Do you believe in karma?

[PacificDude]

I don't. And I'm a Buddhist. The thing is, Buddhism instructs us to do/wish no harm on our brothers and sisters. But humans are human. And too many fall short of their lofty words and beliefs. Turn the other cheek ;-)

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[Din Djarin]

Not as an actual thing, but it is a very worthy principle to live by.

Better than turn the other cheek, which I acknowledge is good in intent. But the road to hell is also paved with good intentions, right?

[PacificDude]

Not as an actual thing, but it is a very worthy principle to live by.

Better than turn the other cheek, which I acknowledge is good in intent. But the road to hell is also paved with good intentions, right?

Amen! haha :-)

[rolling]

the topic today is ask a Buddhist




correct me if needed but isnt karma collected in this life and used in the next life?


btw i am a budist...its different

[Meliai]

This thread inspired me to look up karma, because I really only know it as a vague concept people say when they're wronged by a lover - "kArMa's gOnNa gEt hIm oNe dAy"

Anyways so looks like there are 12 karmic principles. And they all sound legit so yeah, I guess I do believe in karma

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[Matthew Mussolini]

This thread inspired me to look up karma, because I really only know it as a vague concept people say when they're wronged by a lover - "kArMa's gOnNa gEt hIm oNe dAy"

Anyways so looks like there are 12 karmic principles. And they all sound legit so yeah, I guess I do believe in karma

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I believe in Karma as it is written there. I think we will all feel the pain we cause others, either in this life or in the next (what Catholics identify as purgatory).

I think we will also experience the joy and happiness we bring to this world 10-fold, good measure and flowing over. Either in this life, or the next.

[Audiogen]

I don't believe in karma, at least the concept of it I learned in school, although those Karmic Laws Mel posted seem like worthwhile guidelines to subscribe to.


From what I recall, Karma has a central spiritual quality to it and is accumulated throughout reincarnated life cycles via good or bad action until one lives "purely" and can attain moksha or nirvana on their final life cycle.

To me, Jainism seems to best encapsulate an attempt to live the concept and I think it's an untenable lifestyle in the West. It would translate to like being a Vegan who rejects sex, drugs and rock n roll and creature comforts. That's an intense level of self-discipline to live one's life based on the premise that you'll either be favorably reincarnated or guaranteed release to pure consciousness/reality upon death. I've more closely followed the path of modern day Western gurus concept of YOLO.

[JoeKing]

Sure, why not.

[PacificDude]

the topic today is ask a Buddhist




correct me if needed but isnt karma collected in this life and used in the next life?


btw i am a budist...its different

I don't believe there is a next life. Reincarnation seems quite odd to me. But I like what Meliai said about how karma is often used to justify when bad things happen to people. Karma caught up with them. I don't believe that. Why do horrible things happen to good people? Is that karma?

[SusieDerkins]

Very similar to the Bible scripture “you reap what you sow

[Audiogen]

I don't believe there is a next life. Reincarnation seems quite odd to me.

Do you believe in Ultimate Mind or Essential Emptiness? (Those are the 2 schools of Buddhist Metaphysics I know, at least I think I described them accurately) or do you believe in something else?

[Undies]

The thing Mel posted seems pretty accurate. But like a lot of things in religion, what may have started out as a sound philosophy has been twisted into something different now. So typically when people refer to karma, it is the assumption that bad things will happen to people who do bad things. Which is often the case, but far from a sure thing.

[Din Djarin]

I don't believe there is a next life. Reincarnation seems quite odd to me. But I like what Meliai said about how karma is often used to justify when bad things happen to people. Karma caught up with them. I don't believe that. Why do horrible things happen to good people? Is that karma?

Isn't getting punished by a (the) higher power for your sins equally odd as a karmatic (sp? :P ) force that keeps a tab on your positive and negative actions?
Even more odd that this punishment supposedly lasts for eternity in the afterlife. Seems preposterously harsh.. :P

What do you believe happens after death? (Sorry if i forgot if you expanded on that in another convo on here! ). I think the concept of an afterlife in heaven is just as odd to me as the concept of reincarnation. Reincarnation appeals more to me though (assuming i have relatively good karma and don't return as a dung beatle).

Only an eternal afterlife in hell seems more odd to me. What a ludicrous idea, and what in earth would that reality say about the benevolence of our Creator?

[PacificDude]

Isn't getting punished by a (the) higher power for your sins equally odd as a karmatic (sp? :P ) force that keeps a tab on your positive and negative actions?
Even more odd that this punishment supposedly lasts for eternity in the afterlife. Seems preposterously harsh.. :P

What do you believe happens after death? (Sorry if i forgot if you expanded on that in another convo on here! ). I think the concept of an afterlife in heaven is just as odd to me as the concept of reincarnation. Reincarnation appeals more to me though (assuming i have relatively good karma and don't return as a dung beatle).

Only an eternal afterlife in hell seems more odd to me. What a ludicrous idea, and what in earth would that reality say about the benevolence of our Creator?

Right on! And I know Matthew Mussolini will agree w/you big time. I just don't believe there is anything after we die - except peace and silence. Sin? Hell? Heaven? No thanks. It's all a fairy tale (IMO).

[Din Djarin]

Sin, hell and heaven all seem human constructs to me as well. And hey, i find it likely they were not solely invented out of malicious intent to control the sheeple (as it is often put by other people who see those concepts as fake and false). But that doesn't make the concepts true.
The concept/idea of an afterlife on itself though... without any conviction what it should be, is more likely. Wether it is some form of reincarnation or that we enter an existence in another universe... or that we are bodyless spirits in an astral ocean of spirits and some aspect of our former life can leave a presence in this world. We don't know. I just find the possibilities slightly more likely than an eternal afterlife in heaven or hell based on how well we lived by the rules of a judgemental supernatural being.