INSIGHTS INTO KARMA

Also by Alexander Peck and co-authored with Eva Peck: Pathway to Life Through the Holy Scriptures Journey to the Divine Within Through Silence, Stillness and Simplicity Let's Talk Anew Modern Conversation Themes in English [ESL book]

For more information on Alexander Peck, see these websites at: www.spirituality-for-life.org www.prayer-of-the-heart.org www.pathway-publishing.org

INSIGHTS INTO KARMA

The Law of Cause and Effect

Alexander Peck

The right of Alex ander Peck to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1 988. Alexander Peck, 201 2 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means except for the quotation of brief passages for the purpose of private study, research, or rev iew. Cov er design: Eva Peck Cov er photo purchased from www.dreamstime.com Photo credits: Jindrich Degen Cov er picture: The wagon wheel alludes to the Buddhist Wheel of Life . Karma is a law that influences all of life, expressed in the words "what goes around, comes around". Quotations for section divider pages are taken from: Mascar, Juan, trans. The Dhammapada: The Path of Perfection. London: Penguin Books, 197 3. They are intended to reflect the cause -effect theme underlying the book. This book was produced using the Blurb creative publishing serv ice. It can be purchased online through: www.pathway -publishing.org

Pathway Publishing Brisbane, Australia

This book is dedicated to You, the reader. May it be a cause for your personal Enlightenment.

Also to Greg, my younger brother, who, after our mother's funeral, left me with these words to ponder: "Make sure you create good karma".

"If you send out goodness from yourself, or if you share that which is happy or good within you, it will all come back to you multiplied ten thousand times. In the kingdom of love there is no competition; there is no possessiveness or control. The more love you give away, the more love you will have." (John O'Donohue)

"I believe that my life's gonna see the love I give returned to me." (John Mayer)

Acknowledgments
I am particularly indebted to each author listed in the Bibliography for helping to make this book a reality. Also, heartfelt appreciation goes to my wonderful wife, Eva, for her continued loving support and encouragement. Her love and light are a daily inspiration. She is always ready to assist with editing and to give helpful, and at times spirited, advice. Without her insightful input, this book would simply never have come out as it has.

"Like gravity, karma is so basic we often don't even notice it." (Sakyong Mipham)

"The recognition of the law of the cause and effect, also known as karma, is a fundamental key to understand how youve created your world, with actions of your body, speech and mind. When you truly understand karma, then you realize you are responsible for everything in your life. It is incredibly empowering to know that your future is in your hands." (Keanu Reeves)

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments 7 Table of Contents Preface 17 19 9

INTRODUCTION Overview 21
Essence of Karma Karma Is Universal

21 22

Fashioning our Liv es 24 Puzzling and Complex 24 Frequently-Asked Questions 27

PART 1: NATURE OF KARMA 29 What Is Karma?

Web of Karma 33 Karmic Imprints and Seeds 34 Two Ty pes of Actions 37 Boomerang Effect 37 39

31

Significance of Intention Complete Actions Power of Actions A Law of the Heart An Overview 47 40 42 44

"Four Laws of Karma"

51 9

Pond Analogy

52 52 54 57 59

Karma Is Definite Reaping What Is Sown

Karma Is Dy namic Reaping More Than Is Sown Karma Is Specific Not Reaping What Is Not Sown Karma Is Never Wasted Reaping Now and Later Modify ing Behav ior 61

Six Ways Actions Create Results

Past Actions (Remembering) 63 Present Actions (Doing) Future Actions (Planning) 63 64

63

Human Relations (How People Relate to Us)

64 64

Personality and Character (Habitual Mind States) Results of Actions in Future Lives 65

PART 2: PRESENT KARMA Mindfulness 69

67

Practicing Mindfulness69 Certainty of Karma 70

Karma Mindfulness Checklist71 Guarding Our Karma 7 5 Immediate Karma 79 82

Karmic Creation of Our World "We Are in Charge" 82

Karmic Awareness 85
Present Karma 85 Creating Negative Karma Memories 87 86

10

Happiness and Misery 88 Interacting with Others Cause of Our Unhappiness 89 90

Reaping the Fruit of Actions 91 Fairness in a Moral Universe 93 Dream Analogy 94 Personality Relationships 97 99

Health and Well-Being 99

Responsibility 103
Greater Assurance 104

Creating Right Causes 105 The Law of Abundance 105 The Law of Attraction 106 The Law of Manifestation 108 109

Interfering with Others' Karma? Alert and Watchful 111

Mental Health 115

Problems Not Ex ternal 115 Ripening of Karmic Seeds Thought Transformation Resolve to Change Uncertainty of Life 122 124 126 116 117

Peace amidst Problems An Elegant Spirit 127

Compassion

133 11

Response to Enemies 133 Accepting Others 134

Responsibility toward Others 137 Care and Consideration of Others Avoiding Indifference 139 What Is Needed: Compassion139 138

PART 3: FUTURE KARMA Karma and Rebirth 145

Karmic Consequences 147 Why Take Rebirths? 148

143

Candle Analogy for Rebirth 149 Sleep Analogy for Rebirth Larger Time Frame 152 150

Different Realms of Rebirth 153 Human and Animal Rebirths 157 Giftedness of People 157

A Wise and Compassionate Sy stem 158

Actions and Results 161

Ten Non-V irtuous Actions Ten V irtuous Actions 169 161

PART 4: PAST KARMA Dealing with the Past

Good and Bad News 17 4

171 173

Discovering Our Karmic Issues Clearing Accumulated Karma 17 5 Healing Our Karma 17 6

17 4

12

Changing Our Karma 177 Purify ing Negative Karma Letting Karma Burn Out No Longer Blaming Others Urgency of Purification Pitfalls of Purification 1 89 Further Strategies 190 17 8 1 85 1 86 1 88

A Story of Purification 192 Prayers and Affirmations Purification in a Nutshell 194 195

PART 5: MISUNDERSTANDING KARMA Misconceptions 201

201

199

Fate or Predetermination Theistic Determinism 202 Indeterminism 202 Reward and Punishment My stical Fate or Fortune Grace Transcends Karma

202 204 204

Misinterpretations 207
Cosmic Justice 207 Socially Disempowering Fundamentalism Judging Others 210 Blaming Past Karma Passive Resignation 211 211 209 208

Karma as Rear-V iew Mirror 21 2

13

Cov eting "Good Karma"

21 3

PART 6: MEDITATIONS 215 Basic Meditation Guidelines 217

Seven Tips 217

Breathing Meditation 21 8

"Four Laws of Karma"

Karma Is Definite Karma Increases Karma Is Specific Karma Is Never Lost 21 9 21 9 220 220

219

Ten Non-Virtues/Virtues 221

Sincere Regret 221 Checklist of Actions 222

Compassion and Karma 225

Heirs to One's Own Karma Equanimity 225 225

The SourcePoint Practice

Background Description 227 227

227

CLOSING THOUGHTS . . . Conclusion 233

233

231

Conv iction about Karma Source of all Suffering 234

Peace beyond Understanding 235 Power of Karma 236 Bringing It All Together 237

14

Our Most Precious Gift238 Karma in a Nutshell 239

APPENDICES 243 Appendix 1 Types of Karma 245

Mental, Verbal and Bodily Karma Skillful and Unskillful Karma 245 Results-Based Karma 247 Individual and Collective Karma Reproductive or Throwing Karma Supportive or Completing Karma Counteractive Karma 252 Destructive Karma Proximate Karma Habitual Karma 254 Random Karma 254 252 254 247 249 250 245

Appendix 2 Karma in Buddhism 257

Life and Death 257 Karma and Buddhism 258 Five Causal Factors 263

Karma and Emptiness 266

Appendix 3 Miscellaneous
The Bible and Karma 269

269

Karma, Rebirth and the Christian V iew Beyond Karma 27 9 Proving Karma 281 Reflections on Rebirth and Karma 283

27 5

15

Cause and Effect in Life Karma-Related Quotations

291 294

SourcePoint Practice Commentary 299 Science of Karma 302

RESOURCES 307 Bibliography 309 Websites 314 About the Author 315

16

Preface
This book is about karma the timeless and universal law of cause and effect, expressed in the words "what we sow, we reap". Four basic aspects of this law are covered: we reap what we sow; we reap far more than we sow; we don't reap if we don't sow; and, we reap both now and later. Karma remains a deep and profound principle of life, and not all its workings can be precisely explained. The purpose of this book is to present a clear description of karma, as much as is possible, and to show how awareness of karma can remarkably benefit our lives. Karma our actions and their results (fruits) governs our present reality, determines our future, and explains some of our past. Understanding and applying the law of karma allows us to better navigate through the life we have been given, with all its mystery. We no longer need to feel that life unfolds in totally puzzling, strange, and bewildering ways. In fact, to our surprise, the principle of karma provides satisfying answers that help make greater sense of life. Certain themes relating to karma are repeated in the book. Such repetition has been retained as a means of gentle emphasis. Additionally, Buddhist understanding is drawn on since this tradition has extensively written on the law of karma. Finally, while the focus of this book is about karma in the present, it also touches on the possibility of rebirth, and that 17

Thank You for previewing this eBook

You can read the full version of this eBook in different formats: HTML (Free /Available to everyone) PDF / TXT (Available to V.I.P. members. Free Standard members can access up to 5 PDF/TXT eBooks per month each month) Epub & Mobipocket (Exclusive to V.I.P. members) To download this full book, simply select the format you desire below