Kamma and a Cold, Rainy Week

I’ve been reading lately about Kamma (Pali), also called Karma (Sanskrit). The Buddha said that Kamma can be seen manifesting from lifetime to lifetime; that is, the Kamma of a deed done or a word said or a thought though today may not appear until the next rebirth, or the next. I don’t know what you think about late-blooming Kamma, but I believe I’ve seen evidence of it.

Have you ever known someone who seems to have been born with an addiction, or an addictive nature? Or a baby that seems to have palpable happiness or sadness in his or her heart, right from birth? Or a toddler with an amazing grasp of language? An extraordinarily compassionate or cruel child? Do you think any of these could be evidence of Kamma? I do.

Kamma is the path from cause to effect. There is no cosmic entity meting out Kamma according to our words, deeds, or thoughts. But it’s certain that a defilement of word, deed, or thought will propel change for ourselves and others.

I’ve been reading some very basic, introductory texts on Buddhism. I think it’s beneficial to frequently backtrack to the first teachings. There’s always something new to be learned; and since our minds are forever in flux, forever changing (see impermanence in Buddhism), there’s always the chance that we’ll see something brand new in a teaching we’ve read a thousand times already.

Today, it’s raining again. And the forecast calls for some frosty nights coming up. So I guess last week’s 80-degree weather was more of an oddity and not a sign that we are going to have an insanely early spring.

One challenge I keep facing as a Buddhist is in trying to put aside desire (“I wish it was summer”!), which leads to dhukka (suffering). The more we covet, the greater our pain. So, I’ll embrace this chilly, rainy day. One moment, one raindrop, one puddle at a time; it’s only the present moment. And moments, like everything, are impermanent.

 
Live Pono