[lbo-talk] Re: Understanding The Dalai Lama's Politics

Brian Charles Dauth magcomm at ix.netcom.com
Fri Sep 26 21:03:36 PDT 2003


Dwayne Monroe wrote:


> It is important to also bear in mind the heavy shackle that the concept
of karma - as interpreted by Tibetan Buddhism - may place upon his mind. Those suffering a horrible life now must have commited terrible deeds in a past existence. You can imagine how this belief would complicate, indeed cripple, your appreciation of the need for justice in this life.

Karma is actually liberating. The law of karma says only this: `for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according as its cause was skillful or unskillful.'

The idea that karma is a typeof retribution or fate is a Western misinterpretation/misapprpriation of the concept of karma. I had no idea that Tibetans interpreted it this way as well.

Brian Dauth Queer Buddhist Resister



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