Category: Fate

Introduction

Hi, you’re listening to Positive Perspectives As you recall in the last podcast I talked about truthfulness and how it is viewed in various religions. After that podcast one of the comments that I received was “hey, just finished listening to your episode. Got me thinking we all tell lies at some point in our lives, but what if we were able to know the consequences of our actions before we committed a sin?”

So, today we are going to be discussing the consequences of our actions. In this episode, I hope to examine the many groups/institutions and sacred texts of the 5 major world religions; Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

No matter who we are, all of us have made choices in our lives that have had consequences: some good, some not so good. Most often, it is the consequences that lead us to think this way, but one thing is for certain, we can learn from our choices by the consequences we experience. Before I get started with that question, I think it is important to give you a brief background on each of the religions sacred texts.

Hindus value many sacred writings as opposed to one holy book. The primary sacred texts are known as the Vedas. The Vedas are made up of:

• The Rig Veda: Comprises 1028 hymns
• The Samaveda: Consists of melodies, chants, and tunes for singing hymns
• Yajurveda: Priests handbook for performing fire sacrifices
• •Atharvaveda: Contains magical formulas, chants, spells, and charms

The oldest and most important scriptures of Buddhism are the Tripitaka ( The Three Baskets of Wisdom). The three baskets are the principal source for the life and teachings of Buddha.

Most accurate of Buddha’s teachings consist of:

• Vinaya- Pitaka: Basket of discipline (rules for Sangha or monks)
• Sutta- Pitaka: Basket of discourse (discourses between Buddha and his disciples
• Abidhama- Pitaka: Basket of further

The basis of all Jewish sacred texts is the Torah which means “law”. The principal message of the Torah is the absolute unity of God, The Jewish Bible is known in Hebrew as the Tanakh.

The Tanakh consists of three sets of books which include:

• The Pentateuch (Torah)
• The Prophets (Nevi’im)
• The Writings (Ketuvim)

The sacred text of Christianity, the Bible, is a collection of many different books and letters that include many types of literature.

The Christian Bible has two sections:

The Old Testament

• Spans over 4000 years of the history of Jewish people
• 39 books in the Old Testament
• Points the way towards the coming of the Messiah

The New Testament

• 27 books in the New Testament
• Comes from the teachings of the Bible
• 4 Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were written to tell the story of the teaching and ministry of Jesus and of his death and resurrection
• Epistles (letters): written by early Christians.
• Book of Revelations: some believe this to be prophecies of future events

The sacred text of Islam is known as the Quran. “The Quran: literally means, ‘that which is often recited.’ The Quran represents the foundation of divine guidance for every Muslim. Its revelation to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his practical implementation of the revelation, completed God’s blessing for humanity, in providing us with a belief and value system that is valid for all times.

Okay, now getting back to our question the consequences of our actions.

In Hinduism Karma is the view in which good deeds, words, thoughts, and commands lead to beneficial effects. For a person, bad deeds, words, thoughts, and commands lead to harmful effects. Karma is a Sanskrit word meaning action. Hindus believe that the effects of our actions are not necessarily immediate but can be visited upon a soul in future lives through reincarnation; additionally, good or bad fortune experienced in life may be the result of good or bad actions performed in a past life. In Hinduism, karma is the force of retributive justice that compels believers to behave righteously according to Dharma—moral law. karma is a central component of the Hindu ethical worldview. belief in karma reinforces and perpetuates systems of social organization prescribed in Hindu scriptures.

Similarly in Buddhism Karma has implications beyond this life. Bad actions in a previous life can follow a person into their next life and cause bad effects. Karma determines where a person will be reborn and their status in their next life. Good karma can result in being born in one of the heavenly realms. Bad karma can cause rebirth as an animal, or torment in a hell realm. Buddhists try to cultivate good karma and avoid bad. While no one can really be free from the law of karma, people can minimize its negative impact by leading a righteous life, following the Eightfold Path. The aim of Buddhism is to escape the cycle of rebirths Samsara and attain Nirvana an everlasting state of peace and joy.

In Judaism, the consequences of our actions are described in the Jewish sacred text the Torah which means “law”. The principal message of the Torah is the absolute unity of God. Jews choices of how to act and the implication that the more power we have, the more responsibility we need to take for our actions and the higher the standard to which we will be held. This decision appears to be a universal law in Judaism in which God, the ultimate source of all distinctions, actions, and consequences, is the one who dictates his laws in the Torah.

Torah is what constitutes and distinguishes the Jews as a civilizational community. Any decision-making process that claims to be Jewish necessarily involves Torah in this broad sense. In Christianity, the first thing that Christians consider is that God has given them the Bible as a manual for everything they experience in their lives.

There are many examples and stories of actions good and bad and the results and consequences that are directly related to these actions. Christians believe that the Bible is God’s Word given to them to learn to make good choices and avoid bad consequences so that they can enjoy the blessings and fellowship of God.

Lastly, in Islam Muslims are taught that they are responsible for their actions and consequences good or bad. Muslims see sin as anything that goes against the commandments of God (Allah). Islam teaches that sin is an act and not a state of being. The Quran describes sins throughout and demonstrates that some sins are more punishable than others. The Quran also states that on the day of judgment God himself will judge our good deeds against our bad deeds. Those individuals whose good deeds outway their bad deeds will be rewarded with eternal paradise.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is great power in being able to make choices in our life. We have the choice of what kind of life we’ll live, and what type of person we want to be. We are a result of the choices we make every day. I believe we should remember to think before we act. If we all did this even some of the time, not only would we happier, but this impact would be noticed by those around us impacted them and intern impacted those around them. This would ultimately lead to a better world.

Last, but not least, I would like to thank my listeners for tuning in and listening to this episode of the many different views on the consequences of our actions. If you enjoyed this episode please remember to share, comment, and suggest any feedback. Please stay tuned for the next episode where we will be discussing the importance of repentance.You’ve been listening to Positive Perspectives

The saying ‘what goes around, comes around,’ is the first thing that enters my mind when karma’s mentioned. By definition, karma is an action; good or bad, fate, or destined. Karma might be used to explain the meaning of why certain things occur; e.g., I good luck or bad luck, that may be attributed to my karma. Most conventional religions teach about the consequences of our actions; that by doing good deeds, you will not face the results of your actions. Loosely saying, ‘what goes around, comes around’…karma.

This essay will explain how karma has affected my life and why I base many of my actions around karma. It will also show that karma is an influential force and how it has the power to affect a human being positively. Karma has the ability to change a human’s behavior, but when the beliefs of karma and irrationality are intertwined, the results can be amplified.

What is Karma?

Although karma can be a powerful influence on people, it is only influential when one has given karma power. I believe the value of my past actions has decided my fate for the future; this belief may be artificial; nonetheless, it has affected my ethical thinking. I have always believed in an extraordinary power, but I am uncertain of who or what that significant power is. Karma allows me to settle on a remarkable influence without knowing entirely what my belief is. Karma has taught me that generosity and kindness, truth, and honesty are possessions that are equally rewarded. It has also taught me that if I was to become immoral, those actions may come back and haunt me. Karma has the significance of influencing the way I think and act, and its effect on my moral characters ultimately inspires me to do the same.

Are my actions determined by something else?

Determinism is probably the most crucial topic in philosophy and physical science. Most people, including scientists, do not believe actions are determined. A belief in my worldview would cause some people to debate against me regarding the philosophical question, ‘Are our actions free or determined?’ Although free will asserts that we have power over our behaviors, our viewed actions are the result of reflection and decision, not internal or external forces. Determined denies free will and maintains that everything in nature, including human behavior, happens as a result of cause and effect. If every effect already has a cause, then my actions and my choices are simply the results of some preexisting reasons that produced them, and they were not freely arrived at (58).

In the last few weeks, I have used an example of my horrible car buying experience to explain how that situation has crossed over or related to concepts of philosophical thinking. This experience has influenced how I analytically, critically, and effectively think about circumstances. Furthermore, for me to understand what or why things had happened; were these situations determined? As a result of cause and effect, I feel that my actions were determined. My actions were determined by something other than my unbiased assessment of the situation and my free choice among possible options (60).

When I was buying a car for my son a few years ago, I felt good about the situation. I thought that I had done the homework to buy a safe vehicle from a reliable source. I did not have the mindset that I was going to regret buying this vehicle; I just thought that this is the right step of independence for my teenage son. Although, as a mother, I had to ask the nagging questions: Is he ready? Am I ready? Is this the right car? Should we wait and look elsewhere? Barely able to contain his excitement, my son convinced me that this was the car for him.

When we test drove the car, nothing significantly noticeable made us believe that there were issues with the vehicle. The salesperson and I agreed with the purchasing price, and all that needed to be done was to sign the papers. I went through reading and signing the documents; I handed the papers back along with my bank card, and in return, she gave me copies of the paperwork and the keys. The first few days, he was thrilled; he loved his new independence. However, that did not last long; the car started to have electrical issues. By replacing the battery and alternator, my son had his freedom back. Things were great for another week; however, a week later, the car had a ‘wobble’ after reaching a certain speed, so I put the car back into the shop. The auto technician called and said that the driveline was about to fall out. Although I was upset about the added expense, I was more relieved that the car did not drop the driveline while my son was driving, resulting in a severe accident.

While the car sat in the shop waiting for parts to arrive, I had to figure the extra expense into my monthly budget. While reconciling my bank account, I noticed that the car lot had not charged me for my son’s car. After realizing the mistake, it was evident that I needed to call the car lot and correct the error. Almost at once, the auto shop called to tell me that the estimate that they quoted was going to be a couple of hundred dollars more. Knowing it was not the shop’s fault for all the issues that the car was having, I was still quite upset. I was upset with the car lot because I felt that they had scammed me. Then I remembered that they had not charged my bank. So, then, I felt slightly redeemed. I sat on the car lot’s mistake for about a week. The car was out of the shop, my son was back to driving himself to school, and I was not too stressed over the added expense. Even though I contemplated not contacting the car lot, because I did feel justified; I did call to correct the error. I left a voicemail with the person that I signed the paperwork with, and to no avail, she never returned my call.

After a few days of me calling the car lot, my son was leaving for school and returned almost immediately; there was a Marion County Sheriff’s business card on the windshield of the car asking to give them a call. Calling Marion County, I learned that the car lot was suing me for the money that they neglected to charge my bank account, and the sheriff’s office needed to serve me the summons. At that moment, I had a few choice words and feelings. Nonetheless, I was served the summons later that day and internally felt like a thief. After finally getting an approval code from the charge card, I had many thoughts swimming around in my head, karma being the biggest one. I felt karma was getting me back for not calling immediately and had even considered in not calling them because I thought that they sold us a lemon. Ultimately, I was relieved that it was all said and done, and I would never have to deal with them again. Marginally, I felt that it came down to the question of responsibility, theirs, and mine?

Interpretation

Why this situation matters to me so much is based on my ethical and moral values. When I was a child, I was always preached to by parents, teachers, and pastors the Golden Rule ‘do unto others as you would have done unto you’ (Matthew 7:12, KJV). I wholeheartedly believe based on cause and effect that this experience’s outcome was determined. The result had negative consequences because of my actions. Although I feel that my actions were determined by the constraint of feelings, possibly even irrational, however, I still felt justified in not calling at once due to all the issues the car was having (59). I could not foresee the consequences; therefore, I did not know the car lot’s response.

I’ve tried to compare my experience to B.F. Skinner’s explanation of human behavior: A scientific analysis of behavior must assume that a person’s behavior is controlled by his genetic and environmental histories rather than by the person himself…There is no place in the scientific position for a self as a true originator or initiator of action. (68)

However, it makes me feel as if I am placing blame on others rather than myself. I interrupt this experience as: Realizing the clerical error, I should have called at once. The cause (stimulus) of me not calling was the issues with the car. The effect (response) was negative, because it resulted in a lawsuit with damaged credit history, and the scarred feeling of a thief. It ended with the sole responsibility of negative results on my shoulders, because of all the wrong unjustified steps that I took. This reinforces Skinner’s belief of behaviors decreasing by way of negative reinforcement (67); I will never follow through with corrupt actions that result in negative consequences again. As the old saying goes, ‘what comes around, goes around.’

Buddhism is a philosophy and rеligion composеd of practical tеachings, such as mеditation for еxamplе, which aims to inducе a transformation within thе practitionеr. It promotеs thе dеvеlopmеnt of wisdom, consciousnеss, and goodnеss to rеach a statе of еnlightеnmеnt. Wе havе lеarnеd in class that Karma is causеd by intеntional actions pеrform by individuals not accidеntal actions. In Karma еxistеncе is approachеd as a pеrmanеnt statе of changе. Thе condition for bеnеfiting from that changе is to dеvеlop disciplinе ovеr our mind. It must focus on positivе statеs, concеntration, and calm. Thе objеctivе of disciplinе is to dееpеn thе еmotions associatеd with undеrstanding, happinеss, and lovе. Additionally, for Buddhism, all spiritual dеvеlopmеnt is matеrializеd and complеmеntеd by arеas such as social work, еthics, and philosophy. Thе word Karma mеans action and consists of a typе of forcе that transcеnds. This typе of еnеrgy is infinitе and invisiblе and is a dirеct consеquеncе of thе actions of thе human bеing. Karma is govеrnеd by twеlvе laws. Еach of thеm allows us to undеrstand thе spiritual mеaning of еxistеncе. In Buddhism thеrе is no controlling god, thеsе laws comе from naturе and pеoplе havе frее will to apply thеm or not. Thеrеforе, doing good or еvil dеpеnds on еach onе of us and on that dеcision thе consеquеncеs for which wе arе, to a largе еxtеnt, rеsponsiblе. Thе way in which wе configurе our pеrsonality, that is, what wе arе, is dеtеrminеd by thе kind of karma wе havе, that is, by thе acts of will. It is oftеn mistakеnly thought that karma is a form of divinе univеrsal rеtribution. On thе contrary, howеvеr, thе law of karma only suggеsts that volitional actions havе inеvitablе consеquеncеs. It is simply an еxtеnsion of thе fundamеntal doctrinе of conditionеd co-production.

In this world, nothing happеns to a pеrson who doеsn’t dеsеrvе it for onе rеason or anothеr. In gеnеral, mеn of ordinary intеllеct cannot undеrstand rеason or currеnt rеasons. Thе dеfinitе invisiblе causе or causеs of thе visiblе еffеct arе not nеcеssarily limitеd to thе prеsеnt lifе, but can bе tracеd back to a nеar or rеmotе past birth. According to Buddhism, this inеquality is duе not only to hеrеdity, thе еnvironmеnt, ‘naturе and nutrition,’ but also to karma. In othеr words, it is thе rеsult of our own past actions and our own prеsеntations.

Buddhism tеachеs that thе rеsults of karma arе not always еxpеriеncеd immеdiatеly; somеtimеs thеy arе accomplishеd much latеr, еvеn in anothеr lifе. Ovеr thе yеars, Buddhists havе hеld that thе procеss of bеing again occurs not only in this lifе, whеrе wе rеnеw oursеlvеs еvеry minutе, but also bеyond thе apparеnt barriеr of dеath, whеrе our will also dеtеrminеs how wе arе rеborn. “The belief in karma and rebirth, according to which actions performed in one lifetime bear fruit in a subsequent one, is widespread, some version of it being common among Buddhist, and some other religious traditions. Ethnographic studies sometimes provide examples of how this belief manifests in people’s lives.” In this sеnsе, ‘rеbirth’ is not synonymous with ‘rеincarnation’. It is not a quеstion of a fixеd and immovablе spiritual еssеncе finding shеltеr in anothеr body whеn thе first onе has alrеady bееn worn out. What happеns is that thе rhythm of continuous changе follows its coursе, in thе samе way that a flamе of firе advancеs through a sеt of branchеs, passing from onе to thе othеr. Thе flamе nеvеr cеasеs to changе. In thе samе way, it is nеvеr thе samе ‘I’ that is rеborn.

In all thе tеxts I’vе rеad, I’vе rеalizеd that thеrе’s somеthing еvеryonе agrееs on. Thеrе is a forcе in thе world that unitеs us mеn with thе еarth, which wе arе in this world bеcausе of somеonе еlsе’s actions in thе past. Wе havе to livе our livеs hеlping еvеryonе and prеaching by еxamplе. Bеcausе Buddhism says that oncе wе diе, it is not thе еnd of our livеs but with Karma wе rеincarnatе into somеthing еlsе in thе nеxt lifе. Thе diffеrеncе in how wе rеincarnatе dеpеnds on whеthеr wе havе bееn good pеoplе or not bеcausе Karma says that actions in this lifе will havе consеquеncеs in thе nеxt lifе. “the force that connects man to the world. Even more: through karma, all things are interconnected. Karma insures that every action has a cause and an effect. Every existing thing- be it matter or of spirit – exists out of a confluence of various factors.” Basеd on thе rеadings and all thе articlеs I havе rеad it sееms clеar that whеn it comеs to Buddhism, thеy bеliеvе еvеrything in this world is hеrе for a rеason, it comеs from a forcе in thе past.

“The Upanisads and Buddhism have basically identical ideas on rebirth: Beings are, by ignorance, desire and will, entangled in an ongoing process of repeated birth and death conditioned by actions (karma) and operating in such a way that is possible to link a given being to a chain of past existences.” What this book says is that wе arе all linkеd to somеthing from thе past, that wе livе in a way of lifе that is likе a whееl. Wе don’t stop living and that’s thе еnd of our story. It is not so, as I said bеforе wе livе in a way of living that is a whееl, our actions in this lifе according to thе law of Karma will havе its consеquеncеs in thе nеxt lifе. And it is somеthing wе should all lеarn, it is an еxеmplary way of lifе. It is a lifе in which wе havе to bе trеating еvеryonе wеll bеcausе if you trеat somеonе badly, according to thе laws of Karma, this will harm you in thе futurе and bе twicе as bad as what you did. Wе must also rеalizе that thе actions that givе lifе to thе law of Karma arе voluntary actions, not actions that wе havе donе without rеalizing it. Thosе who follow thе rеligion of Buddhism do not havе to worry about actions that havе rеsultеd in somеthing bad if thosе actions wеrе involuntary.

Buddhism also bеliеvеs that somе thеoriеs that arе not natural, from my point of viеw I do not bеliеvе that all thе actions that happеn to us arе for somеthing that wе havе donе in anothеr lifе. You can’t sit on thе couch and say that еvеrything that happеns to you in this lifе is bеcausе of actions that happеnеd in thе past. You also havе to assumе that wе makе bad dеcisions and wе havе to stick to thе consеquеncеs, whеthеr wе likе thеm or not. “Buddhism also assumes a particular non-naturalistic theory concerning the mode of operation of Karma-namely, its operation as a transpersonal casual chain in which future situations constitute the mechanically prescribed consequences of specifiable deeds- consequences that are, so to speak, visited upon the agent by inflexible external powers.” But Buddhists do not do it bеcausе of thе consеquеncеs that thеir actions havе in thе futurе but bеcausе thеrе is a diffеrеncе bеtwееn good and еvil. It is onе of thе thеir Еightfold paths, thе right of action: “honеsty and not harming living things”(from thе PowеrPoints).

But just likе еvеry subjеct wе havе to sее both point of viеws to comе to a conclusion and havе a bеttеr undеrstanding of what Karma mеans to thе Buddhism rеligion. Buddhism is a big rеligion and somе pеoplе havе diffеrеnt viеws on this subjеct. “The problem of reconciling the doctrines of karma and rebirth with the doctrine of nonsubstantiality (anatta) is, therefore, not a problem faced only by Western students of Buddhism, for it created difficulties also for contemporaries of the Buddha, as well as for many of his later disciples.” As I havе bееn ablе to rеad in this book, thе contеmporary idеas of Buddhism arе diffеrеnt from thе idеas of Buddhism of thе past. But that’s somеthing you can undеrstand, ovеr thе yеars things changе and idеas arе no longеr thе samе. Karma is such an opеn subjеct that all mеmbеrs of Buddhism can bеliеvе in this law but intеrprеt it in diffеrеnt ways.

I want to end this essay with a quote from a book called: “A None’s Story: Searching for Meaning Inside Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam” and this book as you can tell by the title of the book, this guy is searching for meaning inside different religions and I thought it was interesting what he had to say about Buddhism and the concept of karma. So here it is a couple of sentences from his book: “Related to Buddha’s theory of causation is the concept of “karma.” It’s the application of Buddha’s theory on a personal level: an individual’s actions and thoughts affect the events that occur in that person’s life. According to this idea, the students and the people of this community, area, and region were responsible in some way for the misfortunes that were befalling us.” And he goes on with all the things that has happened to this community and people around the world. The author even talks about the Holocaust and how it is not fair to apply the concept of Karma to everyone and everything since so many people in the Holocaust die and it was not their fault. After reading a few pages of this book, it has opened my mind and I have realized that there are so many times in the world that there are people who die by the wrongdoing of others, and in these circumstances I do not believe that the concept of Karma is well applied. Another example, are people who have cancer and die of it. According to the law of Karma means that they have done something wrong and that is why they have cancer but that is not always true.

In conclusion, after doing a lot of research about this topic and the things we have learned in class I have come to the conclusion that the law of Karma plays a big role in Buddhism. People who believe in the religion of Buddhism have the law of Karma in their mind all the time because they know that if they make a mistake or do something bad against another living being they are going to be harmed in this life and in the next because Buddhism believes that when people die our soul does not end there, we reincarnate into another living being in the next life. The living being in which we reincarnate depends on our actions. It is something very difficult to understand for some people who are not Buddhists but I think it is a good way to live because you are constantly thinking about the good of others and not yours. That is the part that has touched me the most and I think it is important that everyone lives that way.

‘Is there a maxim that should be the basis for all actions in the course of life? Surely it is the maxim of compassion: Do not do to others what you do not want to do to yourself. ‘ Confucius

Karma is the judge of our actions, it is the unseen energy that derives from our behavior that brings with it corresponding consequences and retribution. The karma in Buddhism or Hinduism simply tells us that the effort we made in something ten minutes ago or ten lives ago comes back to us.

It is closely linked to the future rebirths and transforms into the energy we will use to purify our soul until we reach perfection. While karma symbolizes responsibility and retribution for our actions, rebirth offers us the opportunity to move forward.

Accordingly, we have the freedom to behave as we wish; and from the first birth onwards we collect this energy. The creation of good and bad karma, of intentional and unintentional dictates to us what we confront in our lives, and what we need to solve in problems. Our ultimate goal is to learn through experience, to become better and to accumulate wisdom.

Thus, the law of karma leaves no room for chance and contains 12 laws that tell us how we will stand up for our actions, thoughts and feelings.

1. The Great Law or Law of Cause and Effect: We grew up with this law without knowing it. It simply tells us that we will reap what we sow. What we give to the universe is what comes back to us. The negative energy that you pass on to others will come back to you, but ten times as strong. Who sows the wind will reap storm. Karma is the judge of our actions, helping us to reflect on our suffering.
2. Law of Creation: Life requires our participation. We are one with the universe, we are part of the flow of natural life, and our lives are planted like all others in the cycle of nature. That which surrounds us gives us thoughts about our inner state. Create the possibilities you want in your life.
3. Law of Modesty: What you do not want to accept will continue to persecute you. If you look at someone or something just as an enemy or something negative, you’re not on a higher level of existence. Fulfilling this law means accepting without superiority.
4. Law of Growth: Wherever you want to go, always you will be. In order for us to grow in our mind, we need to change, not the people, places and things around us. We only have control over ourselves in our lives. As we try to change our inner life, we will also change our lives, and this must be done with caution to make it an advantage for karma. Never forget the love for yourself.
5. Law of Responsibility: Whenever something bad happens to you, there is something bad in you. That which surrounds us reflects us, and we reflect again what surrounds us. It is extremely important to take responsibility for what is present in your life.
6. Law of Connection: Even if something that we do seems unimportant to us, it is important to know what it is doing in connection with the entire universe. Each step leads to the next step and so on. Someone will start work so that somebody receives something. Neither the first nor the last step is more or less important because both are necessary to get the job done. We are all connected in the past, the present and the future.
7. Law of Attitude: You can not think of two things at the same time. You have to take level by level. When we lose the north in our compass, we arouse uncertainty and anger.
8. Law of Giving and Hospitality: If you believe that something is true, in any moment of your life, you will feel called to prove that it is the truth. Give and give to put what you have learned into practice.
9. 9th Law of the here and now: To see behind and anchored in the past prevents us from enjoying the present and being completely in the here and now. Old thoughts, habits, and dreams prevent us from renewing our soul.
10. 10th Law of Change: The story repeats itself until we learn the necessary lessons to change our path.
11. Law of Patience and Reward: All rewards require an initial effort. The biggest reward is the one that demands the most sacrifice, patience and perseverance. Loving our place in the world will reward our effort at the right time, just as we learn the importance of those values.
12. Law of Meaning and Inspiration: The value of something is the direct result of the energy and the intention put into it. Each personal contribution is also a contribution to the whole. Mediocre contributions do not affect the totality, they are so common that they annihilate themselves. Act with all your heart in every act to give it the necessary value.

Whether you believe in the philosophy of karma or not, it is certain that sometimes the only sure thing is that spring or winter is coming, but in fact there is another truth: ‘It is no surprise, twice to be born as once; for in the universe is all resurrection. ‘

Abstract

According to the Vedas, all material fundamentals are inculcated with the modes of nature or gunas- sattava, rajas, and tamas. Understanding the guna mode of an individual is the key to behavioral analysis. Different individuals may have different intensities of sattava, rajas and tamas gunas. As defined by Lord Krishna in 14th chapter of Bhagwat Geeta Sattva is the state of harmony, balance, joy and intelligence. This paper conceptualizes the Sattvik model which describes the interplay of attributes (gunas), actions (karma), money (dhan) and charity (daan). In the present study, the new term ‘Sattvik Dhan’ has been propounded by the researcher. It has been set out that the part of sattvik dhan that is given as charity denotes sattvik daan.

Introduction

Guna Theory

According to the Vedas, all material fundamentals are inculcated with the modes of nature or gunas- sattva, rajas, and tamas. (DAVID 1999)The interactions of the three gunas govern the dynamics of prakrti. The three gunas- sattva, rajas and tamas, correspond generally with ‘lucidity and buoyancy’, ‘energy and activity’, and ‘apathy and impediment’. (Schweizer) The Guna model of individual personality is contributed to Sankhya philosophy. gunas are categorized as sattva, rajas and tamas. Understanding the guna mode of an individual is the key to behavioral analysis. Different individuals may have different intensities of sattva, rajas and tamas gunas. In this context the personality model based on guna theory is propounded by Sharma (1996)- P=Sa Rb Tc Where P stands for personality, S, R, T stand for Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik qualities and a,b,c signifies the intensities of the respective gunas.

As defined by Lord Krishna in 14th chapter of Bhagwat Geeta Sattva is the state of harmony, balance, joy and intelligence. Rajas guna is dominated by attraction, longing and attachment and it binds an individual to the fruits of the work done by an individual. Tamas is a state of darkness, inertia, inactivity and materialism. ( Ipshita 2003). It may also be noted that while tamas and rajas are more materialistic oriented, sattva represent the spiritual aspect of life. Analyzing the constraints of tamas and rajas or the purely materialistic view of life, guna theory lays a greater emphasis on urgency to surpass tamas and rajas in order to move towards sattva. It may be indicated that guna theory is fundamentally an energy-band concept wherein tamas represents the negergy or negative energy and sattva represents synergy or channeling of positive energy. (Sharma 1997) Sattva guna is distinguished by the presence of traits such as purity, serenity, compassion, goodness and self-sacrifice (Kaur& Sinha 1992). The psychological behavior of human being is a combination of the three gunas (Mohan & Sandhu 1986) The varied character orientations in individuals is an outcome of varying proportions of presence of the three gunas. (Biswas, 2010).

Means Ends Analysis

(Sharma, 1995) advocates that ends denote the goal or the destination and the routes to the goal/destination are represented through means. Both ends and means can be wrong or right. According to Indian psycho-philosophy, means ends analysis is considered to be an important analytical tool. When integration of means-ends analysis is done with the guna theory, it results into three different types of ME (Means-Ends) approaches. These are S-S, R-R, T-T, denoting the Sattvik means-Sattvik ends, Rajasik means-Rajasik ends and Tamasik means-Tamasik ends. Karma theory

(Sharma, 2007) says that Karma Theory accentuate upon positive actions of human beings. It lays emphasis upon the “karma-phal” which means action-result linkage. According to the theory, sattvik actions direct sattvik consequences or results and similarly, tamasik actions direct tamasik results. It indicates that if the actions are sattvik, i.e positive, divine like, then the resulting actions leads to synergy. If the actions are tamasik, which implies malicious, demonic, negative or bad, then the resulting actions generates negative energy or negergy. Hence, it can be said that the Karma theory stimulates people to maintain the means and ends in appropriate context. It advocates that correct ends an only be achieved by employing correct means.

It encourages humans towards constructive achievements. The Karma Theory can be regarded as theory of ethical management and also as a theory which elucidates about positive management.

Karma-phal or the Fruit of Action

Sharma (1999) says that “As you sow so you reap” is a primeval way of expressing the idea of “Karma –Phal”, which says that the results or consequences of each type of “Karma”/action can be identified. It can be said that Karma-Phal is a purely action-result oriented approach.

“Sattvik actions lead o purity, rajasik create the pain;

Know tamasas a generator of the ignorance chain”.

“Lust anger and greed, they all lead to hell,

Abandon these three in order to feel well.”

Source: Sharma (1999)

Nanda, A.R. (2011) Karma or Action: sattvik karma or action can be defined as an obligatory action, which is carried out without any desire for phal(fruit) and without any attachment, repulsion and attraction. Rajasik karma can be defined as actions which are carried out by putting great efforts, caused with desire for phal(fruit) along with ego. Tamasik karma can be refereed as actions which are executed due to attachment and are carried out without thinking of its consequences. These can result into injury, loss.

Sattvik Daan

The Bhagwad Gita gives the concept of “daan” which can be defined as charity. “Daan” is categorized into three grades as Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik. Sattvik Daan is refered as the best “daan” or charity as it is selfless. It is referred as a duty. The donor makes the “daan” with no expectations in return from the recipient and is made at the right place at the right time to the right person. Bhagwad Gita encourages the human beings towards Sattvik Daan. (Shreemadbhagwad Geeta, Chapter 17, verse 20, Agrawal, 2005, p.II775); Baba, 2008, p.II:766)

(Swami Ramsukhdas, 2004) According to Swami Ramsukhdas, “this kind of daan is really tyag, relinquishment, in which nothing is desired in return. This type of daan is not the kind that gives punya, meri t in return. Seeking such punya will transform that daan into rajasik.” (Bright, P.S. ) Says that Distribution of food articles during natural calamities such as floods, famine, or providing drinking water to the people in scorching heat are examples of sattvik daan.

(Shreemadbhagwad Geeta, Agrawal, 2005, p.II776); Baba, 2008, p.II:766) Rajasik Daan can be defined as daan which is done for obtaining some indirect or direct benefits in return. The benefits can be spiritual as well as material. The donor suffers from regret or pain due to parting of wealth or property. Collection of wealth after persuasion, known as “chanda” in hindi is also referred as rajasik daan. Donor can seek the benefits through rajasik daan.

(Shreemadbhagwad Geeta, Chapter 17, verse 22 (Agrawal, 2005, p.II776); (Baba, 2008, p.II:766); Also see Manas Peeyush, Uttar Kaand, 7.101.0 (Sharan, 2001, pp. 552-53) Tamasik daan can be defined as daan which is given to incorrect person or at incorrect place or time. It is to be noted that the daan which is given to the recipient with insult or without showing respect, then it can be referred as tamasik daan. Intention of giving bodily harm to someone is an example of tamasik daan. (Kautiliya Arthashastra (3.16.6) (Kangle, 2000, p. II: 244), Gairola, 1996, 1996, p.323)

Relationship of Guna Theory with Karma

Nanda, A.R. (2011) expresses that the Bhagwad Gita, chapter 18 elucidates about the relationship of the guna theory, i.e the three gunas or attributes (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) with predominance of action (Karma) along with conduct, knowledge, intellect, happiness or joy, determination of steadfastness or commitment. Hence, it can be said that there is an interconnection between guna theory and karma theory.

Nanda, A.R. (2011) Lord Krishna has also enlightened about the spiritual practices of daan, yagya and tapas, which purifies man. It is said that these practices (daan, yagya and tapas) should be performed after renouncing all the attachments and desires or wishes for the fruits of karma or action. Hence, it can be said that the essence of true sattvik daan, yagya and tapas is depicted when it is done selflessly. Also, if there is persistence for desire for the fruit of karma or action, then daan, yagya and tapas can be referred into tamasik or rajasik categories.

The Sattvik Model: The Idea of Sattvik Dhan

The model proposed depicts interplay of attributes (gunas), actions (karma), money (dhan) and charity (daan). In the Sattvik model, G stands for guna, K stands for karma, D stands for dhan and the other D stands for daan respectively. The model provides insight about the sattvik guna, sattvik karma, sattvik daan and sattvik dhan, which is a new term coined. In nut shell, it can be said that the basis for the model is the concept of sattvik, which means positive, good, ethical.

Sattvik guna which is denoted by purity and goodness motivates an individual to perform sattvik deeds or actions or karmas. Karma is defined by Sharma (1995) as a theory of positive actions. It follows the action-result (Karma-phal) linkage which signifies that sattvik deeds results in sattvik outcomes & tamasik deeds leads to tamasik outcomes.

Money (Dhan) earned by performing sattvik activity or through sattvik means can be defined as “sattvik dhan”. It has also been supported by means –ends analysis (chakarborty, 1995). In other words, any activity an activity which is performed through divine like, good or positive intent which generates synergy lead to the generation of wealth or money or dhan can be termed as “sattvik dhan”.

While performing sattvik deeds or karma an individual rise above the level of self interest and personal gain. Hence, the money earned by transcending from the level of self interest and selfishness is termed as “sattvik dhan”. The part of sattvik dhan that is given as charity denotes sattvik daan. As quoted in Bhagwat Gita sattvik daan is the charity which is given with pure, selfless, ethical and peaceful intentions. Also according to ‘root, shoot and the fruit metaphor Sharma (1999) which provides a deeper thought about process-result dynamics. It can be conformed that daan that is contributed from sattvik dhan can be referred to as sattvik daan. Hence, the GKDD model conceptualizes the term ‘sattvik dhan’.

Literature Review

(Das RC, Sebastian KA, Mathew VG, Kapur M, Hirisave U, Reddy MV, Barnabas I, Singhal D) says that the concept of Triguna or Guna can be dated back to the Bhagawat Gita, Atharva Veda and also Sankhya Darsana. The concept has been used to understand human personality and attributes. Sattvik or sattva guna can be referred as spiritual quality (Srivastava, K. 2012). It is said that the domination of sattva guna, inherent the individual to be caring and good and the light of wisdom and intellect shines through the human being. It gives the person the wisdom to understand the difference between dutiful and undutiful action, undesirable and desirable. Spiritual values are honored by the individual and the action performed by him is calm and doubt free. The motive force behind sattvic action is purity of character, silence, non-violence, respect, self-control and kindness (Srivastava, K. 2012).

The guna theory provides with three primary psychological forces, sattvik, rajasik and tamasik which verify unethical or ethical predisposition of human nature. Cause and effect framework is provided by the Karma theory for the guna impelled actions. Nishkam karma theory propounds desire less action, which has been mentioned in chapter II, verse 48 of the Bhagwad Gita. The theory gives a psychological approach to work which can promote the guna-led ethical motives and thwart unethical motives. This process unites the karmic theory, which says that desire less action or karma, ego-less would be ethical and for a good cause. The combination of gunas influences ability of the person in support of nishkam karma. It is said that comparatively high sattva guna in an individual leads towards the practice of desire less action or nishkam karma. At the same time, presence of rajas and tamas gunas hinders the individual for nishkam karma. (Kumar, B.N. & Steinmann, H. 1998)

(Agarwal, 2010) says that “When the giving results in transfer of property from one person to another, it is treated as daan”. According to Indian tradition, daan can be referred as a sub-set of giving. In true sense, the real meaning of daan can be inferred as ‘giving –as per scriptural directions’ (Agarwal, 2010). The concept of daan includes seven elements, which are receiver, donor, right time, and right place, and right procedure, suitable object to donate and last respectful transaction. Upanishad, Ved, Puran Smriti along with the Bhagawad Gita emphasizes the importance of daan.

Conclusion

The proposed GKDD model links individual attributes (gunas) to karma (actions) which in turn is related to money (dhan) and charity (daan). The model conceptualizes that the presence of sattvik gunas leads to performance of sattvik deeds by an individual. And hence, the money earned by such an activity can be termed as sattvik dhan. Further, the part of sattvik dhan which is given as a charity leads to sattvik daan.

References

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India is a country in South Asia, which is rich for its culture and spirituality. This country is in the second position with the most population in the world. The density of India makes a lot of diversity that arises in society, especially Indian culture. The existing culture is strongly influenced by the existence of religion. Nevertheless, that could happen as India is the birthplace of three big religions there, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. This factor causes in India, religions cover people’s life start from birth until death. Spirituality has an impact towards culture of a country, and this also happens in India since the old time. Not only those three religions, Sikhism also has the most followers in India. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism in India become has been influenced all the culture in India and counted as old religion there. Those four religions are rooted on dharma and karma as their belief systems.

Dharma and karma are life goals and as belief systems for most people there. Dharma is following the path of righteousness and adhering to social and religious law (Lonsdale, 2011). Our attitudes, works or duties, social life should do by following dharma as the truth for us for having a good life. Karma is the law of cause and effect (Lonsdale, 2011). In doing dharma, people would follow or not the path and law of life that has been given for people to obey. Things that done by people will not just stop, there will be an effect or we call it as karma. When people did good deeds or follow the law, and one will get good karma. On the other hand, bad karma will be given to one who did not obey or follow the law. In instance, good and bad karma will affect on someone’s rebirth or its effect will occur on the next life.

For Jains, karma is not responsible for one’s present birth, family, health countenance, and wealth, but also it is likened to a form of subtle matter that obscures the purity of soul (Howard, 2017). Karma should be someone’s responsibility and people take it with them. There are eight kinds of karma, and one of those is Vedaniya, those which lead to experience of pain or pleasure (Bhavan, 1997). In Jainism, this karma might be happen after fasting. Jains believe in fasting as the way to empty their body and soul in purifying souls from bad karma or reduce it until pure. The pain in fasting food and drink has a contribution as implication of a good dharma for people to do. In Jainism fasting, people could fast in the variation ways, but the most extreme is santhara.

Swazo states “santhara” (also called “sallekhana”) performed by members of the “Shvetambara group” in the Jain religion, santhara a matter of “giving up the body,” involving “a fast unto death,” commenced after taking a vow (2015). Santhara or sallekhana is a religious practice conducted by Jainism to fast by reducing food and drink and people in extended to purifying their soul and may do this after taking a vow. People’s life is precious and by conducting santhara in reducing food and water intake also means as an act of not to do any harm. This embodies undertaking extreme steps such as the refusal of food and water to avoid killing anything, even microbes (Choudhary & Singh, 2016). In doing santhara, people should meditate and put their focus all together along with mantra.

With the meditation of the five salutation mantras (pancanamaskara-mantra), he should avoid the five transgressions: (1) a feeling that it would have been better if death would come a little later; (2) wishing for a speedy death; (3) entertaining fear as to how he would bear the pangs of death; (4) remembering friends and relatives at the time of death; (5) wishing for a particular kind of fruit as a result of penance. The basic concept underlying the vow is that, man who is the master of his own destiny should face death in such a way so as to prevent the influx of new Karmas, even at the last moment of his life and at the same time liberate the soul from the bondage of Karmas that may be clinging to it then. (Choudhary & Singh, 2016)

This religious tradition still exists in India. Today there are more than 4 million Jains there. By an estimate, 300 Jains die every year across India due to such fasts and their deaths are usually celebrated publicly in the community (Choudhary & Singh, 2016). Unbelieveable, that not a small number of people still do santhara in this era, which shows how Indians are strongly believe on it. Other than the excitement of people, the government of India concerns to against santhara in Jainism for some reasons.

First, the judgment delivered by the Rajasthan High Court in Nikhil Soni v. Union of India held that Santhara/Sallekhana was not an “essential religious practice” of Jainism and there was no mention of such practice in Jain scriptures or religious texts (Choudhary & Singh, 2016). The government believes this tradition does not have any evidence which proof that Jains should fast until death in order to get good karma or purify soul. Second, the Rajasthan High Court in the judgment equated the practice of Santhara to an act of voluntary suicide (Choudhary & Singh, 2016). This concern about santhara as a suicide or a holy death is needed to be argued, especially nowadays human right has become a concern for all counties all over the world. Jains believe they do it as they have right to die in holy way and they do it also with some considerations to take this vow. Nowadays, the government termed this as a criminal and equal as suicide.

Even though the government against it, Jains still stand firm on with belief. In 2015, shops and establishments in the city run by members belonging to Jain community were closed to protest against the ban on ‘Santhara’ (fast unto death) by the Rajasthan High Court (India Times, 2015). There was about 500 Jain community members went down the street and shaved their heads as a protest the government to ban their religious practice. Until today, the government still has not make the final decision for this and Jains still do this practice.

Bibliography

1. Bhavan, B. V. (1997). The Doctrine of Karma: Its Origin and Development in Brāhmaṇical, Buddhist, and Jaina Traditions. Delhi: Motilal banarsidass Publishers Private Limited.
2. Choudhary, N., & Singh, D. (2016). Practise & Belief of Santhara: Right to Die. Christ University Law Journal , 49-62.
3. Howard, V. R. (2017). Dharma: The Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh Traditions of India. London: I. B. Tauris & Co. Ltd.
4. India Times. (27 August, 2015). Jains down shutters to protest against the ban on Santhara . Retrieved 24 February, 2019, from The Economic Times: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/jains-down-shutters-to-protest-against-the-ban-on-santhara/articleshow/48696066.cms
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“It is an individual’s accumulation of good or evil karma and also his dominating character traits, good or evil, which affect the karmic result.” Karma is the law of moral causation. The theory of karma is a fundamental doctrine in Buddhism. This belief was prevalent in India before the advent of the Buddha. Nevertheless, it was the Buddha who explained and formulated this doctrine in the complete form in which we have it today.

In Buddhism, the Sanskrit word Karma (kamma in Pali) means ‘action” and is defined as the intention manifested in the action of thought, body, and speech; it is the intention that produces karma, and not the act itself. Skillful actions that lead to good karmic outcomes are based upon motives of generosity; compassion, kindness and sympathy, and clear mindfulness or wisdom. The opposite motives of greed, aversion (hatred) and delusion, when acted upon, lead to bad karmic results. Everyone in this world is subject to the great chain of causes and consequences, successions of rebirth and death, called karmic law or karma. The cause is generally compared to the seed and the consequences to the fruit. The fruits of karma are harvested in the form of happiness or misery depending on the nature of the acts committed.

In this world nothing happens to a person that he does not for some reason or other deserve. Usually, men of ordinary intellect cannot comprehend the actual reason or reasons. The definite invisible cause or causes of the visible effect is not necessarily confined to the present life, they may be traced to a proximate or remote past birth.

According to Buddhism, this inequality is due not only to heredity, environment, ‘nature and nurture’, but also to karma. In other words, it is the result of our own past actions and our own present doings. We ourselves are responsible for our own happiness and misery. “We create our own Heaven. We create our own Hell. We are the architects of our own fate.”

Buddhism also suggest that not all that we experience is the result of past action; it may be due to natural events of one sort or another. This is one point on which early Buddhism appears to differ somewhat from later Tibetan teachings, which suggest that all the good and bad things that happen to us are the results of past actions. Whilst there might be doubt, or different opinions, about why we are experiencing some sort of misfortune, there is no doubt that we can resolve any suffering in the present moment through the Buddhist teachings of mindfulness and action based upon good motives. For Buddhists, karma has implications beyond this life. Bad actions in a previous life can follow a person into their next life and cause bad effects which Westerners are more likely to interpret as ‘bad luck’.

Even an ‘enlightened one’ is not exempt from the effects of past karma. One story tells that the Buddha’s cousin tried to kill him by dropping a boulder on him. Although the attempt failed, the Buddha’s foot was injured. He explained that this was karmic retribution for trying to kill his step-brother in a previous life. On a larger scale, karma determines where a person will be reborn and their status in their next life. Good karma can result in being born in one of the heavenly realms. Bad karma can cause rebirth as an animal, or torment in a hell realm.

Buddhists try to cultivate good karma and avoid bad. However, the aim of Buddhism is to escape the cycle of rebirth altogether, not simply to acquire good karma and so to be born into a more pleasant state. These states, while preferable to human life, are impermanent: even gods eventually die.

Karma is not an external force, not a system of punishment or reward dealt out by a god. The concept is more accurately understood as a natural law like gravity. Buddhists believe we are in control of our ultimate fates. The problem is that most of us are ignorant of this, which causes suffering. The purpose of Buddhism is to take conscious control of our behavior. The Buddha taught about karmic ‘conditioning’, which is a process by which a person’s nature is shaped by their moral actions.

Every action we take molds our characters for the future. Both positive and negative traits can become magnified over time as we fall into habits. All these cause us to acquire karma. This shows why Buddhists place such importance on being mindful of every action they take. Acting on karmic habits increases their strength. Buddhists gradually weaken any negative thoughts and impulses that they experience, through allowing them to arise and depart naturally without acting on them. In this way karmic habits can be broken.

“The best way to start is to see where one starts from.” The Buddha called recollection “the only way.” Quite simply, recollection is remembering to establish the attention with full awareness on the present, on the here and now, so that you may reunite with reality and find your own true being. The concept of recollection is related to mindfulness, but with a closer relationship with memory. If you can remember something now, it means you have been attentive to it, and if you are attentive now, you will be able to retain it in the future.

One of the tools the Buddha taught for gaining insight is mindfulness, the ability to be fully aware in the moment. On the Buddhist path, it functions in three ways: remembering to stay alert to what you’re doing in the present moment; remembering to recognize the skillful and unskillful qualities that arise in the mind; and remembering how to effectively abandon the qualities that get in the way of concentration, then developing the skillful ones that promote it.

It’s important to understand Buddhism as a discipline or process rather than as a belief system. The Buddha did not teach doctrines about enlightenment, but rather taught people how to realize enlightenment themselves. And the way we realize enlightenment is through direct experience. It is through mindfulness that we experience directly, with no mental filters or psychological barriers between us and what is experienced.

Recollection is also known to be a meditation practice of the Buddha. The practice involves the contemplation of qualities associated with the awakened mind. Each quality highlights a feature that the Buddha brought to perfection in conduct, virtue, mental development, wisdom, teaching abilities, social influence, and mental powers. The reflection on these virtuous qualities of the Buddha establishes faith, confidence and inspiration for the path, deepens concentration, inhibits hindrances, strengthens joy, and refreshes the mind. It also serves as a classic protection against doubt. By contemplating the accomplishments of the Buddha, we may sense the potential for awakening within our own lives.

The Buddha taught that suffering comes from ignorance. By “ignorance” he meant the misperceptions and delusions that your mind has about its own nature. Thus, the way to free the mind from suffering is through gaining insight into what truly is. Insight is a profound level of understanding that transcends mere intellectual cognition and can only be known by experiencing it.

According to Buddhist philosophy, suffering is unavoidable. There is evidence of this in our daily lives where we often face challenges and unpleasant circumstances that we cannot control. Being mindful of our thought patterns can help us towards transforming our suffering into well-being. The best news is it can be cultivated through different methods. Every activity, from washing the dishes to drinking tea, can be utilized to develop present moment awareness. Anything in life can be an object of meditation, and through constant practice the practitioner learns to live a more content, clear and honest life.

“It is impossible to see into the depths of a pool of water when it is turbulent.” The foundation teaching of Buddhism, expressed in the Four Noble Truths, is that the stress and unhappiness of life is caused by our desires and ego-clinging. The ‘program,’ if you will, for letting go of desire and ego is the Eightfold Noble Path. Ethical conduct through speech, action, and livelihood is part of the path, as are mental discipline through concentration and mindfulness and wisdom.

Ethical conduct (sila) is built on the vast conception of universal love and compassion for all living beings, on which the Buddha’s teaching is based. The Buddha gave his teaching “for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world.” According to Buddhism, for a man to be perfect there are two qualities that he should develop equally: compassion on one side, and wisdom on the other. Here compassion represents love, charity, kindness, tolerance, and such noble qualities on the emotional side, or qualities of the heart, while wisdom would stand for the intellectual side or the qualities of the mind. If one develops only the emotional, neglecting the intellectual, one may become a good-hearted fool; while to develop only the intellectual side and neglecting the emotional may turn one into a hard-hearted intellect without feeling for others. Therefore, to be perfect one has to develop both equally. That is the aim of the Buddhist way of life: in it wisdom and compassion are inseparably linked together.

In ethical conduct, based on love and compassion, are included three factors of the eightfold noble path: namely, right speech, right action, and right livelihood. Right speech means abstention from telling lies, from backbiting and slander and talk that may bring about hatred, enmity, disunity, and disharmony among individuals or groups of people, from harsh, rude, impolite, malicious, and abusive language, and from idle, useless, and foolish babble and gossip. When one abstains from these forms of wrong and harmful speech one naturally has to speak the truth, has to use words that are friendly and benevolent, pleasant and gentle, meaningful, and useful. One should not speak carelessly: speech should be at the right time and place. If one cannot say something useful, one should keep “noble silence.” Right action aims at promoting moral, honorable, and peaceful conduct. It admonishes us that we should abstain from destroying life, from stealing, from dishonest dealings, from illegitimate sexual intercourse, and that we should also help others to lead a peaceful and honorable life in the right way. Right livelihood means that one should abstain from making one’s living through a profession that brings harm to others, such as trading in arms and lethal weapons, intoxicating drinks or poisons, killing animals, cheating, etc., and should live by a profession which is honorable, blameless, and innocent of harm to others. One can clearly see here that Buddhism is strongly opposed to any kind of war, when it lays down that trade in arms and lethal weapons is an evil and unjust means of livelihood.

These three factors (right speech, right action, and right livelihood) of the eightfold noble path constitute ethical conduct. It should be realized that the Buddhist ethical and moral conduct aims at promoting a happy and harmonious life both for the individual and for society. This moral conduct is considered as the indispensable foundation for all higher spiritual attainments. No spiritual development is possible without this moral basis. The Buddhist view is that moral behavior flows naturally from mastering one’s ego and desires and cultivating loving kindness and compassion.

Works Cited

1. Thera, Nyanaponika. “Karma and It’s Fruit.” The Buddha and His Teachings. Ed. Samuel Bercholz and Sherab Chodzin Kohn. Boston: Shambhala, 2003. pg 125
2. Mangalo, Bhikkhu. “The Practice of Recollection.” The Buddha and His Teachings. Ed. Samuel Bercholz and Sherab Chodzin Kohn. Boston: Shambhala, 2003. pg 130
3. Goenka, S.N.. “Moral Conduct, Concentration, and Wisdom.” The Buddha and His Teachings. Ed. Samuel Bercholz and Sherab Chodzin Kohn. Boston: Shambhala, 2003. pg 98

The Buddhist conception of karma, therefore, was viewed as a person’s acts and their ethical consequences. The early Buddhist text was utilized so as to understand the idea of karma by Buddhist. The main work which profoundly cleanses is managed without individual thought processes, without want for acclaim or open acknowledgment or common significance. Buddhist speaks lacking emphasis all alone mental intentions or imperative desires and requests or physical inclinations.

According to karma theory, without vanity or unrefined self-attestation or case for position or renown, accomplished for the Divine alone and at the order of the Divine. All work done in a self-absorbed soul, anyway useful for individuals with the Ignorance, be of no profit to the searcher of the yoga. Accordingly, not at all like in Hinduism, Buddhism trusts that the issue of karma can’t be settled completely except if one achieves freedom. So, regardless of whether you perform activities with wants or without wants, you can’t invert the unyielding wheel of presence which pushes ahead constantly. You will escape from it just when you stop to exist as an individual and enter a void or nothingness. The two conventions also hold that your karma is put away in your very own awareness as idle impressions and overwhelming wants and dispositions, which are conveyed forward to your next life. From Buddha’s viewpoint the mind is the highest enlightened mental state within clarity and knowing. The idea of karma is simply the predetermination that the spirit makes for itself by its demonstrations, considerations, demeanors, and desires. The law of Karma can be and usually is connected from and to outside Buddhist ideas.

Karma is a standard of nature inside a philosophical limited extent of presence. The focal point of karma is progressively determined towards a person’s salvation in the middle of circumstances and logical results relationship. Karma is regularly disguised and considered in the present and past realities. Karma is by all accounts concerned less with general concerns and stresses individualistic concerns. In that capacity, the aim is significant for despite the fact that similar activity may be performed by various entertainers or even a similar activity performed at various occasions by a similar on screen character distinctive karmic results may happen in light of various expectations that accelerate these activities. The idea of karma, in this way, appears to have a more otherworldly out­ look than that of causation wherein profound quality is stressed and outweighs physical activities themselves in deciding the ramifications for one’s deeds. The Buddhist thought of karma is unpredictably associated with the idea of the trans­migration of spirits. As per the principles of Buddhism life is viewed as a circle that has no start or end; the objective is to break the hover sooner or later and to stop the cycle of births and resurrections.

Karma is clarified as a condition of one having the capacity to pay or to be compensated for the deeds done in the present and past life. Additionally, it is important that the two sections in talk center around resurrection as one of the impacts of karma. In the two religions when one passes on and later conceived, therealm or rather, the state of his body is dictated by the amount and nature of his/her karma. It is additionally analyzed in the two religious divisions that the perpetual cycle of resurrections known as Samsara will undoubtedly be broken by the execution of good deeds and that an individual who achieves this dimension enters the domains of divine beings. Numerous spirits battle to achieve this point for it denotes the finish of human affliction and the start of life far from natural hopelessness. In any case, the self-illumination process and the appending of self to natural things which prompts the inclination of longing and outrage subsequently prompting sin makes it almost unimaginable for some to break the cycle of resurrection.

Introduction

For many Century, there are more and more people formed different peace organisations to create peace for the world. Buddhist Peace Fellowship also known as BPF, is one of the many peace organisations mainly based on Buddhism. BPF was first found in 1978. The reason why that this Buddhist peace organisations is selected is because they demonstrated their actions through the perspective of Buddhism and this would be the main difference compare to other peace organisations.

Theological/Philosophical Background

The theological background of Buddhist Peace Fellowship is based on Buddhism. Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world with over five hundred and twenty million followers known as Buddhists. This religion is very popular in Asia. Unlike Christianity mainly focus on Grace, Buddhism emphasizes on the endless cycle of birth and idea of reincarnation. As a peace builder community, the mission of Buddhist Peace Fellowship is to help individuals who are in suffer from systemic harm. While they deliver strength, peace and justice to individuals, in order to transform towards liberation.(Purpose & Vision, 2016)

Conceptualisations

In Buddhism, all individuals’ perspectives were influenced by Gautama Buddha, a spiritual teacher and religious leader who is the founder of the world religion of Buddhism. A famous quote by Buddha, “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” The meaning of this quote is a perfect guide and solution for many people with their problem in everyday life. In other words, let go of the past and the future because no one could change the past or predict the future. People should enjoyed the moment in present. The knowledge of Buddhism and its view of the world will be very helpful for individuals, and maintaining a peaceful community.

Peacemaking Activity

Buddhism Peace Fellowship deliver the peace to the society through their actions. But first, all participants must require to have a clear understanding of spiritual frameworks and tactical skills to enhance contribution to local organization. As there are more people involve in this peace organisation, the network of Buddhist is getting bigger and bigger. Buddhists Peace Fellowship will publish some cutting edge articles and videos and also organize public dialogues and online events to keep a connection to the community. For Example, the latest events organized by BPF is about Dharma and Direct Action Training in Michigan (Dharma & Direct Action Training comes to Michigan in September, 2016), where BPFers and the Environmentalist group of the Zen Buddhist temple develop inspiring responses to injustice guided by spiritual wisdom and political awareness.

Evaluation

Through the successes of many events organized by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship in the past 40 years, Buddhist Peace Fellowship made a large impact to the world, by passing their understanding of Buddhism to the society. As the community of BPF grow stronger and stronger, there will be more individuals who can receive help from BPF.

Conclusion

In short, Buddhist Peace Fellowship is one of the many peace organisations mainly based on Buddhism, as they demonstrated their actions through the perspective of Buddhism.

Bibliography

1. Buddhism and Social Justice 2019, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, viewed 18 March 2020, .
2. Haney, D 2016, Dharma & Direct Action Training comes to Michigan in September, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, viewed 18 March 2020, .
3. Purpose & Vision 2016, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, viewed 19 March 2020, .
4. What is buddhism? 2016, Buddhism medtation triratna, viewed 19 March 2020, .
5. Buddhism 2019, History, viewed 19 March 2020, .

Located in Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum is a Buddhist figural sculpture titled Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara). The sculpture is on display in a room filled with Buddhist relics which have survived from China’s past. Guanyin, a bodhisattva (Buddha to be) is displayed next to Dashizhi, another bodhisattva type which shares the same wood carving and polychrome composition and rests on the same display plinth. In the gallery space, as in the religion itself, these two sculptures are aspects of the larger narrative of Buddhism which has been told and continues to be expressed through numerous characters and metaphors representing the tradition. The gallery room seems to emphasize the idea that the philosophy of Buddhism is meant to be experienced through a multitude of figures and ideas, all representations and aspects of The Buddha. The decisions made by the gallerist reflect that Buddhism can’t be experienced or conceived of as separate from this combination of parts which lead to a greater whole. With this idea in mind, the Guanyin sculpture is the main focus of this essay, but is also thought of in relation to its physical and mythical placement as defined by its surroundings and counterparts and will therefore draw upon the other characters and components of Buddhism in the museum space to understand its place more fully.

Walking from the museum’s main entrance toward the Bishop White Gallery of Chinese Temple Art, Guanyin and Dashizi become visible in the distance at the right. Turning in the direction of the sculptures, the room seems to expand as two walls on either side of me and the one directly ahead become figures in pastel greens, golds, and turquoises displaying richly narrated Daoist concepts of cosmic order- ink and colour on clay. Consulting the ROM’s Map Guide I find that I am now facing north, the room falling along the same north-south axis as the Xinghua Monastery from where the paintings in this room were acquired. As mentioned by Lorne, Rösch and Lunsingh Scheurleer, this north-south axis is also the same orientation as Chinese palaces and temple complexes.

Early Chinese Buddhist worship and practice took place in caves. Mogao cave 254 in China is very well preserved and offers insight to the way that worship and practice likely functioned. As Stanley K. Abe explains, the cave unites the “elements of painting, sculpture, and architecture” together creating a greater experience than the individual mediums could on their own. The room I enter is warmly colored and the lighting is selective and low. There’s a tranquil, religiously charged atmosphere created by the combination of the room and the paintings and the sculptures in it and there is an offering of a glimpse of the feeling of the caves and the way they must have enveloped the devotees of the religion’s past. A congregation of Bodhisattvas of various typologies and sizes stand around a centrally placed column in the room looking outward to the viewers. The central column or pillar often existing within Chinese Buddhist temples suggests circumambulation, defined as “the act of moving around a sacred object or idol” which naturally happens as you follow the logic of this room in the museum.

The Guanyin is now to my right and with its proximity, more details of the lustrous wood composition command my attention. The figure is first approached from behind, its back facing out perhaps to create an entryway or threshold through which to pass into the gallery, but there is also the potential that this figure once held on its back an attached halo which is “often found behind the heads or the entire figures of enlightened beings, symbolizing the light emanating from them” and is common in paintings of this figure also referred to as the Guanyin Water Moon. Illustrating not only its link to enlightenment, the round disk is central to this figure associated with the moon . The sculpture and its neighbor are shown seated upon carved thrones or platforms, a common display for this avatar, the earth it rests upon representing the Guanyin’s ‘personal pure land or paradise” Mount Potalaka.

Walking a half circle around the life-sized figure, I come to meet the Guanyin’s face, the expression behind its eyes striking. The figure gazes out through almost closed lids with utmost wisdom and compassion. It holds a deep understanding and gentleness and it’s not surprising to discover that Guanyin is a favored deity in Buddhist China, known as “a bodhisattva who embodies the great compassion of all Buddhas.” Richly adorned, the soft cascades of fabric and jewelry are accentuated with exaggerated folds and highly detailed relief, highlighted with coral and turquoise polychrome, a common way for sculptors to signal the boddhisattva’s “continued presence in the human world.” . As Fong Chow has explained, the opulence and ornamentation of the boddhisatva contrasted with “the simply clothed images of Buddhas or monks” exemplifies the position in the material world that Guanyin occupies, assisting those in the physical realm to realize their spiritual goals.

Striking a relaxed pose commonly referred to as “royal ease”, the boddhisatva sits with its left leg bent, the foot resting on the throne or mass below it. The left hand is resting upon its knee with thumb and middle fingers lightly spread but almost touching in “Shuni Mudra” the hand placement symbolizing “patience and discipline, [helping to] generate a feeling of stability”. The hand may have previously held a lotus flower which would have been typical to this figure, a reference to the scriptures of The Lotus Sutra in which an entire chapter has been devoted to Guanyin, a source of popularity of the deity.

The avatar of Guanyin before me is one of the 33 forms claimed for it to manifest as, appearing in different ways to different types of people, assuming the form most useful to teach the lesson the spiritual seeker in need of guidance. The Guanyin may appear through masculine or feminine form, and though often written about as a “good young man” the figure before me appears more feminine in characteristic and exudes an empathy I’d attribute to that of a mother.

Though the museum’s plaque states that the inviting of the deity into the city of Hongdon was recorded by Jia Yan, the maker of the sculpture is not stated. The sculpture is carved from wood with great skill and detail, but according to William Cohn “in China sculpture was not considered as art. It was a craft of a real practical importance from the religious standpoint, but its products were not regarded as suitable for collection by connoisseurs.” This is interesting when considering the valuable position it now occupies in the collection of the Royal Ontario Museum, its designation as artifact bringing it closer to the realm of art than the religious spaces it was originally concepted for. As I continue to take in the details of the sculpture in front of me, I note the lapse of more than 800 years since the time of its making in the Shanxi province of China in 1195. The wood of the sculptures from this northern region has largely been identified as a type of willow that grows along the Fen river. These sculptures are noted to have been repainted at least four times, which was a devotional act that only the poor in China would undertake, as in wealthier areas, the sculptures would have been modernized and replaced.

Originating in India, Buddhist thought migrated into China through the established trade routes of goods with “the Roman Empire, the Near and Middle East, India, and southeast Asia” which naturally translated into the exchange of religious and cultural influence. The deity Bodhisattva Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara does not exist in the Buddhism of India, and is stated to be ‘brilliantly created’ by the painter Zhou Fang.”

The icons, ideas, and messages of Buddhism existing in the Royal Ontario Museum have travelled a long distance through time, space, and religious and secular activity to arrive as they are now in the museum setting. Though the permanent exhibition holds many of the traditions of Buddhist temple orientation and set-up, it doesn’t quite feel possible that my experience of Guanyin as a non-religious viewer could amount to that of a religious devotee. Though I leave the museum with feelings of awe and appreciation for the bodhisattva whom I have deeply connected with, once I exit the museum’s doors, I arrive in an outside world devoid of the relics and rituals which keep the Buddhist ideals animated in everyday life.