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More Buddhist Stuff: The Good News is...
Nov. 18th, 2004 03:18 amGood Karma Made Easy
Most people don't have the time or inclination to work for world peace or feed the starving multitudes, no matter how terrific that would be. Sure, we'd like the wealth and health and results of such generousity, but it's hard to do while holding down a full-time job, raising kids, going to school and what-have-you.
There's a short-cut.
Believe it or not, because karma is generated in the mind, simply rejoicing in and being happy at the good others do makes you a participant. Yes, standing on the sidelines and cheering creates the same karma, as if you were doing it yourself.
So if you hear about someone giving out mittens to homeless people, take a minute to be happy that they're doing it. If someone wins the Lotto, spend a second or two and be glad of their good fortune - at some point they did something to earn it. This eliminates jealousy (and sometimes that's some work, let me tell you), creates a gentle, kind attitude, and - hooray - creates a great deal of good karma.
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wildernessguru isn't Buddhist, but he practices this. He's so happy that someone created those carpeted cat trees, because it's given millions of kitties so much pleasure.
( There's a flip-side. Of course. )
This is a subtle thing. We're talking about motivation.
( Fine tuning motivation. )
We spend a lot of energy on the end results we want, but don't watch our minds to see what we really create.
I thought about this because of the recent spate of abortion posts, encouraging people to give a thumbs up. I was pretty upset about it, and had to think why. Now I do detest (abhore, deplore, despise...) social engineering and utilizing peer pressure in general. It's a despicable method, regardless of who uses it. I know of Buddhist monasteries that do, and it doesn't really work: people have to act on inner principle rather than being s-q-u-e-e-z-e-d by peer pressure. *bleah*
I have to get the bad taste out of my mouth just thinking about it.
*ptooie* Yeah, really hate manipulation.
But from the Buddhist point of view, there's also the aspect of inviting people to rejoice in and thus create the same negative karma. (I've described the rather subtle view Buddhism has on abortion in the past, but the three-second version is: abortion falls under that "non-violence" thing - don't do it - but if you have, well, that's samsara for you. Life is like that. Do damage control - according to the Abhidharmakosha* how negative it is depends on the level of development of the fetus; purify it and move on.)
Now, only the individuals who responded know their motivations: was it to give support and kindness, and ameliorate the shame women feel? Well, then that would be good. But was it to encourage women to have abortions, or to be glad that this is done? *sigh* At least if you don't know it's not good, the karma isn't as strong.
*( ETA: The cool thing about the Abhidharmakosha. )
Most people don't have the time or inclination to work for world peace or feed the starving multitudes, no matter how terrific that would be. Sure, we'd like the wealth and health and results of such generousity, but it's hard to do while holding down a full-time job, raising kids, going to school and what-have-you.
There's a short-cut.
Believe it or not, because karma is generated in the mind, simply rejoicing in and being happy at the good others do makes you a participant. Yes, standing on the sidelines and cheering creates the same karma, as if you were doing it yourself.
So if you hear about someone giving out mittens to homeless people, take a minute to be happy that they're doing it. If someone wins the Lotto, spend a second or two and be glad of their good fortune - at some point they did something to earn it. This eliminates jealousy (and sometimes that's some work, let me tell you), creates a gentle, kind attitude, and - hooray - creates a great deal of good karma.
wildernessguru isn't Buddhist, but he practices this. He's so happy that someone created those carpeted cat trees, because it's given millions of kitties so much pleasure. ( There's a flip-side. Of course. )
This is a subtle thing. We're talking about motivation.
( Fine tuning motivation. )
We spend a lot of energy on the end results we want, but don't watch our minds to see what we really create.
I thought about this because of the recent spate of abortion posts, encouraging people to give a thumbs up. I was pretty upset about it, and had to think why. Now I do detest (abhore, deplore, despise...) social engineering and utilizing peer pressure in general. It's a despicable method, regardless of who uses it. I know of Buddhist monasteries that do, and it doesn't really work: people have to act on inner principle rather than being s-q-u-e-e-z-e-d by peer pressure. *bleah*
I have to get the bad taste out of my mouth just thinking about it.
*ptooie* Yeah, really hate manipulation.
But from the Buddhist point of view, there's also the aspect of inviting people to rejoice in and thus create the same negative karma. (I've described the rather subtle view Buddhism has on abortion in the past, but the three-second version is: abortion falls under that "non-violence" thing - don't do it - but if you have, well, that's samsara for you. Life is like that. Do damage control - according to the Abhidharmakosha* how negative it is depends on the level of development of the fetus; purify it and move on.)
Now, only the individuals who responded know their motivations: was it to give support and kindness, and ameliorate the shame women feel? Well, then that would be good. But was it to encourage women to have abortions, or to be glad that this is done? *sigh* At least if you don't know it's not good, the karma isn't as strong.
*( ETA: The cool thing about the Abhidharmakosha. )