April 3, 2025
Understanding Our Agency
Karma,
the principle of cause and effect, predates Buddhism. But as the engine
that propels samsara—the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth—karma is a
critical insight into the Buddhist worldview. Causes and conditions do
not preclude agency, however. In fact, just the opposite. By
investigating our causes and conditions, our intentions and actions, we
can create wholesome ones that will diminish future suffering.
Apprehending this agency can provide relief and also motivation. As Joseph Goldstein writes:
The great inspiration of the Buddha’s teaching is that we
must each take ultimate responsibility for the quality of our lives.
Given certain volitional actions, certain results will follow. When we
understand that our lives are the unfolding of karmic law that we are
the heirs to our own deeds, then there grows in us a deepening sense of
responsibility for how we live, the choices we make, and the actions we
undertake.
Recognizing karma can also help us cultivate compassion, as we perceive
the causes and conditions that may have led to suffering or unwise
choices.
This week’s Three Teachings reviews the crucial principle of cause and effect, how to recognize it, and why, when fully understood, it’s so fulfilling.
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