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When people are happy and contented,
they tend to take life for granted. It is when they suffer, when they find life difficulty, that they begin to search for
a reason and a way out of their difficulty. They may ask why some are born in poverty and suffering, while others are born
in fortunate circumstances. Some people believe that it is due to fate, chance, or an invisible power beyond their control.
They feel that they are unable to live the life they desire so as to experience happiness always.
Consequently , they become confused
and desperate. However, the Buddha was able to explain why people differ in their circumstances and why some are more fortunate
in life than others. The Buddha taught that one's present condition, whether of happiness or suffering, is the result of the
accumulated force of all past actions or karma.
Definition of Karma
Karma is intentional action, that is,
a deed done deliberately through body, speech or mind. Karma means good and bad volition (kusala Akusala Centana). Every volitional
action (except that of a Buddha or of an Arahant) is called Karma.
The Buddhas and Arahants do not accumulate
fresh Karma as they have destroy all their passions. In other words, Karma is the law of moral causation. It is action and
reaction in the ethical realm. It is natural law that every action produces a certain effect. So if one performs wholesome
actions such as donating money to charitable organizations, one will experience happiness. On the other hand, if one perform
unwholesome actions, such ass killing a living being, one will experience suffering.
This is the law of cause and effect
at work. In this way, the effect of one's past karma determine the nature of one's present situation in life.
The Buddha said, "According to the seed
that is sown, So is the fruit you reap. The door of good will gather good result - The door of evil reaps evil
result. If you plant a good seed well, then you will enjoyed the good fruits." Karma is a law itself. But it does not follow
that there should be a law-giver.
The law of Karma, too, demands
no law giver. It operates in its own field without the intervention of an external, independent agency.
Copyright (c) Jasper 2005
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