Introduction
In Buddhism, kamma refers to intentional actions or deeds, both physical and mental, which result in future consequences. The concept of kamma is central to understanding the cause and effect relationship in our lives, particularly in the context of ethical conduct and how one’s actions shape future experiences.
1. The Basic Principle of Kamma
Kamma can be summarized as the law of cause and effect or moral causation. The Buddha taught that every intentional action—whether good (kusala) or bad (akusala)—creates kamma, which will bear fruit in the future.
- Good actions (motivated by kindness, generosity, wisdom) lead to positive results (happiness, well-being).
- Bad actions (motivated by greed, hatred, delusion) lead to negative results (suffering, misfortune).
The effects of kamma are not immediate but manifest when the conditions are right, sometimes within the same lifetime or in a future rebirth.
2. The Types of Kamma
There are several classifications of kamma in Buddhist teachings, which help explain the different ways actions can affect future experiences:
A. Classifications Based on Time of Results
- Immediate Kamma (Diṭṭhadhamma-Vedaniya Kamma):
- Actions that bear fruit in this current life.
- Kamma Bearing Fruit in the Next Life (Upapajja-Vedaniya Kamma):
- Actions whose results are experienced in the next life.
- Kamma Bearing Fruit in Future Lives (Aparapariya-Vedaniya Kamma):
- Actions whose results will bear fruit in distant future lives.
- Ineffective Kamma (Ahosi Kamma):
- Kamma that has been nullified or has no chance to bear fruit, often because the conditions for its ripening have not been met or have been overridden by other strong kamma.
B. Classifications Based on Nature
- Wholesome Kamma (Kusala Kamma):
- Actions based on wisdom, compassion, non-attachment, and generosity, which lead to pleasant results and good rebirths.
- Unwholesome Kamma (Akusala Kamma):
- Actions rooted in greed, hatred, and delusion, which result in unpleasant outcomes and suffering.
3. Kamma and Rebirth
Kamma is a key factor in the cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra). The quality of one’s kamma influences the realm and circumstances of one’s next rebirth. In Buddhism, there are six realms of existence, which include both heavenly realms and hell realms, as well as human and animal existences. The moral quality of one’s actions (kamma) determines where one is reborn:
- Good Kamma: Leads to rebirth in heavenly realms or favorable human rebirth.
- Bad Kamma: Leads to rebirth in hell realms, as an animal, or in unfavorable conditions.
However, rebirth is not determined by a single action; instead, it is the accumulation of kamma over one’s lifetime that influences rebirth.
4. Kamma and Free Will
In Buddhism, while the results of past actions (kamma) influence one’s present circumstances, individuals are not bound by their past kamma. They have the free will to create new kamma and change their future. The Buddha emphasized that through right action, right intention, and right mindfulness (as taught in the Noble Eightfold Path), one can purify old bad kamma and create good conditions for the future.
5. Kamma and Moral Responsibility
Kamma also emphasizes personal responsibility. Each individual is responsible for their own actions and the consequences that arise from those actions. As the Buddha said:
Quote
By oneself is evil done, By oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone, By oneself is one purified. Purity and impurity depend on oneself, No one can purify another. (Dhammapada, Verse 165)
This highlights that one’s present life is shaped by past actions, and one’s future will be shaped by current actions.
6. The Relationship Between Kamma and the Three Characteristics
The teaching of kamma is also connected to the three characteristics of existence: impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anattā).
- Impermanence (Anicca): Kamma itself is impermanent; once actions are performed, they bear fruit and then cease. Thus, the results of kamma are not eternal.
- Suffering (Dukkha): Negative kamma leads to suffering in various forms. By cultivating wholesome kamma, one can reduce suffering.
- Non-Self (Anattā): There is no permanent self or soul that experiences the effects of kamma. Instead, it is the process of cause and effect that continues within the cycle of rebirth.
7. Overcoming the Effects of Kamma
While kamma influences future outcomes, liberation from the cycle of suffering and rebirth (saṃsāra) is possible through the Noble Eightfold Path. By practicing ethical conduct (sīla), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā), one can purify the mind, overcome the effects of past kamma, and ultimately attain Nibbāna, which is the cessation of all kamma and suffering.