Does karma really exist? Is it actually real?

I'm asking you folks a simple question........is karma real? Do bad things really happen to you when you do something bad? How can karma exist? It's something so intangible. Isn't it just overthinking about something? You think that one little bad thing happens to you, and then you say, "it happened because I stole from my mom's purse isn't it!"

I think it's perspective. you do something good in your life, and then right after, the bad things that happen you don't really regard as anything. But if something good happens after, you become all philosophical and say, "Well, this good thing happened because I did something good!"

Right? idk! Give me your input.

a reply to: 5letters

It is absolutely true. The older you get and the farther on in life you experience...youll see. Its nothing as you describe. Karma is very real and certainly not a perspective of interpretation at all.

There are more karmic examples in this world then there arent. Good gets good. Bad get bad. What goes around, comes around...you do unto others...it comes back to you in one way or the other.

Everytime. Im not saying its positive results either, nor equal in it rewards. Of course it isnt. But Karma is something real....

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Then why do bad things happen to children?

They are too young to have the kinds of experiences necessary for a karmic universe to dole out a punishment or reward.

a reply to: 5letters

Anything that you want to believe in, including karma can be true if you really believe in it.

If you believe in karma then you will be effected by the laws of karma.

If you believe in heaven and hell then when you die, thats the story you've trained your (fleeting) conscious to "Run" and you will adhere to whatever your conscious holds true.

Thats why you should always forgive yourself as quickly as you possibly can and move on, so if you suddenly die you will have a nice clean conscious to drift out on...

IMO

a reply to: FinalCountdown

Also,
Regret = Hell

a reply to: 5letters

Easy scientific answer - Yes - "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Newton's Third Law

It applies in our lives; however, the absolutly enlightened have no Karma. But for us regular folks - "you get what you give" "those that live by the sword, die by the sword", etc. Maybe not in this life but one to come.

The Eastern religions assume it as did Christianity until the third century - it is mentioned in the Bible on several occassions - both karma and reincarnation.

originally posted by: yourmaker
a reply to: mysterioustranger

Then why do bad things happen to children?

They are too young to have the kinds of experiences necessary for a karmic universe to dole out a punishment or reward.

Not if you take the long view and you must to see reality. The question you ask is the best reason for karma and reincarnation that I know. Doesn't the Bible say "you reap what you sow"? What it doesn't say is 'when'.

Have to add - it isn't punishment or reward it is BALANCE. It isn't done to you, it's your choice/responsibility to choose your actions, and thoughts, in every single moment. The state of your mind is the only thing you take with you when you die.

a reply to: 5letters

Life always balances out. So yes, Karma exists.

If you experience too much Karma. Please call the Karma Police.

Right? idk! Give me your input.

You are confusing "what comes around, goes around" with karma. Screw someone and word gets around, guess what happens?

Does karma exist? It does for Buddhists. Karma accumulates. Karma only comes into play with reincarnation. It is the baggage you carry with you life, after life, after life. An accumulation of bad karma condemns one to never escape, to never attain nirvana.

And so with bad deeds, the perpetrators of which are to be found , grade by grade, down to the lowest depths of Hell. Thus are Karma, past, present and future were, are, and will ever be the sum total of our deeds, good, indifferent or bad. As was seen from the foregoing, our Karma determines the changes of our existences.

www.buddhanet.net...

The only possible way I can see Karma as being real probably doesn't mesh with how you think of it.

Karma is usually also taught alongside of reincarnation and other philosophies.

The saying we are one or all is one needs further explanation. If you can except that time is an illusion then this will also help.

Time being an illusion allows all to be one.

Your soul after this life will go on to the next life. That life can be in what we perceive as the future or the past. In effect every single person on earth and every life form is in fact you experiencing life unbound to time.

So if you hurt someone you are in fact hurting yourself. Help someone you are helping yourself.

a reply to: 5letters

I think it's perspective. you do something good in your life, and then right after, the bad things that happen you don't really regard as anything.

Do "bad things" happen right after you do something bad? Or is it a sum total thing where you might get away with some 'bad things' over a period of time but then… wham, you get yours.

Like for instance, how long can you get away with rape or murder before you go to prison and the same thing is threatening you? I'd call that a big dose or Karma.

Or whatever we call it. We pay the price eventually. I mean, eventually we get caught or found out and we are going to pay. One way or another, down the road, everyone pays the fiddler.

a reply to: mysterioustranger

What about CEO's and such lying their way to the top and reaping the benefits until their death?

I'm on the fence with karma, just playing devil's advocate here. I tend to believe it's real but then I see all these bad people living lives of luxury. Maybe their karma comes after death? I dunno, that's why I'm on the fence about it.

originally posted by: yourmaker
a reply to: mysterioustranger

Then why do bad things happen to children?

They are too young to have the kinds of experiences necessary for a karmic universe to dole out a punishment or reward.

Very legitimate question
One I cannot stand an answer of "god works in Mysterious ways"
For example: a person abusing an innocent child in malicious ways should experience sudden consequences.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: 5letters

I think it's perspective. you do something good in your life, and then right after, the bad things that happen you don't really regard as anything.

Do "bad things" happen right after you do something bad? Or is it a sum total thing where you might get away with some 'bad things' over a period of time but then… wham, you get yours.

Like for instance, how long can you get away with rape or murder before you go to prison and the same thing is threatening you? I'd call that a big dose or Karma.

Or whatever we call it. We pay the price eventually. I mean, eventually we get caught or found out and we are going to pay. One way or another, down the road, everyone pays the fiddler.

What if you murder only in your mind, and then it happens in real life without you being physically present when the murder happens?

Ex. Thinking cancer upon someone. Car accidents, plane crashes, et cetera.

That's something to ponder about and is why I'm still able to type this response.

love these answers; thanks for your inputs

originally posted by: Phage

Right? idk! Give me your input.

You are confusing "what comes around, goes around" with karma. Screw someone and word gets around, guess what happens?

Does karma exist? It does for Buddhists. Karma accumulates. Karma only comes into play with reincarnation. It is the baggage you carry with you life, after life, after life. An accumulation of bad karma condemns one to never escape, to never attain nirvana.

And so with bad deeds, the perpetrators of which are to be found , grade by grade, down to the lowest depths of Hell. Thus are Karma, past, present and future were, are, and will ever be the sum total of our deeds, good, indifferent or bad. As was seen from the foregoing, our Karma determines the changes of our existences.

www.buddhanet.net...

Somewhat of a defeating perspective there phage. Your post suggests we haven't the ability to learn from our negative causation. I disagree, enlightenment doesn't come from an end all be all nirvana but a Awakened Willingness to improve our suffering.

This is how i see it personally:

If you do something that YOU feel is wrong,frequently, then you carry a negative mentality around with yourself all the time that merely draws in more negativty.

If you do well by yourself and others, you always feel great. Everyone likes the feeling they get from helping someone out, and you carry that positivity around with you as well, which will only attract more positive things.

a reply to: twohawks

Your post suggests we haven't the ability to learn from our negative causation.

No such suggestion was intended. I've learned from stupid things that I've done, things that didn't have any consequences other than, perhaps, remorse. Of course, remorse could be considered a consequence but it is internal, not external.

But that isn't what karma is.

The Buddhist concept is similar to the Christian concept. Be good because even if something bad doesn't happen to you in this life, it will later. It also helps us feel better about people who seem to get away with doing bad things; "karma will catch him!"
This is the concept which actually suggests that we can't learn without "negative causation", that there has to be some sort of external punishment for our bad deeds.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: twohawks

Your post suggests we haven't the ability to learn from our negative causation.

No such suggestion was intended. I've learned from stupid things that I've done, things that didn't have any consequences other than, perhaps, remorse. Of course, remorse could be considered a consequence but it is internal, not external.

But that isn't what karma is.

The Buddhist concept is similar to the Christian concept. Be good because even if something bad doesn't happen to you in this life, it will later. It also helps us feel better about people who seem to get away with doing bad things; "karma will catch him!"
This is the concept which actually suggests that we can't learn without "negative causation", that there has to be some sort of external punishment for our bad deeds.

It's not about bad or good, it's about energetic frequency, we simply cannot produce high level frequency realities without high level frequency source causation. Like attracts like. Given that time is an illusion and all we have is right now, this idea of baggage is also illusion baggage is only apparent as long as we choose to carry it. Past
, present and future exist in the now. Hence the simoltinaity of cause and affect.

a reply to: twohawks

It's not about bad or good, it's about energetic frequency, we simply cannot produce high level frequency realities without high level frequency source causation.

The concept of karma is about good and bad, as it comes in both forms and it pertains to deeds. The word means "action."

But you seem to think that high frequencies are better than lower frequencies. Why?
Frequency of what? The tides? Menstruation?