very, very skillful things as well! A human birth [the most praised in all the of thirty-one realms by the Buddha] is very rare:
Jason
Hi there Sas, here is a link to a page on karma from the UrbanDharma web site - KARMA
Interestingly, in the first article on the page regarding the tsunami, Khusala Bhikshu outlines the 5 aspects of cosmic order, of which karma is only one. The second aspect (Bija Niyama) includes biological and genetic laws. Therefore you could say that your husband's disability has nothing whatsoever to do with karma as it falls under the heading of genetics.
I'm sure someone'll put me straight though if I've got this all wrong.
It is a lot to get your head round though ! :crazy:
Adrian
That is very true, but the Buddha described the mind and body specifically as old kamma:
Genetics is simply dealing with the rupa (body) aspect of the equation, so it is included here.
Jason
I guess, looking at it that way, the original genetic defect could be seen as being caused by karma even though it is still being inherited further down the line.
Cheers,
Adrian
Exactly, that is the condition for existence such a genetic defect would depend upon. If there was no kamma, there would be no birth.
Jason
Onto it - Ginger nuts anyone?
I would love some boiled ginger root with a sliver of tofu in it.
Jason
Eh?
I'll have a hot Ribena if the kettle's boiled !
That takes me back....!! I always used to have a hot Ribena... with a Farley's rusk in hot milk...!
I was 18 at the time and doing 'A' levels... I needed serious sustenance!
I'm trying to substitute coffee with something else and hot Ribena fits the bill perfectly!
By the way Fede, I tried to find that haiku calendar at the weekend but there were none left
Oh Poo.
Well - I'm waitressing while I study, so that is kind of déjà vu!
"They also serve who only stand and wait"
I am quite moved by your story. Yes, as human, we are carrying this sack of rice around we call our bodies, but deeper intuitive practice would reveal that these physical bodies are not ours. Master Thich Giac Chanh once told me that the present daybody is our Past karma. We are building a New body right now, as we speak.
That is why the act and thought of renouncing materialism is encouraged in all religions, Jesus basically say Give Up Your Wealth and Follow Me, that he means to follow the Endless Light that they call Paradise in Christianity and in Buddhism the same ideas applies.
That way we will not no longer inherit this body of flesh in our future rebirths. This is not spiritual materialism, it is real as the Unborn True Person are moving that flesh body around. Get to know the Light that moves your hands and feet......that is what we are striving for.
To the Deathless,
Nam
good post. You know way more than myself on the subject, just a point though you wrote:
"Jesus basically say Give Up Your Wealth and Follow Me, that he means to follow the Endless Light that they call Paradise in Christianity and in Buddhism the same ideas applies.
I lost a fortune to the last cult I was a member of, they call it tithing-I believe. they wanted %20 of my earnings after tax.
I'm seriously thinking of starting my own religion, the basic tenets are..
Do what you want.
Don't have to attend church.
You just need to give me %50 of your earnings after tax.
Anyone wanna join?
Xrayman
psss. Brigid, I was joking. hahaha
regards,
Richard
Hey Brigid, ever heard the song by Living Colour, The Cult of Personality? I think you'd like it.
regards,
Xrayman
We're off topic!)
(Brigid)
Palzang
Thanks a lot Palzang - that's very reassuring :thumbsup:
This is something I'm working on - acceptance without judgment governed by my ingrained worries, fears and preconceptions!
Thanks all
Sas
Palzang
Buddhism teaches that you start where you are, with things as they are. Karma is just a word. A useful word at times but also sometimes an obstacle.
Imagine someone who gets shot with an arrow, and who is lying there mortally wounded, with the last moments of life ebbing away. A surgeon comes along to pull the arrow out, and the man weakly looks up at the surgeon and says: 'Before you pull the arrow out can you tell me to what clan belongs the person who shot this arrow? Would you find out for me, please, before you pull the arrow out, whether the person who shot me was a tall person or a short person? Would you mind inquiring, before you pull this arrow out, the colour of skin of this person: was it light skin, dark skin, medium skin? What was the profession of the person who shot this arrow? Could you tell me, please, was it an artisan, or a physician, or a scholar? And furthermore, what sort of arrow is this anyway? Was it made from a cherry tree, or an oak tree, or a pine tree? And what about the feathers on the end of this arrow? Were they made from goose feathers, or are they eagle feathers, or vulture feathers? And what about the tip of the arrow, how is that made?'"
The Buddha said, "If the person who was shot were to seek the answers to all these questions, definitely, he would be dead before he found the answers to these questions. So Malunkyaputta, it's not that I know the answers to these questions and I'm not telling you, or that I don't know the answers to these questions. It's just that I know for sure that speculating on these questions does not help to live the life that we want for practice. Malunkyaputta, I have not been silent. There is something that I have told you. I have spoken of suffering, and the cause of suffering, and the end of suffering, and the path. Suffering and the end of suffering, that is what's important. About that I have spoken."
- Suffering and the End of Suffering
by Zoketsu Norman Fischer
Suffering and the End of Suffering
And Karma Korn is a great snack!
Good to hear from you again, ZG. I also have been laying kind of low for a while, probably for similar reasons.
Palzang