KARMA AND THE ‘WHEEL OF LIFE’

Thich Nu Tinh Quang
 

 The Second Noble Truth is the truth about the cause of suffering. This cause is appetence, desire, attachment to life in the broadest sense, or the will to live. This attraction is understood in Buddhism as widely as possible because this concept includes also abhorrence as the flip side of the drive - drive with the opposite sign.
At the heart of life there is a desire for a pleasant and aversion to unpleasant, expressed in the appropriate reactions and motivations, based on a fundamental misconception or ignorance (avidyā), and expressed in the lack of understanding of the fact that the essence of life is suffering. Attraction gives rise to suffering: “if there were no instincts and thirst for life, then there would be no suffering. The whole nature is permeated by this thirst.”[1] This thirst seems to be the core of life of every living being, and this life is governed by the law of karma.

The  law of karma is the doctrinal core of Buddhism as well as the cause of all the happiness and unhappiness of beings. The word ‘karma’ can be translated as ‘work’ or ‘action’, and by no means as ‘destiny’ or ‘fate’ as it is sometimes thought. In Vedic times under karma was understood not any action, but only ritually significant action (for example, the commission of any rite), which gives the desired result, or ‘fruit’ (phala). Gradually the importance of this concept has expanded and it has come to mean any act, or act in the broadest sense of the word: the physical act (action, deed), the verbal act (word, sentence), and the mental and volitional act (thought, intention, desire).

The following dialogue between Buddhism and Rahula following helping us to understand about ‘Karma’ meaning in the Buddha time:

The Buddha: "What do you think, Rahula: What is a mirror for?"

Rahula: "For reflection, sir."

The Buddha: "In the same way, Rahula, bodily acts, verbal acts, and mental acts are to be done with repeated reflection.”[2]

Thus, karma is an action, which necessarily has a consequence or result. The collection of all acts performed in life, or rather, the total energy of these actions also brings its fruit: it determines the need for the next birth - a new life - the nature of which is determined by karma (that is, the nature of the acts) of the deceased.

Accordingly, karma may be good or not good which is leading to good or bad forms of birth. Actually, karma determines in the new birth what philosophers-existentialists call ‘abandonment’: a country in which a man is to be born (if acquired is the human form of birth), a family of birth, sex and other genetic characteristics (for example, congenital disease), the basic character traits, psychological tendencies, and so on. In this life, a person again commits actions leading him to a new birth, and so on and so forth. This cycle of births-deaths in religions of India (not only in Buddhism) is called samsara (a cycle, circulation) - the main characteristic of which is suffering resulting from the instincts and desires. Therefore, all the religions of India (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and even partly Sikhism) aim to liberation; that is the exit from the cycle of samsara and the attainment of freedom from suffering and passive suffering to which any living creature is doomed by their samsaric existence.[3]

Samsara is beginningless, which means that none of the creatures had an absolutely first life, they are in samsara eternally. Consequently, samsaric existence is fraught with repeatable situations and roles in painful monotony cyclic reproducibility of the same content. Buddhism is completely alien to the idea of ​​evolution the transition from life to life forms through the will of a Creator; in Indian religions they are not a ladder of improvement and ascent to the Absolute, but the painful circulation and the transition from one form of suffering to another. Therefore, if a person of a materialistic, or simply non-religious Western education can find  something attractive in the idea of reincarnation, for Indian thinkers they are associated with a sense of lack of freedom and with painful enslavement, and triggering the need for the release of this whirlwind.

The doctrine of karma and samsara emerged in the pre-Buddhist period within the later Vedic Brahmanism (apparently, not later VIII — VII centuries BCE), but it was Buddhism that elaborated it, articulated clearly and made a forming part of its teaching, and then in final form shared it to Hinduism. However, there are some differences between the Buddhist and Hindu understanding of karma. Thus, it is believed in theistic Hinduism that God determines the effects of karma in dispensing retribution for those or other actions. But Buddhism is not a theistic doctrine, so there is no place for the concept of God and; therefore, karma refers to the Buddhists, not as some kind of retaliation or retribution from God or gods, and as absolutely objective basic law of existence, so just as inevitable as the laws of nature and acting as automatically and impersonally (Guruge). Essentially, the law of karma is simply the result of transferring the idea of ​​the universality of the cause-effect relations in the area of ​​ethics, morality and psychology.

Apart from the human, Buddhism recognizes five other possible forms of existence: birth as a deity (deva), militant titanium (asura) – these two forms of birth as well as human are considered ‘happy’, and forms of animal, hungry spirit (prets) and inhabitant of hell – unhappy forms of birth. Probably, it is necessary to repeat that any idea of ​​spiritual evolution is not included in this scheme: after death as a deity you can be born again as a person, then may be going to hell, then be born as animal, and then again as a man, then again to go to hell, and so on. It should be noted that only a man (according to some Buddhist thinkers – also deities and asuras) is able to generate karma and thus be responsible for his actions; the other living creatures only reap the benefits of good or bad deeds done by them in the previous human births. Therefore, for example, animals suffer in some way during their lifetime innocently, because the one who are responsible for their karmic suffering is their human precursor.[4]  

It is constantly emphasized in Buddhist texts that the human form of birth is particularly favorable: only a human occupies a middle position between the living beings; he is not so immersed in a false bliss, like the gods, but he is also not so exhausted as the inhabitants of the hells. In addition, a man, unlike animals, is endowed with a well-developed intellect. And this midline, central position gives a human being a unique opportunity: only man is capable of gaining liberation from the cycle of samsara and only human is able to get out of the wheel of births and deaths and attain eternal blissful rest in nirvana.[5]  

Buddhist texts constantly say that the human body is a rare jewel and finding it is a great happiness, for only a person is able to attain liberation, and therefore it would be most unwise to miss this unique opportunity. Tsongkhapa, a famous Tibetan religious reformer of XIV – XV centuries, compares the probability of acquiring the human body according to Buddhist thought as same as a turtle floating in the world's oceans depths for thousands of years, suddently emerging on the surface, and immediately its head hits in a hole of the only wooden circle which someone thrown into the ocean.[6] Like that, the best thing a human being can meet as Dharma, as Buddhism teaches, so the one can have the opportunity to practice on the path of liberation whether of himself (as taught in Hinayana tradition) or of all living beings (in accordance with the teachings of the Mahayana).

The doctrine of karma as a causal relationship, it means correlated development process in the theory called Pratītyasamutpāda (cause-dependant origination). This theory is extremely important, because later (especially in the framework of the philosophical school Madhyamaka), it essentially became a fundamental methodological principle of Buddhist thought.

The following texts help us more understanding the causal relationship of action in Buddha’s teachings:

"There are beings who conduct themselves in a bad way in body ... in speech ... and in mind. But when they often reflect on that fact, which bad conduct in body, speech, and mind will either be entirely abandoned or grow weaker...

"A disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one who is owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator; who -- whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir. To the extent that there are beings - past and future, passing away and re-arising -- all beings are the owner of their actions, heir to their actions, born of their actions, related through their actions, and live dependent on their actions. Whatever they do, for good or for evil, to that will they fall heir.'

When he/she often reflects on this, and the [factors of the] path take birth. He/she sticks with that path, develops it, and cultivates it. As he/she sticks with that path, develops it and cultivates it, the fetters are abandoned, the obsessions destroyed."[7]

Also, if we know how it functions we will not continue to suffer its consequences:

"Kamma should be known. The cause by which kamma comes into play should be known. The diversity in kamma should be known. The result of kamma should be known. The cessation of kamma should be known. The path of practice for the cessation of kamma should be known," thus it has been said.

In reference to what was it said?  Intention, I tell you, is kamma.  Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, and intellect.

What is the agent by which karma creates consequences including further karma?

"And what is the cause by which kamma comes into play? Contact is the cause by which kamma comes into play.

Are there any beings exempt from karmic consequences?

"And what is the diversity in kamma? There is kamma to be experienced in hell, kamma to be experienced in the realm of common animals, kamma to be experienced in the realm of the hungry shades, kamma to be experienced in the human world, kamma to be experienced in the world of the devas. This is called the diversity in kamma."

What are the consequences of karma? More karma:

"And what is the result of kamma? The result of kamma is of three sorts, I tell you: that which arises right here and now, that which arises later [in this lifetime], and that which arises following that. This is called the result of kamma.

How can this vicious circle be broken?

"And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path -- right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration -- is the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma.

"Now when a disciple of the noble ones discerns kamma in this way, the cause by which kamma comes into play in this way, the diversity of kamma in this way, the result of kamma in this way, the cessation of kamma in this way, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of kamma in this way, then he discerns this penetrative holy life as the cessation of kamma.

 Kamma should be known. The cause by which kamma comes into play... The diversity in kamma... The result of kamma... The cessation of kamma... The path of practice for the cessation of kamma should be known.' Thus it has been said, and in reference to this was it said."[8]  

Usually, for simplicity and for didactic purposes in The Second Noble Truth, this principle of karmic cause and effect is illustrated in the Buddhist texts (its classic description is contained in the 'Mahavagga', the text of the Pali Tipitaka) as an example of human life, even though, in accordance with the general principles of the Buddhist teachings it can be applied to any element of existence, which appears and disappears every moment of life by Dependent Origination as well as to the whole cosmic cycle. In its description we will follow the classic tradition to see more clearly. The chain of cause and dependent origination consists of twelve units (nidānas), and in principle, no matter how nidānas start the process, since the presence of any of them causes all the others. However, the narration logic requires a certain order, which will be observed here:

I. Previous life (or, more exactly, the gap between death and new birth, antarbhāva)

1.      Avidyā (ignorance): Ignorance (in the sense of misunderstanding and misfeeling) of Four Noble Truths, confusion about your own nature and the nature of existence as it is, results in the presence of…

2.      Saṃskāra: uniform personality (forming factors, motivation, basic subconscious desires and impulses), involving the decease to a new experience of life, a new birth. Intermediate existence comes to an end, and there is a conception in operating of a new life.

II. This life.

3.      Vijñāna (consciousness): The presence of samskāras causes the appearance of consciousness or distinction results to the inside and outside of phenomenon.

4.      Nama-rupa (Name and form): They are psychophysical characteristics of human beings. On the basis of these mental and physical structures are formed.

5.  Saḍāyatana (six sense bases): Six organs or abilities of sensory perception:  1. Eye and Vision 2. Ear and Hearing 3. Nose and Olfaction 4. Tongue and Taste 5. Skin and Touch 6. Mind and Thought. That is the sixth "internal" and "external" sense bases are: mind, and, thought (along with memory and emotion).

6.   Sparśa (contact): the contact of sense-perception with objects.

7.   Vedanā (sensation): feeling of pleasant, unpleasant or neutral; the sense of pleasant and desire to experience it again, give rise to…

8.  Tṛṣṇā (craving): which means ‘thirst’, as the craving or desire to hold onto pleasurable experiences…

9.  Upādāna (attachment):  that means grasping or clinging; it makes "fuel, material cause, substrate that is the source and means for keeping an active process energized.

10.  (Bhava) (becoming): It means being, worldly existence, birth, origin…

III. Next life.

                       11.  Jāti (birth): A new birth; it is the characteristic of whatever is formed

                        12. Jarā-maraṇa (aging, decay and death):  the inevitable decay and death-related suffering of all beings prior to their rebirth within saṃsāra (cyclic existence).

This was a brief and concise listing of links in the chain of causal relationships. Its main point is that all the stages of existence are caused; this cause is purely immanent in nature and leaving no room for the hidden mysterious transcendent cause (God, fate, etc.). At the same time a living being (not only a human being), one is drawn by their subconscious impulses and drives; the nature of beings as slaves for relentless conditioning in ignorance rather positively to realize it; they just doomed passive suffering position.

In Tibetan Tankas (religious paintings, icons), this doctrine obtains visual embodiment; the Tankas connect with the doctrine of karma and forms of births. Such pictures are called bhava-cakra ('wheel of life') and represent the following: There are three concentric circles. In the central (very small) circle, three animals are imaged: a pig, a snake and a rooster. They seem to grasp the tail of each other and set off to run in a circle (like a squirrel in a wheel) in setting the whole wheel of life into motion. Images of animals symbolize accordingly: ignorance (moha), desire (raga) and aversion (dvesha) — three basic affects (klesha), which form the fundament of samsaric existence.

External to this circle, there is relatively large circle divided into five sectors corresponding to the five worlds of births of living creatures (usually the gods and the titans are portrayed in the same sector). It contains scenes of life of each creature type.

Finally, the last narrow circle that is forming some kind at a rim of a wheel is divided into twelve segments corresponding to twelve nidānas. For example, ignorance is symbolized by the image of a man who has got an arrow in his eye; impulses (saṃskāra) - symbolized by the figure of a potter who is clinging pots on his potter's wheel; the consciousness (vijñāna) — by a monkey that is jumping from branch to branch (consciousness is unstable and tends to jump from one object to another); the name and shape (nama-rupa) - by two people sailing in the same boat; the six bases of perception (saḍāyatana) - by the house with six windows, is a contact of the senses with their objects (sparśa) by a copulating couple, and so on.[9]  

Overall of 'wheel of life' is gripped in a god’s paws, as if he was embracing it - a scary monster who symbolizes the suffering as the main feature of samsaric existence. Beyond the wheel in the upper corner of the picture there is usually Buddha (or a monk) depicted that is pointing his finger at the glowing circle around it - which is a symbol of nirvana, a state free from suffering, in its turn, including what is emphasized to the Third Noble Truth.

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[1] Ibid…

[2] Ibid…

[3] Melton and Baumann, ‘Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs…’

[4] Karma and Rebirth: A Cross Cultural Study/Walter 32

[5] Ibid…

[6] Tsongkhapa and Sparham 23

[7] Anguttara Nikaya V.57, Upajjhatthana Sutta/Subjects for Contemplation

[8] Anguttara Nikaya VI.63, Nibbedhika Sutta/Penetrative

[9] The Buddhist Wheel of Life - Dharmapala Thangka Centre