Karma burning

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Brev
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Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2015 6:03 am

Karma burning

Post by Brev »

I have a question as regards negative karma ripening in our lives as suffering.

Several years ago I had a wonderful friend, a lifelong Amma devotee, who suffered terribly throughout her life due to schizophrenia. Great sadness and fear would envelop her out of nowhere and terrifying illusions of demons and the like would appear to her. Yet, whenever I spoke to her after she was starting to come back to herself, she would seem calmer and more thankful than at other times. Every single time she would smile and say, "It's karma burning. It's a good thing." She was very innocent and not a stereotypically "tough" person, but she took a hell of a lot more suffering on -- and with a smile! -- than the "tough" people I've known.

I think this attitude of being very thankful for pain in our lives (not self-inflicted) because it is purifying our karma is very consistent with the Buddhadharma. What do y'all think?
muni
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Re: Karma burning

Post by muni »

When we look around us on the street, seeing the suffering of our fellows, the right motivation of approaching Dharma can arise . Like I just saw a huge dog, looking sad and afraid with his tail between his paws, waiting outside the shop for his human; a very old and poor lady....
Then when we suffer ourselves, the deep wish to use the dharma, to be able to apply it becomes huge as we automatically will tend to find out why and how and how to be free from such, like explained in The Four Noble Truths.

There was once a master who said a bit like your friend: when I am sick, I am happy, since this is "burning" karma. At least this in case no conventional medicine is available. Since we can think okay, I need surgery but I say no to it, as I have just to meditate. This would be stupid.

It is so that suffering is a great teacher, making practice genuine and so open the very heart for the suffering of others. _/\_
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Boomerang
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Re: Karma burning

Post by Boomerang »

Brev wrote:
I think this attitude of being very thankful for pain in our lives (not self-inflicted) because it is purifying our karma is very consistent with the Buddhadharma. What do y'all think?
Yes. I've read lectures in which teachers share this sentiment, especially in lojong teachings.
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PuerAzaelis
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Re: Karma burning

Post by PuerAzaelis »

I like this idea and I think offering up my suffering is a high practice. It's all I have to offer sometimes.
Generally, enjoyment of speech is the gateway to poor [results]. So it becomes the foundation for generating all negative emotional states. Jampel Pawo, The Certainty of the Diamond Mind

For posts from this user, see Karma Dondrup Tashi account.
jet.urgyen
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Re: Karma burning

Post by jet.urgyen »

Brev wrote:I have a question as regards negative karma ripening in our lives as suffering.

Several years ago I had a wonderful friend, a lifelong Amma devotee, who suffered terribly throughout her life due to schizophrenia. Great sadness and fear would envelop her out of nowhere and terrifying illusions of demons and the like would appear to her. Yet, whenever I spoke to her after she was starting to come back to herself, she would seem calmer and more thankful than at other times. Every single time she would smile and say, "It's karma burning. It's a good thing." She was very innocent and not a stereotypically "tough" person, but she took a hell of a lot more suffering on -- and with a smile! -- than the "tough" people I've known.

I think this attitude of being very thankful for pain in our lives (not self-inflicted) because it is purifying our karma is very consistent with the Buddhadharma. What do y'all think?
i believe that she was trying to say that she was aware that his condition and experiences are her responsibility and that it's a good thing to suffer the consequences now so she can live more free "tomorrow" -next life-. Just like Mahamaudgalyayana, the arath who was murdered due to his misdeeds in past lifes.

As Buddha said "Whatever you do will come back to you, so accept whatever justice and retribution that befalls you. Be not mistaken that karma is fallicious. You will live to bear its consequences, either in this lifetime or in your future life."
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
Soma999
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Re: Karma burning

Post by Soma999 »

Karma burns through practice and most especially in the presence of some masters. Sometime, it can manifests quiet difficult dreams for exemple. It's like if all negativity come back to the surface to evaporate.

If one stay patient, and couragerous, it dissolves.

But, one should be patient, and not passive. Some person just endure pain and suffering without doing anyhting to improve their situation. That's not patience. I would even say that's ignorance.

Maybe some things are bound to happen. Maybe. So what ? Are we just gonna stay passive, saying "it's karma" like we would say "it's destiny" ? We can stand up and transform the situation, we can change things, and if some suffering come we can also change the way we experience it, with tong-len for exemple or the idea your friend use.

Still, if one can improve his or her situation, this person should really do so, and not be passive, like if it's a virtue.

Being patient is a virtue. Being passive is ignorance.

Mysticism sometime involve a kind of passivity. It's all God's (or the Guru's) will. I submit. Virtue comes from acceptation. The danger is to become passive when one should step up and act in the world.

For "magicians", they use will. They transform things. The danger is using the fire of transformation with the stupidity and ignorance of one's ego, which lead to unnecessary suffering.

But we can have both acceptation, but also recognise as being incarnated in the world, we have also a field of possibility, of calpability to transform our world for the best. We can use both.

We have a heart, we have a mind. Both should be used.
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gescom
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Re: Karma burning

Post by gescom »

She was very brave to have that attitude toward her own suffering.

Usually current antipsychotic medication can take away major symptoms like that in schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia get to lead normal lives. So in some ways it is fortunate to be able to live in a society that can help people. As well as meeting with Dharma teachings and so on. So there are always positives.

Here is a lojong text on transforming suffering and happiness which I find helpful:

http://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-mas ... -happiness
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