Hello Empowered Wayers!
One of my favorite authors is David Michie, who writes the charming book series, “The Dalai Lama’s Cat” and nonfiction books such as “Buddhism for Busy People.” I have read almost all of his books, but the one that captivated me was “Instant Karma: The Day it Happened.”
Instead of a book review, I want to give you enough information so you read it yourself. The concept of karma is as old as Buddhism, but it has never been explained inside a story that makes you want to practice bodhichitta or loving kindness towards others.
You have to experience it for yourself.
Key Concepts
Michie is a captivating storyteller as he teaches basic concepts of Buddhism. For example, in a scene where Lama Tashi, the monk who is central to the story, is teaching his students about karma, this information is shared:
Karma is the law of cause and effect. The four general aspects of karma are:
Results reflect the causes;
Karma increases;
There can be no results without first creating causes; and
Every action brings a definite result.
The scene moves from theory to experience, and the plot of the book is set in motion with these words:
The great paradox is that if we truly wish for transformation, for ultimate fulfillment, we must shift our focus from self to others. In giving, we truly do receive.”
The concept of karma seems farfetched until you realize that two people can have diverse experiences from the same event. Why? Because each person on the planet creates their own reality, from their subjective experience. The moment you realize that you determine what you experience is the moment of freedom.
What does reality creation have to do with karma?
You are the cause of what you experience. When you cultivate the cause for another, you will experience it for yourself. As Lama Tashi states, “What we do for [others], we will experience it for ourselves.”
What does this mean in real life?
Remember when you did something for another person, not expecting anything in return? That is an example of positive karma. If you did the same thing, but your motivation was to manipulate or judge, it would be negative karma.
As Lama Tashi explains in the book, there are four factors that impact the strength and type of karma.
the subject - the person doing the action;
the intention - what that person intended to happen;
the action itself, and
the object - the person to whom the action is being done.
An example is spending $10 on a gift. If the person buying the gift did it out of a sense of obligation, it wouldn’t have the same strength as if he spent time buying the perfect gift.
The bottom line is this: whatever you wish for, give it to others first. Without attachment to the outcome. Become the cause of happiness, joy, abundance, and patience for others. You are creating the cause for these states of being for yourself. In Buddhist language, this is called bodhichitta. It is the deep desire for others to free from dissatisfaction, suffering, and pain, so they can enjoy well-being.
Conclusion
I can’t help but wonder what would happen if more people started practicing bodhichitta instead of participating in protests, insisting they have been wronged, or starting wars? The shift in perspective from “me,” “myself,” and “I” to the well-being of others, including ourselves, opens the way for compassion and love.
The idea that we are separate from each other dissolves in the light of love. All beings are connected and impact each other. Wishing for the enlightenment of every living being is the highest achievement we could ever accomplish. The ripple effects are life changing.
“Instant Karma” is fictional, but the story teaches valuable lessons on how to live a life you create intentionally and deliberately.
May you experience satisfaction and curiosity about these ideas and explore them for yourself.
Blessings,
Kathryn
Ever Heard of Instant Karma?