We were talking about ways to generate joy when problems arise. “This problem is fantastic! I can work on renunciation, I can gener-
ate refuge, I can overcome pride. I can overcome anger.”
KARMA
When problems next occur, we think, “This is fantastic! I can use this situation to purify negative karma.”
There are different causes for the sufferings and problems we are experiencing. There is the external object, but there is also the inter-
nal karmic seed, which is connecting us with this problem. So we use the problem to reflect on karma, to re-affirm, and to strengthen our understanding of karma. There is no way we could be experienc- ing this problem, if we had not created the cause to experience it.
FOUR PRINCIPLES OF KARMA
In the text, the Lama says: Think about the four principles of karma.
First of all, karma is certain. Positive karmic seeds definitely bring happiness. Negative karma seeds definitely bring unhappiness.
The tendency of karma is to increase. Remember, that is a scary one. Karmic seeds have the capacity to become heavier and stronger as time goes on.
For example, what if we abuse somebody with anger and say hurtful words to them? Say the situation happened this morning. We abuse our husband or wife, we are angry at them, and we hurt them through harmful words. We establish the karma of harsh speech. As long as we do not regret this action, that karma becomes heavier and heavier throughout the day.
It will continue to become heavier until, at some time, we gen- erate the thought of regret, of remorse, for having done that nega- tive action. Why does it get heavier? There are four branches to the establishment of a karmic seed. There is the motivation, the object, the action and the completion of the action. The completion of the action is the sense of satisfaction, the knowledge that what you in- tended to do has happened.
The fourth branch is still acting. As long as we feel happy that we hurt somebody and do not generate remorse, the fourth karmic branch is still working. Therefore, the seed is getting heavier and heavier over time.
We should reflect time and time again, during the day, on what we have been doing during the last hour or two. If we have generated a negative action, we should apply the four opponent powers and, at least, we should generate remorse, and maybe recite a mantra to overcome the karma. That will stop it from growing and decrease its heaviness.
I think for the same reason anger destroys our virtue. I think it is the same thing on the virtuous side. If we say kind words with love and we make somebody happy, that virtuous karma will also in- crease as a function of time. If anger arises, our mind becomes de- structive and agitated and the increase of virtue stops. I think this is the first reason why anger harms virtuous karma. If it is extreme anger, it can not only stop it increasing, it can stop its strength and weaken it.
So when problems arise, we use them to reflect on karma. I have mentioned the first two general points of karma. Karma is certain in that virtuous karma always brings happiness. Unvirtuous karma brings unhappiness. The second is that karma tends to increase. The third is, if you have not created the cause, you cannot experience the result. If we are trying to experience something, but we do not have the karmic cause to experience that, no matter how much we create the conditions, we cannot experience what we are looking for.
On the other side, if we have not created the negative karma, no matter how bad the conditions, something bad cannot happen. The classic example is an air crash where somebody miraculously survives. At that time, they did not have the karma to die, so the mira- cle occurred. Often you read that somebody was supposed to board a plane but he could not get to the airport in time because of the traffic. Then the plane crashes and everybody was killed. The person wanted to catch that plane, but was prevented from doing it. The re- sult cannot occur if you have not created the cause.
will not be wasted. Karmic seeds retain their potential over count- less lifetimes. We may have created karma billions of lifetimes ago, and they are still carried on our stream of consciousness. They can ripen now. Often, we get angry when someone hurts us. We feel in- dignant, “I am so good. What have I done to hurt you? I have done nothing to deserve this problem in my life.” Well, that may be true. In fact what we did to deserve the problem was in previous lives. It may have been billions of lifetimes ago, but finally, that karma has caught up with us.
So, when problems arise we reflect deeply on karma, we gener- ate the strong intention to purify negative karma.
Also, simply speaking, we can perhaps take joy that all these problems happened to us. Therefore this karma has ripened, and that is one less that I have to worry about. We can see it in this simplistic way. At least we have ripened one karma. “Whew! It is gone!” And we can generate some sort of happiness from that.
On top of that, we should be motivated to purify, to apply the four opponent powers. This is one method through which we can con- sciously decrease the strength of the karmic imprints in our mind.
Lama Tenbel Nyima says, “If you do not want suffering, then you should renounce the cause of suffering, which is being non-virtuous. And purify the previously accumulated defilements by using the four
opponent powers. And determine to prevent the future afflictions and negative karmas from arising.” So, the situation is dealt with that way.