The more I read about Karma, the more I realize. It is true, Good or Bad...whatever it is...Everything we do matters. I’ve given this a lot of thought lately. It may seem like a strong statement, but it is not meant in a rigid kind of way. Nevertheless, the more I contemplate it, the more it rings true to me. Every single thing we do in our life, every moment, it all matters. Now obviously killing someone is different than throwing garbage on the street. But even the simple stuff like going for a walk or cooking dinner, or reading the news matters. What do I mean by matters? I mean that it all adds up, all of our actions have an effect on our state of mind now and in the future.
When the ‘09 Lok Sabha & General Assembly elections were happening, I read a lot of news; I became sort of political for a while, wanting to read anything about the inspiring man JP Narayan and his plans. A month after the election is over, I’m in retreat, not thinking about JP or politics at all and a few times I’ve woken up in the morning having dreamed about him and petty political scenarios. Something is going on here, obviously all the news reading had some sort of lasting effect on my mind, otherwise I wouldn’t be processing it in my sleep.
Powerful movies and football also seem to have this hang-over affect on my mind. Sometimes after watching a movie, I’ll go to bed and the whole dream world will be filled with the theme of that movie. The same occurs when I work many hours on the computer just before going to bed. My dreams are often a strange version of the computer world. I get illusions such as meeting my football heroes Ronaldinho, Zidane, etc., after a good hour to two spent watching football replays.
All of these examples are to illustrate that all of our actions in fact have an effect down the road. These are strong examples, but it can also be quite subtle as well. Even everything we think matters. When I first heard this, I’m not sure I believed it, but I was shocked at the idea of it. Now, years latter, after having pondered it, I believe it to be true.
Extreme examples always popup, so lets address one. If the thought of killing someone arises, does that matter? Should I be afraid of my thoughts? No, not really. I think the main point is that thinking in certain ways for prolonged periods of time can actually change our way of being. The more emotionally charged the thoughts, and the longer periods of time, the stronger the effect.
The more we do or think something, the more we are creating the momentum for that to happen again in the future. It is subtle, but over time it is surely true. I think we can all accept this as true, the more I am an angry person, in time, I just become more and more like that. This is true for all states of mind. The momentum does not stop on its own; it is a never ending cycle that fuels itself. When things get too hot, or a catastrophe occurs, only then do we change our ways.
So do we always have to experience the results of our actions? Our teachings say that if we remain ignorant, then yes, but through practice, these past seeds can be purified. So everything we do matters, whether moment to moment, day to day, after many years or even over lifetimes. This is the basic teaching of karma, and I encourage everyone to look and see if it is true.
Practice 'LOVE' (an emotion) and you shall see the difference, it only charges your zeal to live Happy (effect) more and more. Again a cause & effect attachment.
Thanks for reading.
3 comments:
Phani i really agree with the concept karma and its effects on future But, the examples aren't clear. I say they deviate from your point of karma.Processing the thought in dream is just because you spent more time thinking on it. Thats not karma. No offense...I just meant to say the concept is correct but the example isn't right....
@Ramesh: no offence taken at all...hmm I know. That is exactly the reason I said "These are strong examples, but it can also be quite subtle as well"...I thought the content would amplify the reader's thought & imagination. I felt, just by vaguely illustrating a copy book style filmy incident, would not do the readers any good and by connecting with them via their main source of 'fairy world'..that is their dreams, I would strike a chord... So, if such things are possible through dreams, then as said, "practice makes a man perfect", so do our goodwill gestures and thoughts. And relating this to Karma, which is genetically viable, I thought I was on the right path. But if you feel, it was deviating, then I take my notes. Thanks Bro.
Here is an email exchange on this post with my cousin Mythili...
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Thanks Akka. But yeah, the definition that we believe is true in its own right. But I have been reading way too much into this off late, and according to Buddhism...
“There’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”
Now if there is no logical end, it is very hard for us to accept that the action has no cause & affect attached to it, but Buddhism defines it this way. Now can you defy what Budha said, I donno.
If time is just an appearance, not solid like we experience it, then the greatest problem in accepting past life karma is gone. There is no need for a place to store the karma if time is illusory. We do actions, and these actions have a result, a fruition. For us in the illusion of time it can seem like much later, but as things are a unity, it is much simpler. An action causes an effect which may seem like it is in the future, but when looked at as a unity, it is all just happening in the radical now.
That is why I said at the beginning of my post, "the more I contemplate, the more it rings in my mind"...I am still learning and exploring. Those were my thoughts from my learning. Your insight is my learning path too...I respect it. Thanks Akka.
Let me know what you think Akka. Thanks for your time and comments. I am at awe.
Phanindra Ketavarapu
Voice Mail: (732) 784-8663
My Blog: http://pk-thethoughtpost.blogspot.com/
** Be The Change You Want To See In This World **
- Hide quoted text -
On Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 9:57 AM, Mythili Pendyala wrote:
"I wasn't referring to Karma as being some sort of cliched event...but was
only trying to relate repeated doings that end up being habits. Like I was
not trying to convey that JP is my hero because I followed him a lot, but I
was trying to convey that it became a compulsive instinct not to forget him
after a while."
When you are referring to Karma and talk about examples in your life ,
readers will expect for incidents that impacted your destiny/fate based on
your actions in the past because That is what people define "karma" as. By
the opinions you expressed and the examples you quoted , you are almost
changing the definition of Karma.
Probably if you have started the topic saying that you do not believe in
Karma and want to look at it in a different perspective - as a compulsive
instinct rather than a religious belief, the examples would have supported
your conviction.
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