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Karma (Sanskrit, also karman, Pāli: kamma) is a Buddhist term that literally means "action" or "doing". In Buddhist philosophy, the term karma is used to refer specifically to those actions which spring from the intention (Sanskrit, Pali: cetanā) of a sentient being. Karmic actions are compared to a seed that will inevitably ripen into a result (Sanskrit, Pali: vipāka) or fruition (Sanskrit, Pali: phala). Contemporary Buddhist teachers frequently use the term karma when referring to the entire process of karmic action and result (karmaphala).

The theory of karmic action and result (karmaphala) is one of the foundational concepts of Buddhist philosophy. As one scholar states, "the Buddhist theory of action and result (karmaphala) is fundamental to much of Buddhist doctrine, because it provides a coherent model of the functioning of the world and its beings, which in turn forms the doctrinal basis for the Buddhist explanations of the path of liberation from the world and its result, nirvāṇa."

Karmaphala (karmic action and result) is identified as a particular instance of the Buddhist doctrine of interdependent origination (pratityasamutpada), which states that all phenomena arise as the result of multiple causes and conditions. Karmaphala is a specific instance of this doctrine that applies to specifically to sentient beings–when there is a conscious intention (cetanā) behind an action, then the action is karma. According to Buddhist scripture, the Buddha said: ‘It is “intention” that I call karma; having formed the intention, one performs acts (karma) by body, speech and mind.’ As implied by this statement, every action of body, speech, or mind is karma.

Karma is said to be the engine which drives the cycle of uncontrolled rebirth (saṃsāra) for sentient beings. It is believed that understanding the principle of karmic action and result is essential to overcoming the suffering (dukkha) of samsara and attaining liberation

Centrality to Buddhist thought

The theory of karmic action and result (karmaphala) is one of the foundational concepts of Buddhist philosophy. As one scholar states, "the Buddhist theory of action and result (karmaphala) is fundamental to much of Buddhist doctrine, because it provides a coherent model of the functioning of the world and its beings, which in turn forms the doctrinal basis for the Buddhist explanations of the path of liberation from the world and its result, nirvāṇa."

The renowned translator Etienne Lamotte states:

“The teaching of karma, or action, forms the cornerstone of the whole Buddhist doctrine: action is the ultimate explanation of human existence and of the physical world, and it is in terms of karma that the Buddhist masters have constructed their philosophy.”

The Tibetan Buddhist teacher Tsongkhapa emphasizes the importance of understanding karma in order to follow the Buddhist path:

“Attaining certain knowledge of the definiteness, or nondeceptiveness, of karma and its effects is called the correct viewpoint of all Buddhists and is praised as the foundation of all virtue.”

The theory of karmic cause and effect is related to other key concepts in Buddhism, such as interdependent origination, the arising of dukkha (suffering), and the possibility of liberation through realizing no-self (anatman).

Meanings of karma

The term karma is used by contemporary Buddhist teachers and scholars in two senses:

• On a specific level, the term karma refers specifically to the intentional action of a sentient being, but not the result. In this case, the effects of one's actions can be referred to as phala (fruition) or vipāka (result).
• On a general level, contemporary Buddhist teachers frequently use the term karma is used to refer to the process of action and result (karmaphala). In this case, the term karma is used as an abbreviated form for the longer term karmaphala, which the full Sanskrit term for this concept.

Karmaphala (action and result)

The Buddhist theory of action and result is referred to using various expressions in both Sanskrit (or Pali) and English. In Sanskrit, this concept is referred to as either:

• Karmaphala - action and fruition
  • The term phala is commonly translated as "fruition" or "fruit" (Keown, 2000, loc 810-813)
• Karmavipaka - action and result
  • The term vipaka is translated as "result" or "maturation" (Keown, 2000, loc 810-813)

In English, the following expressions are used to identify this process:

• Karmic cause and effect (Traleg Rinpoche, p. 31)
• Karmic law (Traleg Rinpoche, p. 31)
• Law of cause and effect (Dzongsar Khyentse, 2011, p. 76)
• Law of karma (Harvey, page 39; Sucitto, 2010, p. 27)
• Theory of action and result (Kragh, 2006)
• Theory of karma (Geshe Tashi Tsering, 2005, loc 1186-1201)
• The infallible law of cause and effect that governs the universe (Sogyal Rinpoche, 2009, p.96)
• The natural law of how things and events come into being (Geshe Tashi Tsering, 2005, loc 1186-1201)
• The principle of the cause and the results of actions (Sucitto, 2010, p. 27)

Interdependent origination

The theory of karmic cause and effect is part of the broader Buddhist doctrine of causality or inter-dependence (pratītyasamutpāda). Karmic cause and effect is a specific application of this greater principle that applies specifically to the intentional actions of sentient beings.

The Dalai Lama explains:

We should remember to situate karma within the context of the wider Buddhist understanding of the natural laws of causality. Karma is one particular instance of the natural causal laws that operate throughout the universe where, according to Buddhism, things and events come into being purely as a result of the combination of causes and conditions.

Karma, then, is an instance of the general law of causality. What makes karma unique is that it involves intentional action, and therefore an agent. The natural causal processes operating in the world cannot be termed karmic where there is no agent involved. In order for a casual process to be a karmic one, it must involve an individual whose intention would lead to a particular action. It is this specific type of causal mechanism which is known as karma.

Geshe Tashi Tsering explains further:

Cause and effect is present in the natural world, but is it karma? Imagine that today is a beautiful day; the weather is nice, the sun is shining, the sky is clear. These factors all come into existence due to causes and conditions—the earth’s movement around the sun, the wind, and the absence of clouds. [...] With the movement of the earth or the absence of the clouds, generally there is no intention involved. All of this is natural. [...] We become involved with a natural process through our volition—that is when happiness or suffering happens. It does not occur within the process itself. Whenever there is intention, karma is operating. That is the deciding factor.

Whatever we do has a result

According to the theory of karmic cause and effect, every action that a sentient being performs will bring about a result or fruition. Sogyal Rinpoche explains:

In simple terms, what does karma mean? It means that whatever we do, with our body, speech, or mind, will have a corresponding result. Each action, even the smallest, is pregnant with its consequences. It is said by the masters that even a little poison can cause death and even a tiny seed can become a huge tree. And as Buddha said: “Do not overlook negative actions merely because they are small; however small a spark may be, it can burn down a haystack as big as a mountain.” Similarly he said: “Do not overlook tiny good actions, thinking they are of no benefit; even tiny drops of water in the end will fill a huge vessel.” Karma does not decay like external things, or ever become inoperative. It cannot be destroyed “by time, fire, or water.” Its power will never disappear, until it is ripened. Although the results of our actions may not have matured yet, they will inevitably ripen, given the right conditions.

Multiple causes and conditions

As in the principle of dependent origination, within the functioning of karma, every fruition is said to depend upon multiple causes and conditions. Sogyal Rinpoche explains:

The results of our actions are often delayed, even into future lifetimes; we cannot pin down one cause, because any event can be an extremely complicated mixture of many karmas ripening together.

Bhikkhu Thanissaro emphasizes the same point; he states:

...one of the many things the Buddha discovered in the course of his awakening was that causality is not linear. The experience of the present is shaped both by actions in the present and by actions in the past. Actions in the present shape both the present and the future. The results of past and present actions continually interact. Thus there is always room for new input into the system, which gives scope for free will.

Seed and fruit

The process of karmic action and result is often compared to a seed and it's fruit. Peter Harvey states:

Karma is often likened to a seed, and the two words for karmic result, vipaka and phala, respectively mean 'ripening' and 'fruit'. An action is thus like a seed which will sooner or later, as part of its natural maturation process, result in certain fruits accruing to the doer of the action.

What determines the nature of the karmic 'seed' is the will or intention behind the act: 'It is will (cetana), O monks, that I call karma; having willed, one acts through body, speech, and mind' (A.III.415). It is the psychological impulse behind an action that is 'karma', that which sets going a chain of causes culminating in karmic fruit. Actions, then, must be intentional if they are to generate karmic fruits [...].

Ken McLeod states:

Karma, then, describes how our actions evolve into experience, internally and externally. Each action is a seed which grows or evolves into our experience of the world. Every action either starts a new growth process or reinforces an old one as described by the four results. Small wonder that we place so much emphasis on mindfulness and attention. What we do in each moment is very important!

Right view (understanding action and result)

Understanding karmic action and result (karmaphala) is essential to the development of right view, one of the eight factors of the Noble eightfold path.

Ajahn Sucitto emphasizes the importance of understanding karma to the development of right view (a key aspect of the Buddhist path):

This principle of the cause and the results of action—even mental action—is what is meant by “the law of kamma.” The point of right view is to start learning very directly and thoroughly about cause and effect on an experiential, rather than abstract or theoretical, foundation. And we deepen our ability to learn by applying the other seven path-factors. So one aspect of right view is understanding that to get out of the jungle we need a path. The first step, then, is to establish that path, and in Buddhism the foundation for that is the understanding that we can learn from contemplating and considering our direct experience. Right view, then, focuses on cause and effect. Through noticing the results of our thoughts, attitudes, and actions, we learn what gives the best results—hence a path gets established beneath our own feet.

The Tibetan Buddhist teacher Tsongkhapa also emphasizes the importance of understanding karma in order to follow the Buddhist path:

Attaining certain knowledge of the definiteness, or nondeceptiveness, of karma and its effects is called the correct viewpoint of all Buddhists and is praised as the foundation of all virtue.

Causes and conditions for happiness

Geshe Tashi Tsering states:

When we talk about karma, [...] we look at how these causes and effects bring about happiness and suffering for ourselves and others. Cause and effect is present in the natural world, but is it karma? Imagine that today is a beautiful day; the weather is nice, the sun is shining, the sky is clear. These factors all come into existence due to causes and conditions—the earth’s movement around the sun, the wind, and the absence of clouds. But when we move into the realm of feelings, our happiness or unhappiness becomes involved. We might feel frustrated because the weather is beautiful and yet we are stuck in a stuffy office or, conversely, we might feel very happy because it is the weekend and we are enjoying the fine weather. Karma enters the picture when our feelings become involved, when there is some volition or intention from our side. In fact karma brings happiness or suffering because of volition. With the movement of the earth or the absence of the clouds, generally there is no intention involved. All of this is natural. [...]

We become involved with a natural process through our volition—that is when happiness or suffering happens. It does not occur within the process itself. Whenever there is intention, karma is operating. That is the deciding factor. The mere existence of my present body has nothing to do with my karma. As we learn in biology, that mere existence is the continuation of molecules. But the moment my present body affects my feelings, there is karma. Then we can think in terms of the result of previous karma, or how we are creating new karma.

Tsering, Geshe Tashi (2005-06-10). The Four Noble Truths: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought, Volume 1 (Kindle Locations 1186-1201). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

Dzongsar Khyentse - gathering conditions

We are all subject to the laws of cause, condition, and effect, and as such not one of us enjoys true independence. We take great pains to gather the causes and conditions that will bring us the longed-for result of "success" or "fun," but we forget that those very causes and conditions function in a similar way to antibiotics. When we take antibiotics, on the one hand we feel better because one set of symptoms has been relieved, but on the other we feel worse, because the antibiotics themselves upset other parts of our bodies. Without being aware of it, everything we do in pursuit of independence, wealth and success is also the cause of subsequent causes and conditions we experience that will rule and control the direction our lives then take. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that our plans will turn out as originally intended. - Not for Happiness

Dzongsar Khyentse: law of cause and effect

The word karma is practically synonymous with Buddhism. It is usually understood as a sort of moralistic system of retribution—“bad” karma and “good” karma. But karma is simply a law of cause and effect, not to be confused with morality or ethics. No one, including Buddha, set the fundamental bar for what is negative and what is positive. Any motivation and action that steer us away from such truths as “all compounded things are impermanent” can result in negative consequences, or bad karma. And any action that brings us closer to understanding such truths as “all emotions are pain” can result in positive consequences, or good karma. At the end of the day, it was not for Buddha to judge; only you can truly know the motivation behind your actions.

Khyentse, Dzongsar Jamyang (2011-03-11). What Makes You Not a Buddhist (p. 76). Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Geshe Tashi Tsering: and consciousness

It is the same with our consciousness. Of the two types of phenomena, physical and mental, the mere continuation of the consciousness has nothing to do with karma. It is the natural law. But when that consciousness starts to feel that something is pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral—which when you think about it is all the time—then either karma starts to operate or the result of previously created karma starts to manifest. For example, if today I start to experience a very strong headache, from a Buddhist perspective there are definitely some causes. Because of some definite thing done in the past—the past karmic actions, the cause—there is now a headache, the result.

The mere continuation of our consciousness or of our physical body is exactly the same as the continuation of a flower. We cannot say that the flower has “the karma to be a flower.” That is nonsense. When the consciousness reacts due to a coming together of conditions, karma starts to play a role. When I think about what a nice flower it is and I desire it, or when I am repulsed by its too-strong perfume,

Tsering, Geshe Tashi (2005-06-10). The Four Noble Truths: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought, Volume 1 (Kindle Locations 1207-1210). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

Tsering, Geshe Tashi (2005-06-10). The Four Noble Truths: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought, Volume 1 (Kindle Locations 1202-1206). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

Geshe Tashi Tsering: Karma is the cause, not the result

What is karma? When we Tibetans face difficulties, it is common to say, “Oh, it is karma,” but this usually suggests some misunderstanding of karma. By labeling the difficulty itself as karma, we mistakenly equate karma with the result. One thing I want to make very clear is that karma, which is Sanskrit for action, is the cause and not the result. When we create an action of body, speech, or mind, the conscious or subconscious volition that causes that action also creates a potential that is deposited in the mental continuum, the stream of consciousness. When the appropriate conditions arise, this potential becomes manifest as a positive or negative result. Again, it is the mental action itself that is karma, and not the ripening result.

Tsering, Geshe Tashi (2005-06-10). The Four Noble Truths: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought, Volume 1 (Kindle Locations 1220-1226). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

Volitional action

In discussing karma, the Pali texts often use the term volitional action, which presents another picture of karma entirely. Volitional action is a culmination of ignorance and craving, and clearly implies the involvement of some kind of will. From ignorance and craving comes karma, or volitional action, which is enacted either mentally or physically.

Tsering, Geshe Tashi (2005-06-10). The Four Noble Truths: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought, Volume 1 (Kindle Locations 1227-1229). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

Tsering, Geshe Tashi (2005-06-10). The Four Noble Truths: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought, Volume 1 (Kindle Location 1227). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

Traleg Kyabgon- causality and moral choice

In Buddhism, the idea of causality is extremely important. What we mean by causality is that nothing in existence has any kind of enduring essence. Everything is in relationship; everything exists in a dependent manner. Nothing can exist of its own accord. Therefore, everything that exists is causally dependent, either in the physical or mental realm.

That being the case, we must view morality also in terms of causality. Morality is dependent upon the notion of karma, because karma refers to the law of cause and effect in the moral realm. Whatever we do creates certain mental impressions, which in turn produce karmic residues that later come to fruition when the appropriate causes and conditions are present. When we do something positive, wholesome, and good, certain positive impressions are automatically left in the mind. They produce positive and healthy dispositions in us, so that our experiences in the future will be positive and healthy. - p. 30

Non-judgemental

Harvey

Peter Harvey states: The law of karma is seen as a natural law inherent in the nature of things, like the law of physics. It is not operated by a God, and indeed the gods are themselves under its sway. Good and bad rebirths are not, therefore, seen as "rewards" and "punishments", but as simply the natural results of certain kinds of action.

Dzongsar Khyentse: law of cause and effect

[Karma] is usually understood as a sort of moralistic system of retribution—“bad” karma and “good” karma. But karma is simply a law of cause and effect, not to be confused with morality or ethics. No one, including Buddha, set the fundamental bar for what is negative and what is positive. Any motivation and action that steer us away from such truths as “all compounded things are impermanent” can result in negative consequences, or bad karma. And any action that brings us closer to understanding such truths as “all emotions are pain” can result in positive consequences, or good karma. At the end of the day, it was not for Buddha to judge; only you can truly know the motivation behind your actions.

Khyentse, Dzongsar Jamyang (2011-03-11). What Makes You Not a Buddhist (p. 76). Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Natural law

Geshe Tashi Tsering:

Without understanding that all things arise due to a substantial cause and secondary or contributory causes, it might appear that the theory of karma is something made up by Buddhists rather than simply the natural law of how things and events come into being. When we talk about karma, however, we go beyond the mere law of cause and effect.

Tsering, Geshe Tashi (2005-06-10). The Four Noble Truths: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought, Volume 1 (Kindle Locations 1186-1201). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

Rebirth

Traleg Rinpoche:

Rebirth does not occur in a haphazard way but is governed by the law of karma. At the same time, good and bad rebirths are not seen as rewards and punishments but as resulting from our own actions. That is why in Tibetan the karmic law is called le gyu dre, which means "karmic cause and effect". - p. 31

Peter Harvey: Rebirth

The movement of beings between rebirths is not a haphazard process but is ordered and governed by the law of karma, the principal that things are reborn according to the nature and quality of their past actions; they are "heir" to their actions (M.III.203).... - p.39

Gethin: Six realms

What determines in which realm a being is born? The short answer is karma (Pali kamma): a being’s intentional ‘actions’ of body, speech, and mind—whatever is done, said, or even just thought with definite intention or volition. In general, though with some qualification, rebirth in the lower realms is considered to be the result of relatively unwholesome (akuśala/akusala), or bad (pāpa) karma, while rebirth in the higher realms the result of relatively wholesome (kuśala/kusala), or good (puṇya/puñña) karma. Correspondingly, the lower the realm, the more unpleasant and unhappy one’s condition; the higher the realm the more pleasant, happy, and refined one’s condition.

Gethin, Rupert (1998-07-16). The Foundations of Buddhism (p. 119). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Gethin: Rebirth - state of mind at time of death

The basis of a rebirth as a human being is then one of these eight types of consciousness that are the result of previous wholesome karma. This wholesome karma may have been performed many lifetimes ago; more often it is wholesome karma done in the immediately previous life that is significant. What is said to be crucial in the process of rebirth is one’s state of mind at the time of death.

Gethin, Rupert (1998-07-16). The Foundations of Buddhism (pp. 216-217). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Williams: rebirth

First, the Buddha speaks in texts like the Mahasihanada Sutta (the 'Greater Discourse which is the Lion's Roar') of five types of rebirth. All rebirth is due to karman and is impermanent.

Short of attaining enlightenment, in each rebirth one is born and dies, to be reborn elsewhere in accordance with the completely impersonal causal nature of one's own karman. The endless cycle of birth, rebirth, and redeath, is samsara.

Williams, Paul (2002-12-07). Buddhist Thought (p. 74). Taylor & Francis. Kindle Edition.

Williams, Paul (2002-12-07). Buddhist Thought (p. 74). Taylor & Francis. Kindle Edition.

Mental intentions (karman) which are wholesome, animated by the three basic virtuous states of mind, non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion, give rise to appropriate acts and favourable rebirths. Unwholesome intentions animated by greed, hatred, and delusion produce unfavourable rebirths.(40)

Williams, Paul (2002-12-07). Buddhist Thought (p. 79). Taylor & Francis. Kindle Edition.

Smith and Novak: rebirth

When to this image of the flame we add the Buddha’s acceptance of karma, we have the gist of what he said about transmigration. A summary of his position would run something like this: (1) There is a chain of causes threading each life to those that have led up to it and to those that will follow. Each life is in its present condition because of the way the lives that led up to it were lived. (2) Throughout this causal sequence the will retains at least a small degree of freedom. The lawfulness of things makes the present state the product of prior acts, but within each present moment the will, though deeply influenced, is not completely controlled. People can shape their destinies and, in doing so, discover still greater freedom.

Smith, Huston; Novak, Philip (2009-03-17). Buddhism: A Concise Introduction (p. 55). HarperOne. Kindle Edition.

Intention

Gethin: intention

This can be appreciated by considering more fully the Buddhist understanding of the nature of karma. At root karma or ‘action’ is considered a mental act or intention; it is an aspect of our mental life: ‘It is “intention” that I call karma; having formed the intention, one performs acts (karma) by body, speech and mind.’9 Thus acts of body and speech are driven by an underlying intention or will (cetanā) and they are unwholesome or wholesome because they are motivated by unwholesome or wholesome intentions. Acts of body and speech are, then, the end products of particular kinds of mentality. At the same time karma can exist as a simple ‘act of will’, a forceful mental intention or volition that does not lead to an act of body or speech.

Gethin, Rupert (1998-07-16). The Foundations of Buddhism (p. 120). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Gethin: Not predetermined

From the Buddhist perspective certain experiences in life are indeed the results of previous actions; but our responses to those experiences, whether wished for or unwished for, are not predetermined but represent new actions which in time bear their own fruit in the future. The Buddhist understanding of individual responsibility does not mean that we should never seek or expect another’s assistance in order to better cope with the troubles of life. The belief that one’s broken leg is at one level to be explained as the result of unwholesome actions performed in a previous life does not mean that one should not go to a doctor to have the broken leg set. There was and is no need in Buddhist theory to deny the existence of ‘divine’ beings or to repudiate the Buddhist villager’s efforts to get their help. The only comment that Buddhist theory has to make in this context is that divine beings—like doctors—won’t be able to get to the root of the problem: they may help one get what one wants in the short term, but they are unable to bring about the final cessation of suffering.

Gethin, Rupert (1998-07-16). The Foundations of Buddhism (p. 129). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Gethin, Rupert (1998-07-16). The Foundations of Buddhism (p. 129). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Williams: karman is intention

It was the Buddha who declared that karman is intention, a mental event. In so doing, Gombrich comments, the Buddha 'turned the brahmin ideology upside down and ethicised the universe. I do not see how one could exaggerate the importance of the Buddha's ethicisation of the world, which I regard as a turning point in the history of civilisation' (Gombrich 1996: 51). Thus the Buddha turned attention from physical acts cleansing the pollution resulting from 'bad karma' - such as acts of physical asceticism, or the Brahmanic actions of purification, which typically involve washing, or ingesting 'the five products of the cow' - to 'inner purification', mental training. For the Buddha, as we have seen,craving - a mental state - arises from ignorance - a mental state - and leads to (unwholesome) karman - a mental state - and this leads to suffering - a mental state. The Buddha's vision of karman as really being intention is of a sort with his stress on overcoming craving through insight into the way things really are. Through understanding how things really are, craving is dissolved. We could relate this to what Gombrich calls 'an ethicised consciousness' (1996: 61). Following the Tevijja Sutta (the 'Discourse on the Triple Knowledge [of the Vedas]') Gombrich speaks of the monk engaged in actively pervading the universe with a mind of kindness and compassion. This is a sort of infinite karman, the ultimate karman, that leads to the overcoming of suffering, liberation.(31)

Williams, Paul (2002-12-07). Buddhist Thought (p. 74). Taylor & Francis. Kindle Edition.

Williams, Paul (2002-12-07). Buddhist Thought (pp. 73-74). Taylor & Francis. Kindle Edition.

Williams: action is volition

The Buddha is reported to have said of karman (kamma), action: 'I assert that action is volition (cetana), since it is by willing that one performs an action with the body, speech or mind' (Anguttara Nikaya III: 415, in Lamotte 1988: 34). Thus for the Buddha karman as an action issuing in appropriate results (necessitating rebirth) ceases to be the external act itself (as it is within e.g. the Brahmanic sacrificial tradition). What are determinative in terms of 'karmic results' are wholesome or unwholesome volitions, that is, intentions.(23) Buddhism is all about the mind.

Williams, Paul (2002-12-07). Buddhist Thought (p. 68). Taylor & Francis. Kindle Edition.

Williams, Paul (2002-12-07). Buddhist Thought (p. 68). Taylor & Francis. Kindle Edition.

Ajahn Sucitto - action based on our choices and intentions

He realized that kamma primarily meant action based on our choices and intentions—he saw that intentional actions produce results. So accidentally treading on an ant is not kamma, but deliberately fostering ill-will in the heart is. Even the action of asceticism and avoiding action is an action that we choose. So why not be up front about it and make deliberate choices that are based on human welfare? Why not choose a way and a practice that will lead us to a better life? But rather than a life committed to sensual happiness, Siddhattha realized that the good life is lived through sustaining an intention that is moral and compassionate to others as well as himself. And that such a way of life leads to acknowledging and relinquishing the biases, corruptions, and attachments that keep us from awakening. And without awakening, it’s as if we are driving on and on without getting anywhere. The truth of the matter is that, rather than driving, we’re being driven. And this drive goes through lifetimes.

Sucitto, Ajahn (2010-09-14). Turning the Wheel of Truth: Commentary on the Buddha's First Teaching (p. 10). Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Sucitto, Ajahn (2010-09-14). Turning the Wheel of Truth: Commentary on the Buddha's First Teaching (pp. 9-10). Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Keown: good deeds up, bad deeds down

In the cosmology set out above, karma functions as the elevator that takes people from one floor of the building to another. Good deeds result in an upward movement and bad deeds in a downward one. Karma is not a system of rewards and punishments meted out by God but a kind of natural law akin to the law of gravity. Individuals are thus the sole authors of their good and bad fortune.

=Keown: moral actions, intention

In popular usage karma is thought of simply as the good and bad things that happen to people, a little like good and bad luck. The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word karma is ‘action’, but karma as a religious concept is concerned not with just any actions but with actions of a particular kind. Karmic actions are moral actions, and the Buddha defined karma by reference to moral choices and the acts consequent upon them. He stated ‘It is choice (cetanā), O monks, that I call karma; having chosen one acts through body, speech, or mind’ (A.iii.415).

Moral actions are unlike other actions in that they have both transitive and intransitive effects. The transitive effect is seen in the direct impact moral actions have on others; for example, when we kill or steal, someone is deprived of his life or property. The intransitive effect is seen in the way moral actions affect the agent. According to Buddhism, human beings have free will, and in the exercise of free will they engage in self-determination. In a very real sense individuals create themselves through their moral choices. By freely and repeatedly choosing certain sorts of things, an individual shapes his character, and through his character his future. As the proverb has it: ‘Sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.’

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 802-806). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 796-802). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 794-796). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Keown: patterns of behaviour, maturation

It is not hard to see how even within the course of a single lifetime particular patterns of behaviour lead inexorably to certain results. Great works of literature reveal how the fate that befalls the protagonists is due not to chance but to a character flaw that leads to a tragic series of events. The remote effects of karmic choices are referred to as the ‘maturation’ (vipāka) or ‘fruit’ (phala) of the karmic act. The metaphor is an agricultural one: performing good and bad deeds is like planting seeds that will fruit at a later date. Othello’s jealousy, Macbeth’s ruthless ambition, and Hamlet’s hesitation and self-doubt would all be seen by Buddhists as saṅkhāras; the tragic outcome in each case would be the inevitable ‘fruit’ (phala) of the choices these character-traits predisposed the individual to make.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 813-817). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 810-813). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Keown: rebirth - ripening of karma in the next level

Not all the consequences of what a person does are experienced in the lifetime in which the deeds are performed. Karma that has been accumulated but not yet experienced is carried forward to the next life, or even many lifetimes ahead. Buddhists disagree on exactly how this happens, but one possibility is that the performance of good deeds is like charging up a battery with karmic energy, which is then stored until a future time. Certain key aspects of a person’s next rebirth are thought of as karmically determined. These include the family into which one is born, one's social status, physical appearance, and of course, one's character and personality, since these are simply carried over from the previous life. Some Buddhists adopt a fatalistic perspective and see every piece of good and bad luck as due to some karmic cause. The doctrine of karma, however, does not claim that everything that happens to a person is karmically determined. Many of the things that happen in life – like winning the lottery or breaking a leg – may simply be accidents. Karma does not determine precisely what will happen or how anyone will react to what happens. Individuals are free to resist previous conditioning and establish new patterns of behaviour: such, indeed, is the point of becoming a Buddhist.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 824-828). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 819-823). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Ringu Tulku: Jataka tales, fruition of karma

Ringu Tulku Rinpoche Ringu Tulku Rinpoche explains:

Sometimes, in order to help us understand how a particular action can contribute to a particular result, the Buddha told stories like those we find in the Jataka tales. But things do not happen just because of one particular cause. We do not experience one result for every one thing that we do. Rather, the whole thing—the entire totality of our experience and actions—has an impact on what we become from one moment to the next.

Therefore, karma is not just what we did in our last life, it is what we have done in this life too, and what we did in all our lives in the past. Everything from the past has made us what we are now, including what we did this morning. Strictly speaking, therefore, from a Buddhist point of view, you cannot say that there is anything in our ordinary experience that is not somehow a result of our karma.

This is very important to understand, because people often see karma as a kind of punishment. They think that they did something wrong in the past and now they are being punished for it, and then, after the punishment is over, their karma will be gone. People can even think that there is nothing they can do to change their fate, and that they should just sit there, passively waiting for it all to play itself out. That is a mistake.

Karma means that everything you are now is the result of many different factors. If you are going through difficulties, it is your karma, yes; but it cannot be seen as the result of one particular action, because things happen for many reasons. Of course, it is a fruition of past karma, but it is not just because you made a mistake in the past and now you are being punished for it. On the contrary, it is due to all the circumstances that you have gone through, all the bad things and even all the good things—everything.

If you see karma in this way, you can see that there is always something you can do to change it. There are factors which have made you what you are now, but that does not prevent you from doing something and creating new causes and conditions.

Of course, we might have some limitations in our capacity to do things, because of our limited intelligence or resources and so on. But at any given time, we can act in either a positive or a negative way. We always have this choice, all the time. We are quite powerful. We can easily create a lot of harm, or we could also do lots of good things. And whatever we do will be influenced by the force of our personality and what we are now, so there is always the impact of our past, but there is also our own willpower and our own efforts and intentions in the present. They too have an effect.

If you can see things this way, I think you will understand karma more clearly. Things do happen as a result of particular causes, but that does not mean that everything is totally predetermined. We can change. Not necessarily in a single instant, but we can change.

Positive and negative karma

Ringu Tulku: Creating karma

Ringu Tulku states:

We create karma in three different ways, through actions that are positive, negative, or neutral. When we feel kindness and love and with this attitude do good things, which are beneficial to both ourselves and others, this is positive action. When we commit harmful deeds out of equally harmful intentions, this is negative action. Finally, when our motivation is indifferent and our deeds are neither harmful or beneficial, this is neutral action. The results we experience will accord with the quality of our actions.

Ringu Tulku: Understanding cause and effect key point of Buddhist ethics

Understanding how cause and effect operate is the key point of Buddhist ethics. We need to know how negative actions harm ourselves and others, and how positive deeds benefit ourselves and others, in both short-and long-term ways. Devotion helps us see this, and it makes us want to do more that is positive and less that is negative. Of course, because of habitual tendencies, even when we know our actions aren’t beneficial, sometimes we still do them. But the more mindful we are and the more certain we become of how karma works, the more our old habits fall away. It’s extremely important to understand how our actions are connected with their results. It’s like knowing that if you put your hand in a fire, your hand will get burned. It is not a moral issue of right versus wrong but a matter of understanding cause and effect. From the Buddhist point of view, positive and negative deeds are not a moral issue; they are based on recognizing that positive actions bring benefit, and negative actions bring harm.

Tulku, Ringu (2012-09-11). Confusion Arises as Wisdom: Gampopa's Heart Advice on the Path of Mahamudra (pp. 18-19). Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Tulku, Ringu (2012-09-11). Confusion Arises as Wisdom: Gampopa's Heart Advice on the Path of Mahamudra (p. 18). Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Dzongsar Khyentse: positive and negative consequences

The word karma is practically synonymous with Buddhism. It is usually understood as a sort of moralistic system of retribution—“bad” karma and “good” karma. But karma is simply a law of cause and effect, not to be confused with morality or ethics. No one, including Buddha, set the fundamental bar for what is negative and what is positive. Any motivation and action that steer us away from such truths as “all compounded things are impermanent” can result in negative consequences, or bad karma. And any action that brings us closer to understanding such truths as “all emotions are pain” can result in positive consequences, or good karma. At the end of the day, it was not for Buddha to judge; only you can truly know the motivation behind your actions.

Khyentse, Dzongsar Jamyang (2011-03-11). What Makes You Not a Buddhist (p. 76). Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Keown: positive and negative karma come from intention

What, then, makes an action good or bad? From the Buddha’s definition above it can be seen to be largely a matter of intention and choice. The psychological springs of motivation are described in Buddhism as ‘roots’, and there are said to be three good roots and three bad roots. Actions motivated by greed, hatred, and delusion are bad (akusala, Sanskrit: akuśala) while actions motivated by their opposites – non – attachment, benevolence, and understanding – are good (kusala, Sanskrit: kuśala). Making progress to enlightenment, however, is not simply a matter of having good intentions, and evil is sometimes done by people who act from the highest motives. Good intentions, therefore, must find expression in right actions, and right actions are basically those which do no harm to either oneself or others. The kinds of actions which fail these requirements are prohibited in various sets of precepts, about which more will be said when discussing ethics.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 835-836). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 829-835). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Location 829). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Keown: Merit

Karma can be either good or bad. Buddhists speak of good karma as ‘merit’ (puñña, Sanskrit: punya), and much effort is expended in acquiring it. Some picture it as a kind of spiritual capital – like money in a bank account – whereby credit is built up as the deposit on a heavenly rebirth.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 836-839). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Not judgmental

Khandro Rinpoche: Non-theistic

Khandro Rinpoche explains:

Buddhism is a nontheistic philosophy. We do not believe in a creator but in the causes and conditions that create certain circumstances that then come to fruition. This is called karma. It has nothing to do with judgement; there is no one keeping track of our karma and sending us up above or down below. Karma is simply the wholeness of a cause, or first action, and its effect, or fruition, which then becomes another cause. In fact, one karmic cause can have many fruitions, all of which can cause thousands more creations. Just as a handful of seed can ripen into a full field of grain, a small amount of karma can generate limitless effects. - Khandro Rinpoche, This Precious Life, page 95

Keown: not rewards and punishment

In the cosmology set out above, karma functions as the elevator that takes people from one floor of the building to another. Good deeds result in an upward movement and bad deeds in a downward one. Karma is not a system of rewards and punishments meted out by God but a kind of natural law akin to the law of gravity. Individuals are thus the sole authors of their good and bad fortune.

Keown, Damien (2000-02-24). Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Kindle Locations 794-796). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

Dzongsar Khyentse: you are the judge

The word karma is practically synonymous with Buddhism. It is usually understood as a sort of moralistic system of retribution—“bad” karma and “good” karma. But karma is simply a law of cause and effect, not to be confused with morality or ethics. No one, including Buddha, set the fundamental bar for what is negative and what is positive. Any motivation and action that steer us away from such truths as “all compounded things are impermanent” can result in negative consequences, or bad karma. And any action that brings us closer to understanding such truths as “all emotions are pain” can result in positive consequences, or good karma. At the end of the day, it was not for Buddha to judge; only you can truly know the motivation behind your actions.

Khyentse, Dzongsar Jamyang (2011-03-11). What Makes You Not a Buddhist (p. 76). Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Illusory nature

Anam Thubten: habits, etc.

The truth is that karma is not a set of misfortunes. Karma is a set of internal obstacles. It's made out of thought patterns and deep-seated habits. We are able to let go of this. Therefore our karma is unreal. Our karma is illusion.

Buddha taught that everything is emptiness. Problems of life, even though they appear unending and recurring, are emptiness and therefore karma is empty too. Karma is unreal. Karma is not a thing. It is not a substance that you can pinpoint, that you can break down, that you can build into a fire. Karma is internal. It is the state of your mind. It is the accumulation of your belief systems, your thoughts, your pains, and your anger. It goes back many lifetimes. Karma can only be purified by realizing the truth, the pure essence of who you are. Karma is not a substance like some kind of tumor in your brain or your heart that you can get rid of by performing surgery.

Anam Thubten. No Self No Problem (Kindle Locations 696-697). Kindle Edition.

Anam Thubten. No Self No Problem (Kindle Locations 693-696). Kindle Edition.

Anam Thubten. No Self No Problem (Kindle Locations 691-693). Kindle Edition.

Dzongsar Khyentse: A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF KARMA, PURITY, AND NONVIOLENCE

The concept of karma, the undeniable trademark of Buddhism, also falls within these four truths. When causes and conditions come together and there are no obstacles, consequences arise. Consequence is karma. This karma is gathered by consciousness—the mind, or the self. If this self acts out of greed or aggression, negative karma is generated. If a thought or action is motivated by love, tolerance, and a wish for others to be happy, positive karma is generated. Yet motivation, action, and the resulting karma are inherently like a dream, an illusion. Transcending karma, both good and bad, is nirvana. Any so-called good action that is not based on these four views is merely righteousness; it is not ultimately Siddhartha’s path. Even if you were to feed all the hungry beings in the world, if you acted in complete absence of these four views, then it would be merely a good deed, not the path to enlightenment. In fact it might be a righteous act designed to feed and support the ego. It is because of these four truths that Buddhists can practice purification. If one thinks that one is stained by negative karma or is weak or “sinful,” and is frustrated, thinking that these obstacles are always getting in the way of realization, then one can take comfort in knowing that they are compounded and therefore impermanent and thus purifiable. On the other hand, if one feels lacking in ability or merit, one can take comfort knowing that merit can be accumulated through performing good deeds, because the lack of merit is impermanent and therefore changeable.

Khyentse, Dzongsar Jamyang (2011-03-11). What Makes You Not a Buddhist . Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Khyentse, Dzongsar Jamyang (2011-03-11). What Makes You Not a Buddhist . Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Khyentse, Dzongsar Jamyang (2011-03-11). What Makes You Not a Buddhist . Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Relation to Morality

In the Buddhist view, there is no judgement involved in karma--no higher being that is meeting out justice.

Different teachers have expressed this differently.

• Some emphasize that karma and morality are not the same thing (Dxongsar Khyentse, Ringu Tulku, et al)
• Some say that morality is dependent upon karma (Traleg Kyabgon, et al)

Dzongsar Khyentse: positive and negative consequences

The word karma is practically synonymous with Buddhism. It is usually understood as a sort of moralistic system of retribution—“bad” karma and “good” karma. But karma is simply a law of cause and effect, not to be confused with morality or ethics. No one, including Buddha, set the fundamental bar for what is negative and what is positive. Any motivation and action that steer us away from such truths as “all compounded things are impermanent” can result in negative consequences, or bad karma. And any action that brings us closer to understanding such truths as “all emotions are pain” can result in positive consequences, or good karma. At the end of the day, it was not for Buddha to judge; only you can truly know the motivation behind your actions.

Khyentse, Dzongsar Jamyang (2011-03-11). What Makes You Not a Buddhist (p. 76). Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Contemporary glosses

Many contemporary Buddhist teachers have provided brief explanations of karma as a means of introducing this concept to Western students. A sampling of this summaries is included here.

Phillip Moffitt (seeds of consequence)

Phillip Moffitt states:

[Karma is] the seeds of consequence that will bloom in the future when conditions are suitable.

Ken McLeod (each action is a seed)

Ken McLeod states:

Karma, then, describes how our actions evolve into experience, internally and externally. Each action is a seed which grows or evolves into our experience of the world. Every action either starts a new growth process or reinforces an old one as described by the four results. Small wonder that we place so much emphasis on mindfulness and attention. What we do in each moment is very important!

Sogyal Rinpoche (each action is pregnant with consequences)

Sogyal Rinpoche states:

In simple terms, what does karma mean? It means that whatever we do, with our body, speech, or mind, will have a corresponding result. Each action, even the smallest, is pregnant with its consequences. It is said by the masters that even a little poison can cause death and even a tiny seed can become a huge tree. And as Buddha said: “Do not overlook negative actions merely because they are small; however small a spark may be, it can burn down a haystack as big as a mountain.” Similarly he said: “Do not overlook tiny good actions, thinking they are of no benefit; even tiny drops of water in the end will fill a huge vessel.” Karma does not decay like external things, or ever become inoperative. It cannot be destroyed “by time, fire, or water.” Its power will never disappear, until it is ripened. Although the results of our actions may not have matured yet, they will inevitably ripen, given the right conditions.

Khandro Rinpoche (causes and conditions that create certain circumstances)

Khandro Rinpoche states:

Buddhism is a nontheistic philosophy. We do not believe in a creator but in the causes and conditions that create certain circumstances that then come to fruition. This is called karma. It has nothing to do with judgement; there is no one keeping track of our karma and sending us up above or down below. Karma is simply the wholeness of a cause, or first action, and its effect, or fruition, which then becomes another cause. In fact, one karmic cause can have many fruitions, all of which can cause thousands more creations. Just as a handful of seed can ripen into a full field of grain, a small amount of karma can generate limitless effects.

Peter Harvey (a seed that results in certain fruits)

Karma is often likened to a seed, and the two words for karmic result, vipaka and phala, respectively mean 'ripening' and 'fruit'. An action is thus like a seed which will sooner or later, as part of its natural maturation process, result in certain fruits accruing to the doer of the action.

What determines the nature of the karmic 'seed' is the will or intention behind the act: 'It is will (cetana), O monks, that I call karma; having willed, one acts through body, speech, and mind' (A.III.415). It is the psychological impulse behind an action that is 'karma', that which sets going a chain of causes culminating in karmic fruit. Actions, then, must be intentional if they are to generate karmic fruits [...]. - p. 39-40

Geshe Tashi Tsering (cause and effect)

Geshe Tashi Tsering states:

[Karma is] the natural law of cause and effect whereby positive actions produce happiness and negative actions produce suffering.

Rupert Gethin (mental act or intention)

Rupert Gethin states:

At root karma or ‘action’ is considered a mental act or intention; it is an aspect of our mental life: ‘It is “intention” that I call karma; having formed the intention, one performs acts (karma) by body, speech and mind.’9 Thus acts of body and speech are driven by an underlying intention or will (cetanā) and they are unwholesome or wholesome because they are motivated by unwholesome or wholesome intentions. Acts of body and speech are, then, the end products of particular kinds of mentality. At the same time karma can exist as a simple ‘act of will’, a forceful mental intention or volition that does not lead to an act of body or speech.

Geshe Tashi Tsering (natural law)

Geshe Tashi Tsering states:

Without understanding that all things arise due to a substantial cause and secondary or contributory causes, it might appear that the theory of karma is something made up by Buddhists rather than simply the natural law of how things and events come into being. When we talk about karma, however, we go beyond the mere law of cause and effect. We look at how these causes and effects bring about happiness and suffering for ourselves and others. Cause and effect is present in the natural world, but is it karma? Imagine that today is a beautiful day; the weather is nice, the sun is shining, the sky is clear. These factors all come into existence due to causes and conditions—the earth’s movement around the sun, the wind, and the absence of clouds. But when we move into the realm of feelings, our happiness or unhappiness becomes involved. We might feel frustrated because the weather is beautiful and yet we are stuck in a stuffy office or, conversely, we might feel very happy because it is the weekend and we are enjoying the fine weather. Karma enters the picture when our feelings become involved, when there is some volition or intention from our side. In fact karma brings happiness or suffering because of volition. With the movement of the earth or the absence of the clouds, generally there is no intention involved. All of this is natural. [...]

We become involved with a natural process through our volition—that is when happiness or suffering happens. It does not occur within the process itself. Whenever there is intention, karma is operating. That is the deciding factor.

Damien Keown (moral actions)

Damien Keown states:

In popular usage karma is thought of simply as the good and bad things that happen to people, a little like good and bad luck. The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word karma is ‘action’, but karma as a religious concept is concerned not with just any actions but with actions of a particular kind. Karmic actions are moral actions, and the Buddha defined karma by reference to moral choices and the acts consequent upon them. He stated ‘It is choice (cetanā), O monks, that I call karma; having chosen one acts through body, speech, or mind’ (A.iii.415).

Moral actions are unlike other actions in that they have both transitive and intransitive effects. The transitive effect is seen in the direct impact moral actions have on others; for example, when we kill or steal, someone is deprived of his life or property. The intransitive effect is seen in the way moral actions affect the agent. According to Buddhism, human beings have free will, and in the exercise of free will they engage in self-determination. In a very real sense individuals create themselves through their moral choices. By freely and repeatedly choosing certain sorts of things, an individual shapes his character, and through his character his future. As the proverb has it: ‘Sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.’

Dzongsar Khyentse (not to be confused with morality)

Dzongsar Khyentse states:

The word karma is practically synonymous with Buddhism. It is usually understood as a sort of moralistic system of retribution—“bad” karma and “good” karma. But karma is simply a law of cause and effect, not to be confused with morality or ethics. No one, including Buddha, set the fundamental bar for what is negative and what is positive. Any motivation and action that steer us away from such truths as “all compounded things are impermanent” can result in negative consequences, or bad karma. And any action that brings us closer to understanding such truths as “all emotions are pain” can result in positive consequences, or good karma. At the end of the day, it was not for Buddha to judge; only you can truly know the motivation behind your actions.

Note: using karma to refer to karmaphala (action and result)

Etymology & terms in translation

The word karma derives from the verbal root kṛ, which means "do, make, perform, accomplish." Karma is "the nominative singular form of the neuter word karman, which means 'act, action, performance, deed.' In grammatical usage, karman refers to the direct object in a sentence, the recipient of the action indicated by the verb."

In the Devanagari script karma is rendered कर्मन्; the Pāli variant is kamma. The terms in translation are as follows: Traditional Chinese: 業, yè, Burmese: ကမၼ, Standard Tibetan: ལས། las (pronounced ley), Thai: กรรม gam, Sinhalese: කර්ම karma, Japanese: 業 or ごう, gou.

Notes:

• REGINALD A. RAY: karma of cause, karma of result - http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2232