Sambodhi 2006 Vol 30

Author(s): J B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 67

Vol. XXX, 2006
THE CONCEPT OF KAMMA IN BUDDHISM :
61
The most painful is birth again and again. An individual after understanding the real nature of the Theory of Kamma' may attain the extinction of desires, and becomes free himself from all suffering, being detached from worldly objects, by way of performing good deeds very carefully. According to this doctrine, an individual should employ himself only for good deeds and he should perform his acts after being vigilant and with self control. In Majjhimanikāya, it is stated that the purification of a person depends on deeds, right view, dhamma, conduct and best profession, and not by high lineage or wealth.
Like other systems of Indian philosophy, Buddhists also believe in rebirth - patisandhi, but they do not believe in soul - attā (ātmā). According to them the main reason of deversified aspects around the living beings of the universe is Kamma, but not the God. Therefore, the Buddha has not given much importance to existence of any supernatural power like supreme soul (paramātmā), heaven, hell, god, ghost and demon (piśāca), but, he advocated the humanism and scientific thoughts. In Buddhist doctrine of Kamma, the Pratītyasamutpāda, has very significant role as it is also called Kamma, and both are deeply correlated. In this theory of Kamma, not only Kamma, but the result of the deeds is also to be considered as Kamma, for example - it is in the use of saying that the good and evil deeds are waiting for the individual. The ripening of deeds that is the good and evil consequences in the present life of human acts performed in previous births means ‘hetu-phala-vyavasthā' in the context of Buddhist doctrine of Kamma. An aggregation of Kamma of the living being are the main asset in revolving of this - lokadhātu. The Mahāyāna tradition states that the origin of the world - loka, is from Kamma. Although the result of Kamma is one's own, it means the only doer can get the good or evil result, but there is a concept in Pāli-nikāyas of punyapariņāmnā or prāptidāna - transformation of good virtues of the individual. We can share with others only the result of our good deeds, not the result of evil deeds.
Individualistic Aspects of the Kamma :
The sublime feature of the Kamma is in its individualistic interpretation on various aspects. In Buddhism, everything is individual, suffering, emancipation, Samsāra, Nibbāna and even Kamma, all alike have their basis in the individual and are conditioned by the individual.2 Whatever may be the action of an individual, the