Destructive Karma

Buddhists usually practice meditation to get away from karmic retribution and to cultivate merit. Although no one can escape from karma, the cultivation of good deeds can lessen karmic retribution but cannot make it gone.

Karma reflects its result in two aspects. One is the result according to the karmic act; one reaps what one sows. Another is the result with a karmic creditor. It means when you do bad deeds to anyone and he feels upset, it will lead to a repayment. Bad karma that has no creditor such as karmic act toward Buddha, Arahants and the virtuous ones who are full of benevolence since their liberated minds have no intention for revenge, the doer still has to receive severe karmic consequence. This is the way of karma.

For some heavy karma, if one has some merit supporting him, he often has a vision or dream as a warning in order for him to have a chance to alleviate that karmic consequence. Nonetheless, destructive karma is not usually like that. Its duty is to end other karmic results by ending one’s life or depriving him of the chance to receive worldly progress such as a fortune or success in work. It happens suddenly and unexpectedly.

Most people are often heedless of karmic retribution. That’s why they indulge themselves in pleasures in their life and try to achieve their goals without cultivating merit to make it worth being born human. They make merit but do not stop committing sin, not even observe the Five Precepts. So, they will accumulate bad karma endlessly. Even for a merit with great benefits, if they make it out of greed, not faith and sacrificing heart, the result will never be that great.

If we were to die, who would suffer from our death? Would it be our father, mother, family, husband, wife, son or daughter? Will we bring trouble to them or will we prepare to die at any time having everything planned ahead?

We cannot escape from any karma or destructive karma. If for the rest of our life, we only do good deeds, think good, stop committing sin and practice meditation, when destructive karma hits us, our life will not be a waste. After suffering from karmic consequence, we will benefit from our cultivated merit.

Source: FB 5000s Magazine, 19 February 2018