KARMA | Zen Wisdom

QUESTION:
How does karma relate to the actions of an individual, both in reference to past and future?

SHIH-FU:
Karma is a Sanskrit term which translates literally as “action.” When we have carried out an action, that action is over. It is something of the past. What remains can be called karmic force. It is this karmic force which leads to a particular consequence in the future, either in the present life or in a future life. In all cases, what exists is a cause and consequence relationship. Therefore, what people generally refer to as karma is more correctly described as karmic force.

Many people think: If I do something now, I will suffer or enjoy the fruit of that action at some time in the future. This is not quite correct. It is true that we will experience the consequences of our actions later on, but those consequences are not fixed. Karmic force relates to us as a shadow relates to a person. Although the shadow always follows, it changes shape and intensity with changes in light and position. In the same way, karmic force will always follow an individual, but karmic effect of a particular action is not permanently fixed.

Why is this so? The continual performance of new actions modifies the karmic force accordingly. So, if you generate virtuous karma, then the force of previous evil karma will lessen. Of course, the opposite is also true: evil actions will magnify the force of already existing bad karma. In some cases, where particular actions have been performed for a long time, the karmic force of all these separate actions can come together in one gigantic consequence. If the bulk of that karmic force were bad, the consequence could be terrible.

STUDENT:
How does karmic force govern rebirth?

SHIH-FU:
For those people with virtuous karma, the best rebirth would be to be born in the heavens, the realm of the devas. These are the heavens attained through one’s self-consciousness, rather than being born from parents. Also, the body cannot be killed. It will expire only when the consequence of its karma expires. For those people with evil karma, the worst rebirth would be to be born in the hells, the avici realm. As with the heavens, the body emerges from one’s self-consciousness, but whereas in heaven the sentient being enjoys a free and pleasurable existence, in hell the being is bound and experiences great suffering.

STUDENT:
You say that the best consequence for a person with good karma would be to be born in the heavens. Isn’t it better for a practitioner to be reborn in human form to continue to practice?

SHIH-FU:
There is a difference between virtuous karma and karma related to practice. Karma related to practice is generated by sentient beings who aspire to liberate themselves from samsara. They will be reborn in worlds where it is possible to continue to practice. Virtuous karma does not necessarily include karma related to practice. If a person practices for both wisdom and virtuous merit, then he or she may be reborn in certain heavens of form where practice is still possible.

STUDENT:
When I experience the consequence of a previous action, does that karmic force disappear?

SHIH-FU:
The force of karma never disappears; it remains with you until you transcend the three realms. So, if you experience the consequence of an action, karmic force does not disappear. It changes. Karmic force is analogous to water rushing down a mountain. If the water is blocked by a stone, it will alter its course and continue to flow until it reaches the ocean. Likewise, when you experience the consequence of a previous action, your karmic force will change direction.

STUDENT:
If this is the case, is it then wrong to say that I have burned off some of my previous bad karma whenever I experience suffering in my life?

SHIH-FU:
No, you can still say that. After you have suffered, your karmic force remains, but in an altered form. In other words, your karma doesn’t exist as individual packets of good and bad actions waiting to manifest. It is all one karmic force. So, if you experience something bad, it is the consequence of previous bad actions, and your karma changes accordingly. The same is true for experiencing something good.

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