Karma & Effect vs Cause & Effect !
Abstract: Different spiritual traditions present different interpretations to the complex mechanism called "karma". Sometimes people label that everything happens around us is due to our karma, and this statement is against the general Buddhist view. This is what the human mind is generally capable of, making unsubstantiated speculations on the things it doesn't comprehend. However, only an enlightened being knows whether something is really due to our karma or not. Based on his extraordinary understanding, Sakyamuni Buddha had revealed, certain universal principles called "niyama dharma" that do not fall under this "karmic" category. But whoever appears in this world in a physical form, is bound by these universal principles. Therefore, Buddha has introduced a new concept called "cause & effect", which is, in principle, more scientific, more liberating and universal. This article will explain why "Karma & Effect" is just a subset of "Cause & Effect".
Fig. 1: Karma: It is making of our own life, our own thinking.
Even some Buddhist sects label, that everything happens to us is due to our karma. Also in Hindu tradition, we often see this notion. During Shakyamuni Buddha's time, many Brahmins leaders, wealthy religious figures utilized this concept to program the society, human mind for their mere survival. People from lower social casts were often enslaved by this idea and they were even forbidden to practice any form of spirituality. Shakyamuni Buddha's realization brought justice to this society as a social reform, and wisdom to the truth seekers to go beyond this fear-based belief system.
Freedom of Speech, Questioning and Thinking
Human consciousness cannot evolve without having the freedom to express itself. Neither can our society. Both pre-Vedic, as well as, some other religious traditions hold these fear/benevolence based beliefs to handle/control the societies. The concept of karma mainly arose from these systems where the beliefs overpower the conscience of the individual. There was no proper scientific explanation to it either. Buddha's realization was said to have revealed the most subtle understanding of karma. He revolutionized the society, by demystifying the complex mechanism of the karmic structure of human mind-body in this way. He openly declared that "the trained or enlightened mind does not suffer from karma".
Influence of Karma
If something terrible happens to us, we usually ascribe it to our past karma. When something good happens, we forget to do so. Anyway, the relationship between karma (the action) and effect (fruit) is more complicated than the results of good and bad deeds.
The Pali term Karma literally means action or doing. Any kind of intentional action whether mental, verbal, or physical, is regarded as Karma. It covers all that is included in the phrase "thought, word and deed". Generally speaking, all good and bad action constitutes Karma. In its ultimate sense Karma means all moral and immoral volition. Involuntary, unintentional or unconscious actions, though technically deeds, do not constitute Karma. This is because volition, the most important factor in determining Karma, is absent in those deeds.
The Buddha says:
"I declare, O Bhikkhus, that volition is Karma. Having willed one acts by body, speech, and thought." (Anguttara Nikaya)
Every volitional action of individuals, save those of Buddhas and Arahants, is called Karma. The exception made in their case is because they are delivered from both good and evil; they have eradicated ignorance and craving, the roots of Karma.
The following article gives a classification to various kind of Karmas discussed in Buddhism.
The aim of this article is to demistify the difference between the typical term karma & effect with the Buddhist term cause & effect. The latter is more complicated, sensible and reasonable. Moreover this article illustrates and clarifies how these terms are inter-related based on the content found in the scriptures and meditative insights.
The Relationship Between "Cause & Effect" and "Karma & Effect"
There are three possible scenarios:
1. Karma and Effect = Cause and Effect (Our Own Karma is the Cause).
2. Niyama Dharma (Universal Laws) is Cause and Effect. This is not directly related to our karma, but our karmic seeds can be brought into fruition by the Niyama Dharma.
3. Karma and Effect as a subset of Cause and Effect.
1. Karma and Effect Examples
There's a plenty of examples in Buddhist literature to this category. For instance the consequences Arihant Angulimala faced due to his violence, gruesome behavior in the past is a prime example of this kind. Even after his enlightenment, Ven. Angulimala suffers so much from these consequences as his enlightenment process accelerates the karmic energy dissipation. So did Maha-siddha Milarepa, due to his black magic. During the progression of the path, his Guru, Marpa Lotsawa helped him to accelerate his karmic energy, therefore he suffers a great deal. One can also argue that, karma and effect is similar to cause and effect where the cause is directly linked to the previous karmic deeds of the individual.
2. Cause and Effect Examples: Based on Niyama Dharma (Universal Laws)
Utu Niyama is the natural law of non-living matter. This natural law orders the change of seasons and phenomena related to climate and the weather. It explains the nature of heat and fire, soil and gases, water and wind. Most natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes would be governed by Utu Niyama. These situations certainly bring suffering to all beings. For instance, Utu Niyama can be the cause of death of an individual due to the fruition of a serious, weighty karmic seed such as Garuka Karma. So the Niyama Dharma can work together with our karmic seeds.
Beeja Niyama, we could say, the law of living matter. This is mainly attributed to Biology. Bija Niyama governs the nature of germs and seeds and the attributes of sprouts, leaves, flowers, fruits, plant life, genetics and inheritance generally. Human consciousness carries our karmic seeds from previous births to the current, while the human body carries a karmic memory to support bringing those seeds into fruition. Our physical body, due to Beeja Niyama, inherits specific genetic qualities from our parents and family lines. Therefore may also carry the possibility of inheriting the genetic disorders. Our own karmic seeds (i.e. through reincarnation) may come into fruition in two ways. Either through physical suffering or mental suffering. However for an enlightened being, the latter rarely occurs.
3. Karma and Effect as a Subset of Cause and Effect
In Buddhism we believe that, our consciousness at the deathbed has to witness our last Chiththa or the last thought of our running consciousness and also the fact that, it determines our next birth. Some people question the validity of this statement as it is not directly coming from the Canonical references. According to this logic, if we can become pure in the last moment despite our unrighteous, immoral past, our next rebirth can be a better destination. This does not sound like a fair judgement, and therefore open to question!
If a person engages in immoral deeds and if it becomes habitual, the chain of these actions creates a huge karmic heap in his mind-body space. As such, the last moment of his life, his very last thought cannot be naturally pure and pleasant, right? For instance, Cunda Sukarika, a wicked pork butcher during Buddha's time was said to suffer like a pig during his last moment. For seven days he grunted like a pig, crawling on all fours, and no one could prevent him. This should be logically the case.
However, experienced meditators can shed more light on this. Many meditators in our lineage including myself have witnessed the nature of our consciousness at critical moments in our lives (authentic near-death moments). The visions you see, are a short recap of your deeds, or what you practiced mostly. If you are on the Arya path of Buddhist tradition, you have most probably eradicated the mental fetters. Your regular/steadfast practice might bring you to the fruition of the path. Then this attainment of fruition mind is your most meritorious deed which will appear as the last thought or as the last state of your consciousness at your deathbed. If you are on the yogic path, the Samadhi of the highest attainment will appear to you at this moment. And this will be guaranteed as explained in this article: The best safety deposit for samsara or nirvana. So in our opinion, the influence of the last Chiththa to the next rebirth is significant. In this particular example, karma or the karmic action does not directly decide the next rebirth, but the last Chiththa will. This is, therefore, an opportune moment provided by mother nature for human beings. In Buddhist tantrayana, this concept is extended to Bardo state, further providing a safe passage for liberation after death.
Cause and Effects to Govern our Lives in Samsara
What is Samsara? Different people have different interpretations to this. Some relate it to the never ending cycle of physical birth and death while some associate it with the never ending thought process. To me, Samsara is the attachment to the worldly desires and the continuity of our lives in mundane activities and suffering. So that "I", or the individuality remains as the "ego-self" in us.
Until we reach supreme enlightenment, our existential criteria is determined by the karmic energy and the other causes to remain in Samsara. These include the settlement of karmic debts to our relatives, other people, our maturity, company, engagement in spiritual activities etc. This information can be extracted from the area called "karmic heap" where experienced meditators can tap into it during their deep Samadhi states. This heap area is believed to reside in the 8th level of consciousness where our karmic seeds are stored. This level of consciousness is not discussed in the Theravada tradition as it is too advance for shravakas to comprehend. But in Mahayana tradition we illustrate 7th and 8th levels of consciousness which can be accessed by only the advanced bodhisattvas. Meditators who have access to the extremely subtle samadhi states in the 7th chakra and above can tap into this consciousness. For instance, the reason for you to be married to a specific person is determined by the karmic seeds you have in the past with that individual. In other words, your karmic seeds sometimes resurface into your consciousness and create your (physical) reality according to it. This is why in Buddhist practices, we use mindfulness to avoid accumulating mental impressions (Sanskaras).
What if we say "goodbye" to our mundane life (going upstream and joining a monastic order)? Then we are dropping our ego self and the certain causes and karmic seeds required to govern the "self" are now also canceled as a result. This is why in Asian culture we believe that, if you leave the monastic order you can fall into the lower realms.
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