| One of the basics beliefs of Buddhism is the law of | | | | the cycle of death and rebirth, the cycle of Samsara, is |
| Karma. The word Karma is a word that is pretty | | | | driven by an inexorable law: What you do now, will |
| common in our world. I haven't looked it up in the | | | | produce some result in a future life. You have to find |
| dictionary recently to see whether it made its way into | | | | some way to work with this law in order to permit |
| the discourse of the dictionary, but certainly is in the | | | | some positive solution to the problem of Samsara. |
| discourse of our culture. But what does it really mean | | | | You may ask, as we talk about the law of Karma: |
| for Buddhists? | | | | Where Karma can lead you? What are the possible |
| To really understand this doctrine and what it really | | | | realms of rebirth? You can be born as a god, as a |
| means for Buddhists, and for Hindus as well, we need | | | | demigod or a lesser category of gods sometimes |
| to look first at one basic premise of Indian religious life. | | | | referred as demons, as a human being, as a ghost, as |
| That is the doctrine of reincarnation, known in India as | | | | an animal, or as a spirit in hell. Sometimes people are |
| Samsara. Samsara is the cycle of deaths and rebirths | | | | surprised when they hear that hell is an important |
| in which every living being is "trapped". The word | | | | concept in Buddhism or Indian religion more generally. |
| Samsara means to "wander". We are wanderers and | | | | So, you have to work with this law to have a good |
| we don't know where we came from or where we | | | | rebirth in a future life. What do you do to have good |
| are heading. Indians see this process as a burdensome | | | | karma? Do your duty. Each person in India is assigned |
| one, as we have lived and will live millions and millions | | | | to a group. You maybe are born in the princely cast. |
| of lives, without a visible end. The goal of Indian | | | | Maybe you are a Brahmin. Each group has his duties. If |
| religions is to end this cycle. This is what Buddhism | | | | you do well what you have to do, you will have a |
| seeks, freedom from Samsara. | | | | good rebirth. |
| Karma is the law of retribution that governs and drives | | | | But, is this really a solution to the problem of Samsara? |
| the cycle of Samsara.You probably know what it | | | | Buddists say no. They have another approach to this |
| means to say that somebody has bad karma. It | | | | problem. The solution to the problem of Samsara is |
| means something like bad luck, that probably springs | | | | Nirvana. |
| from something they have done in the past, either in | | | | To know more about this, and others Buddhist |
| this life or in a previous life. | | | | teachings and beliefs, you might be interested in the |
| In India, the word Karma simply means "action". So bad | | | | Site by author Pablo Antuna. |
| karma is a bad action. Good karma a good action. So | | | | |