I don't understand the term karma, but is this an example of it?

Question

Ok, a few years ago during my first year at OSU, I made a bad choice and went through with it. It was a bad choice that I made that was behind my friends back who I've known since we were very young. Anyways, a few years later he finds some stuff out and brings it up, and now we are no longer friends because of it. I'll admit, it was a dumb choice, but back then I was stupid and selfish and didn't really think my choice through. Anyways, I've apologized many times throughout the past few years, but he wants nothing to do with me anymore and has moved on without me. I feel bad and wish I wouldn't of made such a dumb choice, but I understand consequences more seriously now.

Is that an example of karma? I sure hope so, I've been through enough as it is. If this is karma, well I guess I know the definition and think before I do something stupid again.

Answer 1

yep, that's karma. action / reaction, cause / effect. Sorry you lost a friend.

Answer 2

No. It was just a poor choice, and your friend made another poor choice by not making an effort to reconcile, (or at least give you a chance on a probation period). Perhaps he has other reasons.
Move on, let him open a door if he wishes, and don't burn the bridges on your end.

People often mis-use the term karma. They often use it as a defence mechanism to explain why something negative happened to someone else, so they can take comfort in the idea that they are wiser, and no negative consequences will befall them.

The book of Job deals extensively with the attribution of the person doing something to deserve negative things happening to them. Job's friends said he must have been unrighteous to have all those things happen to him, however, in the end Job's friends were rebuked by God.

Modern Attribution theory supports this,
Google search for Wikipedia Just World Phenomenon
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-world_phenomenon
and Wikipedia Fundamental Attribution Error
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error
.
Also, the Golden Rule gives some guidance: Matthew 7:12, and the verses before that talk about judging others motives and character.

There are other rules regarding how a congregation is to judge the actions (not the motives, character, or salvation) of a member who is un-repentant about blatantly immoral acts.

Answer 3

I too learned about karma at Ohio State many years back, having made many mistakes during my college and post college days there.

Karma has much to do with your intentions and your remorse at having taken such actions. Certainly nothing can change the past, and you will pay some price for having bad intentions drive your actions.

However you regret your actions which helps to offset much off the harm you have caused, primarily because it can teach you how to be a better person (which involves more than just avoidance of stupid actions).

It is an example of bad karma, but you can follow it with an example of good karma. Why not teach your lost friend the meaning of foregiveness? It is a lesson that he/she may value since they seem to lack it.

Karmic debt can be repaid, but you cannot change people's minds. Learn, love, and carry on. Hopefully you can reach your friend again; if not there are wonderful new ones who will really appreciate your karmic approach to life and who will build a wonderful future with you. Don't get hung up on the past.

Answer 4

Kamma is a very complex phenomenon. Therefore I am going to explain as far as I can. In simple term, kamma can be explained in this way- if you sow good seeds, you will get a good harvest. If you sow bad seeds, you will get a bad harvest. Harvest is the present experience of past act. To judge any particular action is wholesome or unwholesome, one should analyze the root cause (basic chethana type) For example, if somebody grants a donation, sometimes he might be thinking of earning popularity, or he can give small thing now, with the intention of getting more from him in future. On the hand, one can perform an act of donation with sole loving kindness, without expecting anything back. When they are facing the consequences, (the harvest) they are receiving accordingly. It is not really the ‘amount’ but the ‘intention’ is the most important thing here. According to my understanding, it is not the really “Whatever you do to others - will be done to you’’, instead you have to face the consequences of the thoughts you have thought about the others -It might not be the carbon copy of the same act. Lord Buddha explained this as “All we are is what we have thought” (Action is the outward presentation of the thought.) The original strength of the particular kamma can be either reduced or aggravated with the time. (When we are paying the debts, we pay with an interest, don’t we?) This is how I understand the law of Kamma. With Metta.

Answer 5

the soul is eternal.its has been around forever.. in all of its life's the soul has accumulated memorys.vibrations.if you will.tho it doesn't necessarily remember them.in the present life.But Karma is the spiritual natures way of balancing the vibrations. what you put out will come back . or else there is no balance. you reap what you sow.we all make mistakes in life.learn from them.Bad actions or iron shackles Good actions or golden chains, true balance is a condition that's very hard to obtain.giving ones self to the Spirit of God completely.The knowing the Spirit allows you to know Gods will.this is the first realization a soul needs to know.My Dear mother told me to praise God for every thing .because when you think something that happens is a bad thing it may turn out to be fine.something good may happen and it turns out to be what is considered bad.Just praise God and do the best you can .learning from life's ways.trials and tribulations.It will all balance itself if you give it all to the Spirit.Merry Christmas

Answer 6

Think of your life as one long hall of doors.

Going down this hall you make choices to open some doors and ignore others.

Well from your choices or actions; your karma either opens or locks the doors you will encounter later in life.

Karma simply means action; and there are consequences to those actions.

One CAN change their karma by learning to make better choices.

Answer 7

Yes as you are experiencing your fate due to what you caused by your action. That is karma.

Answer 8

"Do not regret the past,
do not fantasize about the future,
the past is already gone,
while the future has not arrived.
Grab onto the present moment."

The Buddha

Answer 9

yep you pretty much got it. karma is what goes around comes around. what you put out there comes right back to you.