The term "karmic debt" is not a standard Buddhist sutra concept,
but the related idea of "karmic debt" is discussed in a Tibetan Buddhist text called the Padma Tsekpa Sutra, which describes it as an accumulation of negative karma from actions like killing or lying in previous lives.
Some interpretations of the term "karmic debt" describe it as an obligation incurred towards others for receiving their positive energy or from abuse, which later manifests as a cause-and-effect consequence in this life through karma.
To repay this, some Buddhist traditions suggest practicing repentance, making offerings, dedicating merit, and cultivating a compassionate and virtuous mindset.
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In the Buddhist tradition, Karma can be classified into
wholesome Karma or good Karma and unwholesome Karma or bad Karma. (Santina,1984 p.85). In addition
to this
classification, Karma is subdivided into six types:
virtuous, non-virtuous, unmoving, changing, cause, and result (Longchenpa, 1308-1364). Thus, all
these are based on the experience of one's body, speech, and mind. All physical
actions, thoughts, and speech caused our past actions. Padma Tsekpa Sutra
states that The Buddhist idea of Karma is that in one of our previous lifetimes, we might have done something
similar to our actions in the present
life. All negative Karma can
be condensed into the ten types of non-virtues; killing, stealing, sexual
misconduct, lying, harsh speech, slander, idle words, craving, ill-will, and
perverted views in Buddhist teaching. The first
three non-virtues are related to the physical
body, and the others correspond to speech and the mind
(Lobzang,1998). Therefore, all positive Karma can be subsumed into the ten
types of virtues. To accomplish the ten virtues, one must refrain from the
activities of the ten non-virtues.
Karma is
the result of a person's
action and the action itself. It is an infallible
series of cause and effect,
which is the repercussion or the reward (Bodhi, 2000).
Every being is bound
to be influenced by the Law of Karma. The action of a person will determine what will
happen to him, for he caused it with his actions. Karma is a core part
of belief in many religions such as Hinduism
and Buddhism. All living creatures are responsible for their actions
and the results of their actions. The Karma of
the afflicted act is the root cause of all sufferings as diverse causes of Karma, in which living
beings are created.
In the Abhidharma sutra, varieties of the world are born
from Karma. The force of Karma creates the Karma of mind, thought in the mind.
Therefore, our mind and its thoughts give rise to all forms of Karma. The mind
and its thoughts give rise to the Karma
of the mind, which is the Karma
of consciousness. Thus, it is
the Karma of the physical body and speech.
Anuruddha (2000) explains
that the mind is the Karma of consciousness, and through
the force of the Karma of consciousness, the Karma of the physical
body and speech
manifest. The repercussion of Karma is inevitable, which means that
unless we develop an antidote to Karma, our
actions will come without waste.
The karmic action
will remain dormant
for a long time, and when it encounters the proper conditions, the
result of Karma matures. Due to our fear of the misery, we will experience in our cyclical
life and our intimidation by karmic deeds, we begin to believe in karma and
its effects.
Bruce R. (1990)
explains that the Karma of all living
beings will not be wasted even in
a hundred Kalpa; when all the causes and conditions come together, the result
will mature. This concludes that Buddha enunciated the concept of karma through
a precise and succinct
formula known as “Dependent Origination” It means the moral causation of all
life; the conditioned arising of all those psycho-physical phenomena.
Research Methodology
This paper followed the qualitative literature approaches with the close
textual documents analysis with the systematic reading
of primary and secondary sources
to support and find out the
different perceptions and concepts of different people
on the cause and effect
of Karma in the Buddhist tradition. To achieve the
purpose of the study, a wide range of literature written from different backgrounds of Buddhist expertise, Buddhist sutras, and online resources was compared, explored, and
analyzed as the different people interpret differently in different conditions.
To come to a common consensus on the concepts of karma in the Buddhist
tradition, the study adopted the literature method as it gives a platform to
compare, and analyzed the different interpretations of the study.
Cause and Effect: A Study on the Concept
of Karma in the Buddhist Tradition
Dorji Phuntsho
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17102/bjrd.rub.12.1.0033
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