Which Buddhist sutras explain karma.?

Question

I don't need an explanation of karma, I just need to know where to look in the Buddhist sutras to find it. Thank you for your help.

Namaste!

Answer 1

The Paticcasamupadda is the BEST source of your study for the laws of karma. Another one is found in the Abhidhamma pitaka, where you can study more in depth about the core of the Buddhist texts.

Lastly, the Jataka tales are also good sources to study about karma.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Answer 2

Buddhism

In Buddhism, only intentional actions are karmic "acts of will". Often misunderstood in the West as "cause and effect", in actuality, KARMA literally means "action" - often indicating intent or cause. Accompanying this usually is a separate tenet called Vipaka, meaning result or effect. The re-action or effect can itself also influence an action, and in this way, the chain of causation continues ad infinitum. When Buddhists talk about karma, they are normally referring to karma that is 'tainted' with ignorance - karma that continues to ensure that the being remains in the everlasting cycle of samsara.
This samsaric karma comes in two 'flavours' - good karma, which leads to high rebirth (as a deva, asura, or human), and bad karma which leads to low rebirth (as a hell-sufferer, as a preta, or as an animal).

There is also a completely different type of karma that is neither good nor bad, but liberating. This karma allows for the individual to break the endless cycle of rebirth, and thereby leave samsara permanently.

This seems to imply that one does not need to act in a good manner. But the Buddhist sutras explain that in order to generate liberating karma, we must first develop incredibly powerful concentration. This concentration is akin to the states of mind required to be reborn in the Deva realm, and in itself depends upon a very deep training in ethical self-discipline.

This differentiation between good karma and liberating karma has been used by some scholars to argue that the development of Tantra depended upon Buddhist ideas and philosophies.

Understanding the universal law of Karma provides order to a beginningless and endless universe. Alongside this view is the related notion of Buddhist rebirth - sometimes understood to be the same thing as reincarnation - which has its roots in the principle of Karma.-

Answer 3

Yes, the Buddha included it in right view. you are making a mistake by defining free thinking by atheism and whatnot, free thinking means you think freely, not all free thinkers think the same way, because they think freely. Its not about a caring or uncaring universe, its about cause and effect, suffering or enjoying karma is the same as eating junk food or eating healthy, the results are natural, not judgement. That is the Buddhist answer, if you cannot stomach that, Buddhism is not for you. I do not know you, but it seems all you are interested in is the label "Buddhist". From what you know about Buddhism, what say you of attachment to labels? You dont need a label to be a good person.

Answer 4

The Paticcasamuppada(Dependent Origination).