Karma, Love, and Destiny

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
--Unknown

Many Eastern religions and philosophies have strong teachings on the importance of one's behavior and how it can have positive or negative affects on one's quality of life. When comparing Eastern to Western cultures,one can find a distinct difference in their moral character.

I lived in Hong Kong for two years, while it is a very modern society, the belief in honor, good face, and family commitment is still very strong. A family's reputation relies on the behavior of its members. Because of this, the pressure to be upright, successful, and respected can be pretty intense.

No doubt, the moral nature of Eastern cultures is strongly affected by the major religions and philosophies of their ancestors. Buddhism, Confucianism,and Taoism, among others, promote ideas such as compassion, moderation, humility, and honor.

Buddhism specifically hones in on the importance of one's actions and motivations with the teaching of Karma. In his book, Kindness, Clarity, and Insight, the Dalai Lama writes that "The effects of karma (actions) are inevitable...Just as someone witnessed by police in a criminal act will eventually be caught and punished, so we too must face the consequences of faulty actions we have committed...those actions are irreversible; we must eventually undergo their effects" (Web 1). Buddhism also teaches that the things you do will be returned to you in like manner or more simply put, Karma is "You get what you give" (Web 1).

A key concept in Karma is that it isn't so much one's actions that are important but the intentions and thoughts behind those actions. In other words, one's actions are premeditated, and therefore, what one does shows their state of heart (Web 2). This essentially means that what one does in the present is even more important than what one has done in the past. According to Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw, karma "is the result of our own past actions and our own present doings. We ourselves are responsible for our own happiness and misery. We create our own Heaven. We create our own Hell. We are the architects of our own fate" (Web 2). In his book, Path to Bliss, the Dalai Lama points out that karma doesn't mean that one's future is already predetermined. "The very term karma or action is a term of active force, which indicates that future events are within your own hands. Since action is a phenomenon that is committed by a person, a living being, it is within your own hands whether or not you engage in action" (Web 1).

Such ideas mirror teachings in the Bible. In one of his letters, Paul writes, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows" (Gal 6:7 NIV). Jesus also talked about the foundational importance one's behavior: "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets" (Matt 7:12 NLT).

While the Bible does talk about the importance of one's actions, Jesus adds an important element to the concept of reaping what you sow in one of His parables. Jesus tells the story of a wealthy land-owner who went away on a trip. Before he left, he divided some of his money into three portions and gave it to three different servants with instructions to keep it safe. Upon his return, he called for the servants to give an accounting of the money. The servant who had been given five bags of silver had invested the money and doubled it. Likewise, the servant who had been given two bags of silver had also doubled the money. The land-owner was very pleased and said to these servants "Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’" (Matt 25:23 NLT). But the third servant had fearfully hidden the silver that had been entrusted to him and had made no profit at all. The land owner wasn't happy about this because the least this servant could've done was put the money in the bank where it would've accrued some interest. So the land owner took the money from the third servant and gave it to the one who had doubled the five bags of silver. Jesus ended the parable with these words: "To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away" (Matt 25:29 NLT).

Jesus taught that what we do with our blessings is just as important as how we behave. The way we act towards others is important (Luke 10:25), but it is also important to use the gifts God has bestowed on us to bless others and increase His kingdom.

So what does all of this have to do with faith? Just about everything.

In a previous blog, I talked about the concept of a birth of the spirit and how it is the one birth that humans can choose to partake of. Such a birth comes with many gifts because the Holy Spirit is in the business of manifesting God's power through people. Paul writes the following in a letter to the Corinthians:

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines" (1 Cor 12:4-11).

Spiritual rebirth requires action and involvement with others. Some people need to receive the blessings that gifts can bestow, others have complimentary gifts that work to God's greatest intention when paired with other gifts. Paul explains it this way:

"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many (1 Cor 12:12-14).

What does this have to do with the concept of karma?

God gives gifts abundantly and joyfully; He delights in piling blessings upon blessings. God says, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! (Malachi 3:10 NLT). But there's a catch, God blesses so that we may, in turn, bless others, and in so doing, we will be blessed in ways that will increase our ability to bless others even more. What goes around comes around...

The faithfulness of those who profess to believe in God will be called into account. Jesus talks about His second coming and how He will separate those who walked a faith life from those who didn't. To the faithful He will say:

"‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’...‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,you were doing it to me!’(Matt 25:34-36,40 NLT).

So, not only does what one's actions to others benefit or hurt them, it also benefits or hurts God. Remember? God places a high price on life--He breaths for every living human-being, the Holy Spirit lives inside of believers, and Jesus Christ gave up His life to restore the gift of eternal life, joy, perfection, and love.

And this is where it all ties together. Just as Buddhists understand that one's good behavior isn't enough and what really matters is where one's heart is, Jesus teaches that a faith-walk requires action coupled with love. Without love, no blessing or spiritual gift matters. Paul poetically explains this in the famous "Love Chapter":

"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing...Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor 13:1-3, 13 NLT).

Love...

It is a word that even I can barely comprehend. Sometimes I wonder if I've even truly felt love within myself. At my core I am selfish; I know this because I confront it in myself everyday. Sometimes, when I stop to take a real good look at myself, I'm frightened by the darkness I see. But not all is lost because I crave love unlike anything else in the world. And somehow, I can feel love growing inside of me just barely contained, just waiting to burst and shower upon those in need of it. God is most definitely building up a reservoir of love within me. This places a major challenge in front of me. Will I be like the servants who doubled the money that the land-owner entrusted to their care? Will I remember that the reasons behind my actions are more important than the actions themselves?

It takes twenty-one days to develop a new habit. Habits help to develop character, and ultimately, character shapes one's destiny.

The Dalai Lama explains that karma is in the a hands of the people--that one chooses his behavior and reaps the consequences accordingly, creating his own heaven or hell. In similar way, Christianity teaches that we have free will and control over our actions. We can choose to accept and multiply our gifts, reap and sow blessings, and love like we have nothing to lose. And really, without love, we will lose everything, so why wouldn't we give it our best shot?

As I continue growing in my faith, I am continually reminded of the need for love. Faith and love go hand in hand. I cannot love God if I don't trust Him. I cannot truly love others unless I allow God's love to manifest itself within me. All of this seems overwhelming, but I'm comforted by Paul's words "That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses... For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor 12:10). "For I can do everything through Christ,who gives me strength" (Phil 4:13).



Website references:
Web 1--http://viewonbuddhism.org/karma.html
Web 2--http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/taoism2.htm