Thinking About Karma in Difficult Times

When we are faced with difficulties it is very helpful to think about how it is that our past actions (karma) cause our present experiences. But we have to think about it often when we are feeling well and happy first in order to give that thought some strength and to gain certainty, then it can be effective when we are experiencing hardship.

I’ll give an example of how it can help. If I own something that I like a lot, like one of these mp3 recorders, and I break it, I may be disappointed for a moment or two but there are not many after effects or continuing negative thoughts. If someone else breaks it, it is a very different situation and a much bigger problem because “They broke my recorder!” (Not to mention if I thought they broke it on purpose). In any case the end result is the same, a broken recorder. The only real difference is in our way of thinking and relating to the situation. When we think, “I caused this to happen” there is a slight and short-lived feeling of disappointment and when we think, “They did it” there is resentment and possibly even full-blown anger. Likewise then, when someone or something harms us if we can feel that this has come about through something we have done we can accept the situation a lot easier without creating many extra negative feelings and after effects, which are nothing but more causes of future suffering and hardship. Again though, such an attitude needs to be trained in for it to be remembered and thus effective when it is needed most. When thinking about karma we don’t always to see it as some distant that we created lifetimes and lifetimes ago. We are creating it and experiencing karma all the time. For example if you are sitting on a bus and a strange looking individual gets on and you think “Oh here we go, we’ve got a weird one here.” We think that our thoughts are concealed but they are not because they show in our body language and facial expressions, and people pick up on these. So if this person then goes to take the seat next to you and you squeeze yourself to the far side of the seat with a look of disgust on your face how will that person feel? Are they likely to be thinking kindly toward you? Obviously not. Now that they are upset they are likely to say or do something unpleasant to you and if they do you will get angry and think or say “I didn’t do anything, they just flared up at me for no reason! In fact I even made room for them to sit down!” Who created this situation in reality?

This is an excerpt from Drupon Rinpoche’s teaching to some western students in March 2013 at Sekar Retreat Centre in Nepal.