Karma and Rebirth


Book Description

Karma, the law of cause and effect, of nature's retribution for lost harmony, and Rebirth, from which it is inseperable, have been described as the oldest doctrine in the world. In today's turmoil, an understanding of Karma is one of the foundations on which we can build a more reasonable world.




The Scientific Buddha


Book Description

This book tells the story of the Scientific Buddha, "born" in Europe in the 1800s but commonly confused with the Buddha born in India 2,500 years ago. The Scientific Buddha was sent into battle against Christian missionaries, who were proclaiming across Asia that Buddhism was a form of superstition. He proved the missionaries wrong, teaching a dharma that was in harmony with modern science. And his influence continues. Today his teaching of "mindfulness" is heralded as the cure for all manner of maladies, from depression to high blood pressure. In this potent critique, a well-known chronicler of the West's encounter with Buddhism demonstrates how the Scientific Buddha's teachings deviate in crucial ways from those of the far older Buddha of ancient India. Donald Lopez shows that the Western focus on the Scientific Buddha threatens to bleach Buddhism of its vibrancy, complexity, and power, even as the superficial focus on "mindfulness" turns Buddhism into merely the latest self-help movement. The Scientific Buddha has served his purpose, Lopez argues. It is now time for him to pass into nirvana. This is not to say, however, that the teachings of the ancient Buddha must be dismissed as mere cultural artifacts. They continue to present a potent challenge, even to our modern world.




Karma: Cause and Effect


Book Description

This book is intended as a guide to those who seek to understand the inner meanings of spirituality through Eastern philosophy. It uses exciting metaphors, allegories, and stories that go beyond the traditional way of explaining philosophy. Additionally, the book discusses how karma, which is the aggregation of ones actions carried forward from ones past lives and the current day, plays a role in everyday life. This book describes how one can take control of his or her own karma.




The Law of Karma


Book Description

Karma is a law of cause and effect. You moved the gold from one safe into another and you will be moved from one house to another. Attendants will be also appointed to keep you, and when you go out, rings may be put on your arms and legs. The karmic law originated with the coming of humans out of God. And the action or manifestation of that law begins with the polarization of people, i.e. with the appearance of both sexes, the two poles in the world. Polarization implies splitting of the human mind into positive and negative, ascending and descending, or in a higher words level - consciousness of Love and consciousness of Wisdom. These are the two poles in man. There are two laws: one of them is the law of karma, or the law of cause and effect. You bear sufferings necessarily. The second law is a law of freedom. The law of karma does not recognize any right, any culture, any happiness, any love. "Who applies that law?" You apply it every day, but it is applied on you, too. You catch a hen, touch it here and there to make sure that it is fattened and you put the knife on its neck. It is quacking, praying, but you do not hear it. You think of the good meal that you will cook. There is no law that can protect the hen. There is no a judge, who to give the right to it. Do you think that if you kill the chicken, you will be happy? From that moment your sufferings begin, i.e. your karma. You might say that it is written, that God allows people to eat meat. This is a human interpretation. There is a difference between what is written and said by God. God said only dead branches of trees to be cut, and people allowed themselves to cut also the live branches, as well as entire forests. Furthermore, if you uproot a dry tree, you are to plant a new, young tree. Karma is created when people do not live in accordance with the Divine laws. They deviate from the right path and walk along a curve wavy line, called "path of astral serpent". One, who thinks he can outwit the law of karma, is wrong. For such people it can be used the Bulgarian proverb: "A sly fox falls into the trap by both legs." One must not play with karma. Why? Karma is a creditor. It does not allow any delay even with half a day. It does not forgive anything: you will pay the exact sum even with the interest. Therefore, karma does not excuse even the interest. The karmic law is drastic. It excuses only when everything is paid off.




Karma


Book Description

A master of Tibetan Buddhism cuts through prevalent misconceptions around karma and rebirth to get to the root cause of our suffering—and how we can end it The Buddha’s teaching on karma (literally, “action”) is nothing other than his compassionate explanation of the way things are: our thoughts and actions determine our future, and therefore we ourselves are largely responsible for the way our lives unfold. Yet this supremely useful teaching is often ignored due to the misconceptions found in popular culture, especially oversimplifications that make it seem like something not to be taken seriously. Karma is not simple, as Traleg Kyabgon shows, and it’s to be taken very seriously indeed. In this book, Kyabgon cuts through the persistent illusions we cling to about karma to show what it really is—the mechanics of why we suffer and how we can make the suffering end. He explains how a realistic understanding of karma is indispensable to Buddhist practice, how it provides a foundation for a moral life, and how understanding it can have a transformative effect on the way we relate to our thoughts and feelings and to those around us.




Karma


Book Description

NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER “Full of valuable insights to guide you.”—WILL SMITH “Thoughtful and life-affirming . . . a must-read.”—TONY ROBBINS “This book will put you back in charge of your own life.”—TOM BRADY A new perspective on the overused and misunderstood concept of “karma” that offers the key to happiness and enlightenment, from the world-renowned spiritual master Sadhguru. What is karma? Most people understand karma as a balance sheet of good and bad deeds, virtues and sins. The mechanism that decrees that we cannot evade the consequences of our own actions. In reality, karma has nothing to do with reward and punishment. Karma simply means action: your action, your responsibility. It isn’t some external system of crime and punishment, but an internal cycle generated by you. Accumulation of karma is determined only by your intention and the way you respond to what is happening to you. Over time, it’s possible to become ensnared by your own unconscious patterns of behavior. In Karma, Sadhguru seeks to put you back in the driver’s seat, turning you from a terror-struck passenger to a confident driver navigating the course of your own destiny. By living consciously and fully inhabiting each moment, you can free yourself from the cycle. Karma is an exploration and a manual, restoring our understanding of karma to its original potential for freedom and empowerment instead of a source of entanglement. Through Sadhguru’s teachings, you will learn how to live intelligently and joyfully in a challenging world.




The Noble Eightfold Path


Book Description

The Buddha's teachings center around two basic principles. One is the Four Noble Truths, in which the Buddha diagnoses the problem of suffering and indicates the treatment necessary to remedy this problem. The other is the Noble Eightfold Path, the practical discipline he prescribes to uproot and eliminate the deep underlying causes of suffering. The present book offers, in simple and clear language, a concise yet thorough explanation of the Eightfold Path. Basing himself solidly upon the Buddha's own words, the author examines each factor of the path to determine exactly what it implies in the way of practical training. Finally, in the concluding chapter, he shows how all eight factors of the path function in unison to bring about the realization of the Buddhist goal: enlightenment and liberation.




Karma Is Negotiable


Book Description

Although the word "karma" is Sanskrit and is associated with Eastern religions, it simply refers to the law of cause and effect. Karma is not blind destiny or divine judgment, but is the principle the describes the natural reverberation that emerges from every action, whether that action is physical, emotion, mental, or spiritual. Suffering and pain are not punishment from a tyrant God, nor are they "normal" or mere "coincidence." When we truly understand the law of action and consequence, we can see that our lives are a result of our own moment to moment ignorance of the effects of our actions. We create our own suffering, therefore, we can create our own happiness instead, if we know how. No matter what religion or background we come from, through conscious action from moment to moment, we can originate a new set of causes, which in turn will generate a new set of results. This is how we can revolutionize our life. The power to change is in our hands.




A Heart Full of Peace


Book Description

Love, compassion, and peace - these words are at the heart of all spiritual endeavors. Although we intuitively resonate with their meaning and value, for most of us, the challenge is how to embody what we know; how to transform these words into a vibrant, living practice. In these times of conflict and uncertainty, this transformation is far more than an abstract ideal; it is an urgent necessity. Peace in the world begins with us. This wonderfully appealing offering from one the most trusted elders of Buddhism in the West is a warm and engaging exploration of the ways we can cultivate and manifest peace as wise and skillful action in the world. This charming book is illuminated throughout with lively, joyous, and sometimes even funny citations from a host of contemporary and ancient sources - from the poetry of W.S. Merwin and Galway Kinnell to the haiku of Issa and the great poet-monk Ryokan, from the luminous aspirations of Saint Francis of Assisi to the sage advice of Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dalai Lama.




Karma


Book Description

Combining the ancient wisdom of the Vedic tradition and the point of view of the modern spiritual seeker, Karma illustrates how to find meaning and purpose in a life that can at times feel random and out of control. In this compelling and in-depth introduction to the ancient Hindu concept of karma, spiritual teacher and award-winning author Jeffrey Armstrong explores reincarnation, the deeper mysteries of the soul, the laws of nature, and the ways in which cause and effect influence our lives. Moving beyond Western perceptions of science and luck, Armstrong explores the mystical balance of the universe. These long-secret laws of karma, excavated from the ancient wisdom of India, offer a means to deepen one’s spiritual vision and reveal the profoundly interconnected nature of all that exists. The Mandala Wisdom Series is an introductory collection on Eastern wisdom and spirituality, providing readers with the tools to enhance their health and well-being.