Karma

Karma is the law of cause and effect embedded in Dependent Origination.

Karma, at its most basic, is our action and the result of that action. The choices we make with our body, speech and mind affect us and others. The results can sometimes be seen, yet we are often unaware of them. Under the right conditions, a butterfly flapping its wings in the Pacific can cause a hurricane in the Atlantic. Equally, our actions have consequences far beyond our imagining - consequences both for ourselves and others.

Karma is a universal law - a truth of existence. Buddhism places specific emphasis on karma because every action, conscious or unconscious, and its result leaves an imprint on the mind - a sort of forward momentum that influences all successive life events.

Being aware of the law of karma helps reinforce our practice. The teachings and their guidelines support an individual in creating the right conditions for enlightenment. And along the way, the teachings help modify our actions (karma) in order to promote happiness for ourselves and others.