The Cellar - Do you believe in karma?

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- - Do you believe in karma? (http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=18617)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nirvana (Post 501393)

There are three degrees of giving. One is called one-handed giving. With this degree of giving, you give things away because people ask you, or because you are pressured into it, or because people are looking. But you are also holding on with one hand. You may not really want to give, but, reluctantly, you do. Let's say that a beggar keeps on badgering you. To get rid of him, you give him something. If you've ever traveled in India, you've probably encountered situations where beggars follow you around like a shadow and won't let you go until you finally give them something. That is a form of giving, of sharing with others. But it has a limited value, because, of course, the whole spirit of giving is really letting go. This is letting go to some degree, but not fully.

The second degree of giving is friendly giving. That means you give because you like to give. It feels good. You don't have to pressured into it. Whenever you see somebody in a situation of need, if you have enough for yourself, if you have two of something, you give it out of friendliness. If you have two bananas and somebody is hungry, you usually give them one. That's a higher form giving because you're not being pressured into it-it's coming from your own friendliness, and you're not tightly holding on.

The third degree is called kingly giving. In kingly giving, you give anything at any time. You give the shirt off your back. You give the last food you have to someone who is hungrier. Because there's no thought-you give the best that you have. There's no holding on nor even thought of an "I" involved in the giving.

Everyone is basically in control of their own karma and I don't believe in past life karmic black clouds. I think that is a wrongly interpreted sutra. The Buddha was not the one that wrote down his teachings, and there was probably some embellishments by monks that had meaning for the people at the time they were written. But all things change and that is the only constant. Some people do not want change and resent it so much they cause their own "bad luck" by refusing the reality of the situation. Some do not look at death as "bad luck".

From which practice are you getting your definitions?

My comments here are about the second noble truth, right view. One of the main practices in the Dhamma is called Dana. Dana means the practice of giving or sharing with others. It is an antidote to attachment, to holding on tightly, to really holding on to our things. This is one of the main causes of human suffering.

I am a sincere believer that what you put out in the world will one day return to you. The key is to give only what you can afford to give and have no expectations in return. I have helped people that I never expect to return the favor. Down the road, other people have appeared and helped me through bad times. I think that if you maintain an attitude of compassion toward your fellows, you will be ultimately met with compassion in return. And the reverse is also true.

I have some next door neighbors who are not saints, but they are among the kindest people I know. They are always ready to help a neighbor in any way they can. Everyone here adores them, and we'd do anything we could to help them out if they needed. What goes around does come around. Maybe not immediently, but, certainly, eventually.

Plus you feel good about yourself when you are nice to others, so you get a payback right there, even if there is no payback from others.

I dont believe in karma...but I do believe we should pay it forward :P

Clone thread:
Do you believe in, comma?

Damn - I once read a proverb, of African origin I think, that had to do with the degrees of giving. Or in this case the degrees of receiving. Apologies if I mangle it completely, I haven't been able to find it via Google.

I was thirsty and you offered me water. It tasted like wine.
I was thirsty and I asked you for water. It tasted like milk.
I was thirsty and I begged you for water. It tasted of blood.

i was thirsty, and you buttfucked my mouth. it tasted of ass.

maybe i should have used a sockpuppet for that particular post. oh well....its just skin

"It's just skin, shtephen"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nirvana (Post 501428)

Which form of practice:

1)Theravada

2)Mahayana -
a) Pure Land
b)Zen
c)Nichiren
d) Vajrayana

Its to be one within your own skin if not leave

that did not come out right love the skin your in

Bruce, what is your native language?

My leanings are toward Mahyana but I am not a purist and I believe in any of the teachings [of any religion] that have a positive message for mankind without being sexist.