Dharma Message from Rev. Patti Usuki

“How do we understand Karma”

 

Q: The new TV comedy series, “My Name is Earl,” is based on a definition of karma that says that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. The show centers on a petty criminal named Earl who wins a $100,000 lottery but is hit by a car and loses the ticket in the accident. Having heard this explanation of karma, Earl concludes that he didn’t deserve to win the lottery and fearing further “punishment” for bad deeds, he vows to make amends. In other words, he is trying to “reverse” his “bad karma.” Is this an accurate depiction of what karma means?

A: There are a number of concepts to keep in mind when we talk about karma. Fortunately, the show does not make the common error of equating karma to “fate” or “destiny.” It does begin on the right track by raising the notion that karma involves the idea of cause and effect, as in “good things happen to good people.” However, this can be misleading. When things happen, there are not only causes, but also conditions. Furthermore, the causes and conditions have nothing at all to do with punishment or reward for being “good” or “bad.” For example, Earl was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he happened to be carrying the ticket in his pocket when he was hit by a car. It’s unlikely that this had anything directly to do with the fact that he had done anything “wrong” (unless, for example, he was running away from the scene of a crime and wasn’t watching where he was going because the police were shooting at him).

When speaking of karma, it is said that if you want to understand why your life is the way it is now, all you have to do is look to your past thoughts, words, and deeds. And, if you want to see what your future will be like, you simply have to be aware of your thoughts, words, and deeds right now. In other words, we do have some control over our own karma, since we are responsible for our thoughts, words, and deeds that play a major role in this whole concept of “cause and effect.” It seems reasonable, then, to think that “good things happen to good people” because they are creating a chain of “good” conditions around themselves. Do you ever notice how cheerful people seem to light up a room and bring out the best in others, while negative people, have the opposite effect?

However, bad things also happen to good people and vice versa, because that’s the way life is – things never remain all good or all bad, and there are a myriad of causes and conditions happening all the time, over which we have no control. A simple example would be the weather, although these days, we cannot ignore the fact that the actions of humankind have had a negative effect on weather patterns around the globe.

And, as mentioned earlier, there is not always a direct link between what a person gives and what they receive – and there is no supernatural meting out of reward or punishment. Thus, the Japanese superstition of bachi, carrying the notion of punishment or retribution, has nothing to do with karma. So, it would be futile for Earl to believe that he could mitigate “punishment” for every bad act that he had ever committed. What’s done is done. The key point is that he has been caused to reflect on his past and recognize his misdeeds and the harm he has caused. If he resolves simply to be a “better person,” it will improve the quality of his life at a deeper level, and he is engaging in spiritual growth with its concomitant benefits. Whether he is aware of this or not is irrelevant – he will come to enjoy greater inner peace that could never be found through material gains or a life of causing harm.

One last note: can we truly define the “good” person or the “bad” person? Is there anyone who has never experienced desire, anger, or ignorant thoughts? How many of us have unwittingly caused harm even though our intentions were good? If a person steals food for his or her starving children, is it a bad deed?

We need to work on being aware of what is going on in our own minds and then we will have a better understanding of how our karma unfolds.

 

Rev. Patti Usuki is the head Minister of San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple

 

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