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Instant Karma

RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
edited July 2010 in Buddhism Basics
Some evidence of karma acting instantaneously, or more accurately, of the fruit of karma ripening instantaneously.

Cheaters despise themselves because they cheat. Furthermore, cheating tends to lead to further dishonesty.

http://www.economist.com/node/16422414?story_id=16422414&source=hptextfeature

Comments

  • FoibleFullFoibleFull Canada Veteran
    edited June 2010
    I don't know if instant karma exists, but sometimes I have seen or experienced a very generous action bringing an immediate (within a week or so) reward of like-for-like. My favorite example is my sister's story:

    It was the early 1960's and everyone who was "cool" was into folk music. This pursuit more or less required a guitar to strum while you plaintively warbled out the folk songs. I did not have a guitar. My sister did. It was a cheap little thing with metal strings that bit into your fingers, but it WAS a guitar.

    Christmas came and my sister had nothing to give me ... so she gave me her guitar. She gave it to me with tears in her eyes, partly because she hurt from giving it away, and partly because she knew I loved that guitar as much as she did and she was joyful to be handing it over.

    Two weeks later, a casual acquaintance of hers loaded all his possessions into his sports car to drive to the other end of the country. He couldn't fit his guitar in, so he gave it to my sister. His guitar was a Martin Classical, with soft nylon strings that never hurt one's fingers, and with the richest, sweetest tone ever made. In today's dollars, this guitar was worth over $4,000. Instant karma?
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited July 2010
    You girls break my heart in any case. May you both know happiness and causes. Buddha bless you. I am so taken my heart feels so good I hope you can feel how good I feel.

    and still have a strum by god....:)
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited July 2010
    It's interesting that cheaters see others as cheaters.
  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited July 2010
    Richard H wrote: »
    It's interesting that cheaters see others as cheaters.
    And if others are cheaters, you have to be more on your guard so that they don't cheat you, which raises your stress level. One of the benefits of ethical behavior is lower stress. :-)
  • fedaalisfedaalis
    edited July 2010
    Richard H wrote: »
    It's interesting that cheaters see others as cheaters.

    I think I have a somewhat personal experience with what you might be saying here. I have had a lot of problems with anxieties/fears that other people were relentlessly judging everything about me. And one day I noticed that I was constantly judging everyone else :p So I've made an effort to not be so judgmental. And though I can't say I have stopped judging other people completely, I don't do it quite so compulsively anymore... and my relationship with other people in general has improved quite a bit.
  • FoibleFullFoibleFull Canada Veteran
    edited July 2010
    fedaalis wrote: »
    I think I have a somewhat personal experience with what you might be saying here. I have had a lot of problems with anxieties/fears that other people were relentlessly judging everything about me. And one day I noticed that I was constantly judging everyone else :p So I've made an effort to not be so judgmental. And though I can't say I have stopped judging other people completely, I don't do it quite so compulsively anymore... and my relationship with other people in general has improved quite a bit.

    Bravo ... it takes courage and self-honesty to see ourselves clearly. And strength to make the changes once we see. Thanks for sharing your example!
  • aMattaMatt Veteran
    edited July 2010
    I've noticed that pattern of projection quite a bit. If someone is not listening well, they aggressively say "you're not listening" or if they are aggressively judgmental they say "look at their judgement".

    What we see is often a reflection of what we are... which when you look at the ideas taught of projection, it makes perfect sense. We jump at shadows of ourselves, aggression cast from our own veiled patterns.
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