Is Karma an Eye for an Eye
Summary
While some Buddhist scriptures may suggest a simple direct correlation between actions and karmic consequences, it is only for the sake of simplicity. The exact mechanism of karma operation is a mystery. Thought intention is critical, good intentions without wisdom can lead to harmful outcomes and thus bad karma. Your “acceptance” to bad karma and your good deeds can mitigate the effects of bad karma. Moreover,don’t blame all adverse events to karma, as natural laws also apply.
In certain Buddhist scriptures, it is explicitly stated that executing ‘Action A’ will yield ‘Result B’. This may give the impression of a legal manual through which one can assess the karmic repercussions of individual actions.
However, this interpretation is incorrect. The examples specified in these scriptures are intended to deter individuals from engaging in actions that could be harmful to themselves.
There exists no infernal sovereign or karmic law book. To clarify, there is no codified manual for karma. Karma operates autonomously, and its exact workings and manifestations remain elusive. The mechanisms of karma are challenging to fully comprehend.
It is often emphasized that when discussing karma, intention holds greater significance than the outcome. While this holds true, it doesn’t imply that good intentions will invariably lead to favorable karmic consequences.
The importance of intention notwithstanding, good intentions devoid of wisdom can lead to tragedy. For instance, consider a mother who staunchly believes in alternative medicine and consequently refuses to seek conventional medical treatment for her ailing daughter. While the mother’s intentions are noble, her actions could potentially lead to the avoidable death of her daughter. In such an instance, it’s unlikely that the resulting karma would be positive.
It is often said that karma invariably manifests itself, given enough time, and that no individual, not even Buddha, can evade it.
This is true. However, the way one reacts to the same adverse event can differ significantly. Some might accept it, express regret, and move on, while others could curse the perceived ‘injustice’, thereby allowing the negative karma to proliferate. Additionally, performing good deeds can mitigate the effects of bad karma. If you dissolve 10g of salt in a cup of water, the solution will taste quite salty. However, if the same amount of salt is dissolved in a liter of water, or if honey is added, the flavor will be drastically different.
Some people will attribute all adverse event to karma. This is false. In our world, law of nature holds. It you jump from 10 meters and get hurt, it is because of gravity, not Karma. If you eat ice cream and get fat, it is because of our body’s metabolism, not karma.
The workings of karma remain largely unknown and no one is exempt from its influence.
There is a renowned Chinese saying :
“萬般帶不走,唯有業隨身”
This translates to,
“You cannot take anything with you upon death, except for karma which will always accompany you.”
The core lesson is that one should avoid the temptation to blame adverse events to “bad karma” and instead focus on living ethically, acting with wisdom and compassion. Karma promotes reflection and personal growth, not fatalism.
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