287-Karma is very individual- Buddhism in daily life

287-Karma is very individual- Buddhism in daily life

Author: Shaolin-Rainer January 14, 2023 Duration: 6:06

Karma is very individual

How people treat us is their karma, how we react is ours!

Karma is a term from Sanskrit and roughly translated means "effect". According to the concept of karma, there is causality between cause and effect, between thoughts, actions and consequences.

According to Buddhist teachings, karma is a law, not dependent on a judge, and remains immutably linked to rebirth.

Thus, every action of a human being causes a consequence for which the person acting later has to take responsibility, quasi "gets back", if not in this life, then at least in the next.

So, according to the concept of karma, it is already determined how I will fare, it is "written", so to speak. No matter how I behave now, my karma from before, as well as from previous lives will hit me, nothing I can change, no matter what I do, following my fate, events will roll over me.

Sense of a Buddhist life in the "now" and "here" thus determines the position of the course for the karma of the future, but cannot correct failures of the past.

According to Buddha, it is precisely our thoughts (as the origin of all actions) that are the cause of karma; negative causes are said to lead only to negative karma (and vice versa). The underlying information is stored in us (like in a seed), is by its nature in a karmic consciousness a part of our existence.

In our western linguistic usage we always deal very loosely with the word "karma"; if something does not go well, many people say "karma", "fate", and accept the events as God-given, giving little thought to cause and effect. The development of our stream of consciousness is not questioned, that's just the way it is, you can't change it.

Is it really like that?

Do we want to try to influence our karma consciously and actively? Maybe it would be fun, change us, improve our lives?

Personally, I believe in the premise of karma, everyone gets what he deserves. In my mind, life is predetermined, like a movie that follows a script, triggered by causality and controlled by reactions to past behavior.

My karma was to travel to the Shaolin Temple, arriving over 30 years ago where Chan (Zen) Buddhism was once born. Along the way I met people who were very familiar to me, others were not.

According to the teachings of the great Buddha, those who have experienced "enlightenment" fall out of the cycle of rebirths.

It might be worth a try, don't you think?

Reincarnation and karma form a wonderful, quite incomparable world myth, against which every other dogma must seem petty and narrow-minded.

- Richard Wagner - German composer - 1813 to 1883

Every chess game is a lesson in karma: No move without consequences.

- Andreas Tenzer - German philosopher - born 1954

Copyright: https://shaolin-rainer.de

(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog English" from the Apple and Android stores)

Please rate us on Apple, Google, or Spotify podcast to help us promote the show


You'll find a quiet, practical companion in Buddhism in daily life-Mindfulness in every day tasks, hosted by Shaolin-Rainer. This isn't about abstract philosophy; it's a hands-on guide for weaving the principles of Chan Buddhism directly into the fabric of your ordinary day. Rainer's voice serves as a gentle guide, offering short lectures that bridge timeless Asian spiritual practices with contemporary Western life, making ancient wisdom feel immediately accessible and useful. Each episode is a down-to-earth session, whether it's a guided meditation you can do while washing dishes or insights on finding stillness during a commute. The core of this podcast rests on the transformative power of mindfulness and genuine self-compassion, presented as tools to soften emotional struggles, nurture a sense of healing, and cultivate a quieter confidence. You'll encounter practical discussions on self-acceptance, approaches to managing anxiety, and the integration of movement practices like Yoga and Qi Gong as extensions of mindful awareness. Ultimately, tuning in is an invitation to discover the spiritual awakening hidden within your own routine, turning every task into an opportunity for presence and peace.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Buddhism in daily life - Mindfulness in every day tasks
Podcast Episodes
283-Buddhism and the cup of tea- Buddhism in daily life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:13
Buddhism and the cup of tea The teachings of Buddha explained in a different way There is a legend about a wise monk who was often visited and was much sought after as an advisor. One day a learned man came to learn from…
282-Man in the mirror- Buddhism in daily life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:23
Man in the mirror Stand in front of the mirror, preferably naked, alone, without spectators, in a quiet chamber. Do you "hear" what your reflection says to you? You do not have to stand before the judgment of your fellow…
281-About the meaning of life- Buddhism in daily life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:15
About the meaning of life The question about the meaning of life is as old as human thinking itself. Who am I, where do we come from, is there a God, what is it all about, where are we going! Buddhists see the meaning of…
280-Do we need to change?- Buddhism in daily life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:50
Do we need to change? "Everyone wants to change the world, but no one wants to change himself." Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy - Russian writer (1828-1910) In this regard, the first step towards a Buddhist lifestyle involves a…
279-Buddhism as a powerful idea- Buddhism in daily life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:48
Buddhism as a powerful idea "Nothing in the world is so powerful as an idea whose time has come." - Victor Hugo - French writer (1802-1885) Ideas have often completely changed our world. Democracy, communism, humanism, h…
278-The fear of the future- Buddhism in daily life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:01
The fear of the future We are always worrying about the future, making "a head", rolling problems, seeing all kinds of things coming our way. We lie awake for nights on end, unable to sleep, "problems" circling through o…
277-Lonely together- Buddhism in daily life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:10
Lonely together What strange times we have, horror has entered our homes, "the Walking Dead" has become reality. Just as "Rick Grimes" from the horror series wakes up in an apocalyptic world, we have arrived in a pandemi…
276-David and Goliath- Buddhism in daily life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:22
David and Goliath Who does not know the story of David, the conqueror Goliath. The little one beats the big one, anything is possible! In nature, David often beats Goliath, a small virus knocks down a big man; ants trans…
275-Thank you- Buddhism in daily life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:07
Thank you Everybody is talking about thank you ..... ..... but thank you does not make full Everywhere I read just how grateful one is to the nurses, the truck drivers, the sales clerks etc.. All politicians praise the o…
274-Happy New Year- Buddhism in daily life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:21
Happy New Year I would like to start with a quote from the Meta Sutra (goodness teaching): MAY ALL BEINGS BE FREE FROM SUFFERING, MAY WHATEVER THEY HAVE GAINED NOT BE LOST, NOT BE DIMINISHED, NOT BE DESTROYED. ALL BEINGS…