Posted: Jun 26, 08 11:23pm

I hope no one minds - teacup mentioned in another post that we should have a discussion about karma, and even though it seems like a fairly straightforward concept to some, it might not be so easily understood by others. So, here's a thread for it. :-)

In simple terms, karma is really the same thing as the adage, "You reap what you sow." If you break the law, you go to jail. If you help an elderly person across the street, you get some kind of reward (usually, a sincere thankyou).

But karma involves much more. In the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin, we are taught that actions taken in previous lifetimes are made manifest in this lifetime, so that we can learn from our mistakes and take steps to make amends. Indeed, this is the meaning in one of the prayers we recite when we practice Gongyo.

Karma - or, the Universal Law of Cause and Effect - is something every human being creates, every single moment of every single day, through our words, thoughts, and deeds. It's also something we live with every moment of our lives - most of the time, we're completely unaware of how we're living our karma.

Absolutely everything we experience is a direct result of our karma. If we are living a life of abundance and joy, it is because we created the right causes in the recent and distant past and we're reaping the rewards. If we are living a life of poverty and unhappiness, it is because we made unwise causes.

Now, before anyone goes off on me (and it has happened), just because we may have created negative causes in our past lives, that doesn't mean that others aren't accountable for their choices. They are accountable - and they live with the rewards or the consequences of their choices, too.

But, let's open the floor to discussion about karma. What are your thoughts? Do you have questions? Let's hear from you! :-)