In modern times, we use the word karma in many ways. ‘Ain’t karma a bitch’—meaning what ‘Goes around, comes around.’ It can also refer to the Golden Rule from the Hebrew and Christian Bible: ‘Do unto others what as you would have them do unto you.’ But, in the context of this article, we’re dealing with ancient times, and going back 2,500 years to India where the Buddha lived and taught. What is karma in Buddhism? Do we have to believe in reincarnation for karma to be relevant?

Karma is a Sanskrit word that literally means ‘action’ or ‘doing’. In Hinduism, it is believed that everyone is trapped in samsara (an endless cycle of birth-death-rebirth for eternity). The concept of karma in Hinduism describes a system in which beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions, and harmful actions create misery in your next lives. However, what was considered as a beneficial action was in the hands of the highest members of the caste system, the Brahmins. The Brahmin priests would perform a ritual on your behalf and that would bring you better karma for your next life. The problem was that if you were of the lower castes, even merchants, common laborers and especially the untouchables, that option was not available to you. You were trapped.

Karma in Buddhism

Along with The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path, the Buddha repudiated the ancient concept of karma. The Buddha said that the ‘intent’ of the action is more important than the action itself and anyone, no matter what caste, had the power to change their own destiny by doing good deeds with the intention of caring. So each individual could change their destiny, not only in this life, but in future incarnations. It was a complete democratization of karma. In essence, the Buddha revolutionized ethics. With karma available to everyone, action and intention had real consequences. Essentially, it means that we are in charge of our own moral condition. The buck stops with you: your destiny and moral condition were no longer controlled by the whim of the gods or the rituals of the Brahmins. 

So answering the two questions I posed above, ‘What does karma mean in Buddhism?’ It means helping others and performing good deeds with the pure intention of compassion. ‘Do we have to believe in reincarnation?’ My answer to that is ‘No’. We can live in the present moment during this lifetime and help others. This requires no belief in reincarnation.

Related article: The Noble Eightfold Path: Guidance For Life’s Challenges

This post contains affiliate links, which help us keep the blog afloat. Click here for more information.

Your mind is the garden

Before we can sow seeds of compassion, we must take care to choose fertile ground on which to sow. That means that we must act with an open heart and the right intention. Our mind is like a field, and performing actions is like sowing seeds in that field. Virtuous actions sow seeds of future happiness and non-virtuous actions sow seeds of future suffering. These seeds remain dormant in our mind until the conditions for them to ripen occur, and then they produce their harvest. 

We all have a lot of garbage in our lives. We can use that garbage as compost. We all suffer, but we must not allow our suffering to prevent us from seeing all the miracles of life. If one tree in our garden is sick, we must tend to it carefully, but don’t ignore the rest of your garden. A well-tended garden will bear life-sustaining fruits and vegetables along with beautiful blossoms that soothe the soul. Although flowers are impermanent, like us, it makes them all the more precious. 

Other ancient religious texts such as the Bhagavad Gita say that the secret to life is ‘to act well without attachment to the fruits of your labor.’ Most of us have heard ‘The road to hell is paved with good intentions.’ This extremely cynical view on good deeds may actually warn us to be very careful on how we approach and conduct our actions for the good. But we must act with good intentions. It is our intention that matters. If you are helping others and giving of your time, do not do so to gain ‘brownie points’ or recognition for your ‘success’. That is not karma. Real karma in Buddhism comes from a place of compassion for the suffering in the world. When we commit to something, we will experience some measure of failure as well as success. If we focus only on the results we will become discouraged and devastated. 

We can give our best, create what we can, and trust in the larger process of life itself. We can plan, care for, and tend to but we can’t control. We must let go of the outcome.

“Move forward as occasion offers. Never look around to see whether any shall note it. Be satisfied with success even in the smallest matter, and think that such a result is no trifle.” – Marcus Aurelius

Be a vessel for virtue: watering your seeds

Buddhist thought and practice are skillful means for cultivating three basic elements of our own character: 1) Wisdom, 2) Compassion, and 3) Integrity. These are known as The Three Pillars of Buddhism. Buddhists have reverence for all life and this is called ‘virtue’. Our life on this planet is short and goes by in the blink of an eye, but the smallest act of kindness can change the world and if we cultivate integrity and kindness, we pass that on to others, to the next generation. We can literally become a vessel for virtue. Like a pitcher of fresh water we can pass it on to others so they can drink from the well of kindness and water their garden.

Related article: Watering Roots, Not Leaves: Cultivating Compassion Effectively

Tending our garden: cultivation of care

In Buddhism, ethical questions are not framed in terms of good and bad, but on suffering and its causes. Stealing is harmful to us and the wider community. Buddhist training does not view the world through the lens of ‘shame’, of the concept of ‘sin’ or speak of a God who sets moral rules and punishes wrongdoers. Instead, it describes the natural laws of karma (cause and effect), interconnectedness, and who we really are! 

Buddhist traditions teach that we are born with an innate basic goodness and inner nobility. There is no denying that all of our actions, words, and thoughts have direct consequences. Often, we judge people by their situation, appearance, and yes, wrongdoing. But Buddhists don’t regard those who do harm as ‘sinners’ or intrinsically ‘evil’. They act from ignorance, and their own suffering. We don’t know what suffering has caused the other person to act this way. Allow me to present a scenario for you.

You are at a busy market on a hot afternoon carefully selecting the freshest fruits and vegetables and after your purchase you head home with all your groceries stuffed in a large paper bag. Just as you approach a corner at an intersection, somebody bumps into you, causing you to fall and your groceries are strewn all over the sidewalk and crosswalk. Enraged, you jump to your feet ready to give someone hell. But, just behind you still lying on the sidewalk is a man with dark glasses and a white cane. He is blind. How quickly you change from raging anger to genuine concern for the welfare of this poor man. The spilled groceries no longer matter. 

Buddhism teaches that wrongdoing emanates from ignorance, delusion, cravings and that people are not inherently evil. In this case the culprit was literally blind.

Karma in Buddhism: planting seeds on the Eightfold Path

“Plant a green tree in your heart and maybe the singing bird will come.”

“Plant a thought – harvest an act

 

Plant an act – harvest a habit.

 

Plant a habit – harvest a character

 

Plant a character – harvest a destiny.”

 

– First Nations Shoshone proverb

When we walk and live the Eightfold Path, we can act, not out of aversion or grasping, but as a labor of love. Our actions are a product of our wisdom and compassion, even when the immediate result is uncertain. When we act for the long-term, there will be pressure to take sides, grasp opinions, constantly measure the results, and try to control everything. But grasping is not the way to wisdom. 

“When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.” – Helen Keller

Praise and blame, obstacles and triumph will come and go. It is not given to us to know how our life will affect the world. What is given to us is to tend the intentions of the heart and plant beautiful seeds with our deeds. Do not doubt that your good actions will bear fruit, and that change for the better can arise from your life.

“Do not depend on the hope of results but concentrate on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself.” – Thomas Merton 

When our efforts seem futile, we can trust that in another time and place there may be unexpected results. When we are trying to address a problem, improve the state of the world, help a friend, comfort a grieving child, it may seem to be going nowhere. Yet our actions are like planting seeds in the ground. We don’t know for sure when they will bear fruit, and what seems like failure may be a time of gestation. Our work toward the good can be sustained if we don’t measure the success or failure of our actions by the immediate and superficial results. I think that is why I love gardening so much. It is so good for the soul and it teaches us patience. When I am working in a garden, I am totally in the here and now—without trying to be.

How to practice Karma in Buddhism

“It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks; to go forward with a great desire forever beating at the door of our hearts as we travel toward our distant goal.” – Helen Keller

“To see things in the seed, that is genius.” – Lao Tzu

A person with little financial means or security may say to themselves, ‘But I have nothing to give.’ Oh yes you do, oh yes, we do. Act as if you matter, whatever you do in life, whether you feel that way or not. There are many ways in which we can give. Give away thanks. Give away praise. Give away information. Give away time. Time is a precious commodity in the modern era. Most importantly, give away love. Be kind to others, while including yourself in your circle of care.

“In giving you are throwing a bridge across the chasm of your solitude.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Give away information

So much of what we have in life comes with great difficulty. And, often, we see others struggle as much as we did. Turn this around, and begin giving others as much help as you can give. We must give with no expectations of return. More likely than not, however, the return will not only benefit the person you are helping, but you will find greater meaning in your own life. For some reason, when you become a support to others you become bigger than you are. Moreover, when people use what they have learned from you, your effect in this world is greatly magnified. 

Give away praise

Often the people we find most difficult to praise are the ones closest to us—our partners, our children, our parents, our co-workers. A lot of the difficulty comes from anger and resentment. Yet, surprisingly, when we praise the people in our lives, we release this negativity and open the door for their being loving toward us. In relationships, too many of us focus on the negative, and have no difficulty reminding significant others of their shortcomings. No wonder so many relationships don’t last. It is natural that we want our loved ones to be affirming and supportive. It is important to surround ourselves with giving, loving, and nurturing people. You must become what you want to attract; be the kind of person you would want to surround yourself with. The laws of attraction: like attracts like.

Give away time

In this modern era, time, literally, is the most precious commodity. There never seems to be enough of it. I watch my son who has just become a father (I’m a Grandpa!) tending to his wife and child while working a very high-pressure job. I often wish I could be there to help, but he lives in Luxembourg and I am in Canada. And he took the time to create my own blog for me, which literally is like giving the nuclear codes to a chimpanzee! 

When you think about it, our time on this planet is limited, so time is our most precious gift. How do you give away time? Listen to a friend, write a note of thanks, help someone learn, get involved in something bigger than yourself and become a participating member of your community by volunteering your time. All of these take you out of yourself and help you operate from a different part of your being—the part that is loving, nurturing, and abundant. However, it is absolutely essential that you do not take on too many projects and that you leave time for yourself. 

Give away love

When we let someone be who they are without trying to change them; that is giving away love. When we trust that someone else can handle his or her life, and act accordingly, that is giving away love. When we let go and allow others to learn and grow without feeling that our existence is threatened; that is giving away love. What we often define and perceive to be love really isn’t—it is being needy. Love is generally confused with dependence; but in point of fact, you can love only in proportion to your capacity for independence. The ability to give also depends on whether you think you count or not, so in that respect self-esteem is an essential element in the process. We must love and care for ourselves first and foremost.

Give away smiles

It takes very little for us to smile. Sometimes, I will be in the grocery store or mall and see people with grim, hostile faces. It is so sad. So I smile everywhere I go and I smile when I meditate. I smile if I am in pain, if I am suffering and eventually the smile brings me back to the present moment. Basically we suffer the most in the past and in the future.

Yesterday is but a dream

 

And tomorrow only a vision –

 

But today – well lived in the 

 

Present moment,

 

Makes all our yesterdays 

 

Full of beautiful memories

 

And all our tomorrows

 

Visions of hope. 

Final thoughts

Giving is flowing outward toward genuine connection and is the greatest antidote to fear. It’s about letting go of your crouched, withholding self and standing tall with outstretched arms. It’s about feeling a sense of abundance. Like any other skill, however, it takes practice. Giving from the position of ‘I count’, enhances this ability.

“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as being a worthy one, the being a force of nature instead of a feverish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making us happy.

 

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and, as long as I live, it is my privilege to do whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I’ve got to hold up for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it to the next generation.” – George Bernard Shaw

In the final analysis, it is kindness, only kindness to others and to ourselves that matters.

Spread the word and share the love 🙏

If you enjoyed this article, consider sharing it with your friends and followers on social media. Your support means the world to us. 💖 Click on the social share icons below and let others discover the insights, tips, and inspiration you found here. Together, we can create a community of like-minded individuals who practice mindfulness and Stoicism.

👉 Remember, a simple click can make a big difference!

Well, the first challenge in understanding the Tao is its definition. Translated literally, ‘The Tao’ means ‘The Way’. The very first verse of this ancient teaching warns that it’s useless to try to define or name The Tao:

The Tao that can be told
Is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
Is not the eternal Name.

Despite this warning, the Western mind needs to describe it in a language that it understands, such as, “The intangible formless essence of all things. It is the noumenon at the root of all phenomena, the invisible caused by the presupposed by the visible world of effect. Without it, nothing could exist, and yet our senses perceive only the outer manifestations.” – Anonymous

If I were to hazard a guess, the source there could be a professor of Phenomenology at a prestigious university.

I see online that the Tao is described as the ‘chill’ philosophy: ‘just go with the flow, bro!’ But living the Tao is not a philosophy but a way of ‘being’ and warrants our attention to its basic principles.

In spite of all the failed attempts to describe the Tao by Western scholars and their need for logic and the rejection of paradox, there is much wisdom to be found in the Tao. One analogy for understanding the practical application of the Tao is to imagine a fish tank full of muddy water. Eventually, if we calmly wait, the mud settles to the bottom. If we try to remove all the dirt from the tank with our hands, we end up worse off than before. 

I actually apply that same analogy to my mindfulness practice, where I just allow all the mud and debris to settle a little. Ancient Taoist scholars such as Chuang Tzu came to realize that the human mind works on the same principle. Instead of trying to grasp, seek, and control, when we allow ourselves to be peaceful and still, we find we return to balance effortlessly. And in many cases, this is practical advice.

Silence is a great source of strength
When the mind is still
The whole Universe surrenders.

– Chuang Tzu, 4th century B.C.E.

Related article: The Way Of Chuang Tzu & Four Practices Of Taoism

The natural world of the Tao

The Tao Te Ching was inspired by the observation of the harmony and beauty of the natural world: the ebb and flows of the tides, the phases of the moon which tells us when to sow and when to harvest, the cyclical nature of the seasons, rivers flowing effortlessly to the sea, returning to their source, the clouds nourishing all life with precious water, and the sun setting at dusk and rising again at dawn. 

One only needs to spend some time in nature to feel the pulsating harmony of life. Over and over again central themes of the Taoist scholars and the original text of the Tao Te Ching speak of ‘the flow’, of all things eventually ‘returning to their source’, and water. The Taoist would not fear death because it is part of a grander scheme of us effortlessly returning to our source and is simply the yin and yang of existence. But the Tao Te Ching recognized that the harmony and ease of the natural world had been lost by mankind.

This post contains affiliate links, which help us keep the blog afloat. Click here for more information.

Wu wei

One of the key principles of Taoism is called wu wei, which can be translated as ‘doing without doing’ or ‘actionless action’. This is difficult to describe but it fundamentally means that instead of straining to force things to happen which usually entails fighting against the current of life, the Taoists yield to the flow, allowing the right action to spontaneously arise. How many times have we rushed projects faced with unreasonable deadlines or multi-tasked everything so that the results are not what we would wish for.

“My greatest happiness consists in doing nothing whatsoever that is calculated to obtain happiness; and this, in the minds of most people, is the worst possible course. I will hold to the saying that ‘Perfect Joy’ is to be without Joy. Perfect Praise is to be without Praise. If you ask ‘what ought to be done’ and ‘what ought not to be done’ on earth to create happiness, I answer that these questions do not have an answer. There is no way of determining such things.

Yet, at the same time, if I cease striving for happiness, the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ at once become apparent all by themselves. Contentment and well-being at once become possible the moment you cease to act with them in view, and if you practice non-doing (wu wei), you will have both happiness and well-being.” 

– Chuang Tzu

Heaven does nothing; its non-doing is its serenity.
Earth does nothing; its non-doing is its rest.
From the union of these two non-doings
All actions proceed; all things are made.

Rather than trying to make life conform to the whims of our ego, a powerful Taoist practice is to be still, go within, and find out what ‘life’ wants—what life wants us to do, have, and create.

Wu wei is not woo woo

There is a lot of misunderstanding about the practice of wu wei. Does it mean doing nothing? No, it means that when we undertake any task, project, or endeavor, we give it our undivided attention. In other words, do it mindfully. When we find ourselves in doubt over the appropriate next step, we slow down or stop until the next action becomes clear. Once we are satisfied that we have given a task, endeavor, or project our very best effort, we let go of the outcome: a powerful practice in Stoicism.

Living the Tao means living in a state of wu wei and by doing so our actions become effortless and the results far more likely to yield positive results. It’s like planting seeds and then having the patience to have them sprout and grow to fruition.

The Tao Te Ching warns that forcing actions are likely to lead to chaos. Lao Tzu spells this out in Verse 15 of the Tao Te Ching:

Verse 15 of the Tao Te Ching

Rushing into action you fail
Trying to grasp things, you lose them.
By forcing a project to completion
You ruin what was almost ripe.
Can you remain still and tranquil
Until the right action appears spontaneously?

Yin and Yang 

We tend to categorize our experiences as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and we cling to and resist things accordingly. Life consists of polar opposites: hot and cold, suffering and joy, light and darkness, night and day, pleasure and pain, praise and blame, loss and gain. They are simply two sides of the same coin. If we have never experienced pain in our lives, then we would never experience pleasure.

“We shake with joy.
We shake with grief.
What a time they have,
these two, housed
in the same body.”

– Mary Oliver

I recollect a winter night in my apartment during the freezing winter of Canada when I was struggling to ‘let go’ of something that was causing me distress. I got dressed and went out into the freezing dark night and walked around until all I wanted was warmth. Once I got inside, I was so grateful for the warmth that my troubled mind was at peace.

Taoists seek to live with humility and acceptance; to take the good with the bad without rejecting anything that comes our way on our journey through life.

“When the heart is right, ‘for’ and ‘against’ are forgotten.”

– Chuang Tzu

If we are in harmony with life by living the Tao, when we start to feel anxious or depressed, instead of asking ourselves, ‘What do I need to be happy,’ the question becomes ‘What am I doing to disturb the inner peace that I already have?’

Related article: 13 Principles For Practicing Taoism

The Three Jewels of living the Tao

Lao Tzu outlined what he called the Three Jewels or three values that are key to a life of virtue, integrity, and harmony. These three jewels are:

• Compassion
• Moderation
• Humility

“With compassion you will be brave. With moderation you will be able to give to others. With humility you will be able to live with integrity.”

– Lao Tzu

Compassion

These three jewels should be natural. Compassion for others comes about with the awareness of our shared connection with others as embodiments of the Tao. This interconnectedness of all living things is also taught in the dharma of Buddhism.

But the human ego often feeds off of judgment, competition, and negative comparison. When this happens, we become alienated and disconnected from our fellow humans, and we lose touch with the natural world. Perhaps, at no time in human history have we become so alienated. This leads to isolation, conflict, and disaster: war, crimes against humanity, and the impending problem of global warming. 

Lao Tzu and Taoist scholars who followed his teachings warned of this and concluded that this type of human behavior utterly violated the laws of the Tao. The metaphor of water is used throughout the original text of the Tao Te Ching, and by the prominent Taoist scholar Chuang Tzu.

We are rather like whirlpools in the river of life. In flowing forward, a river or stream may hit upon the rocks and branches, or irregularities in the ground, here and there. Water entering one whirlpool causes other whirlpools to spring up here and there. Water entering one whirlpool quickly passes through and rejoins the river, eventually joining another whirlpool and moving on. Though for short periods it seems to be indistinguishable as a separate entity, the water in the whirlpools is just the river itself.

The way of water

However, we want to think that our little whirlpool isn’t part of the river. We want to see ourselves as permanent and stable: that we are completely separated from the river of life. Our whole energy goes into trying to protect our supposed separateness. To protect this separateness, we set up artificial boundaries; as a consequence, we consume and accumulate excess baggage, so that neighboring whirlpools may get less water because of our frantic holding on, and eventually the river itself ceases to flow and becomes inhabitable.

When we are faced with the cold, hard truth that 1% of the population owns and controls 99% of the planet’s wealth and resources, it is easy to understand ourselves as living in little whirlpools along a river and without regard for anyone else, we consume and continue to consume so much ‘stuff’ that many whirlpools get no water whatsoever, and finally the river itself ceases to flow. 

This may very well be our epitaph—our legacy to our children and our children’s children. As a father and a grandfather, I’m willing to look at the principles of living the Tao or as I like to call it, ‘The Way of Water,’ and look deeply to understand it, because quite frankly, Western philosophy has done nothing to dispel the ludicrous notion that we are completely ‘separate’ from our fellow human beings and from nature, from our beautiful planet. We believe that we are alone, so we must grab as much as we can and do anything to keep it. Western education teaches how to do things—for the most part how to acquire wealth. But, we are not taught how to ‘be’. Instead of being a great source of strength, silence frightens us and we have to keep busy and check our smartphones constantly.

Moderation

Moderation is a key principle as the second Jewel of the Tao. Lao Tzu and the Chinese sages noted how the balance of the natural world appeared to be maintained in an effortless manner or by the principle of wu wei.

Once again, they observed how water ‘nourished all of creation without trying to compete with it.’ When one considers that the lack of the most valuable resource on the planet, fresh water, will be humanity’s greatest challenge as global warming continues, one realizes just how important the study and living by the principles of the Tao should be taken seriously.

“Nothing is softer or more flexible
Than water yet,
Nothing can resist it.
Nature does not hurry,
Yet, everything is accomplished.”

– Chuang Tzu

Humility

Humility is the third jewel of the Tao or value that Lao Tzu frequently references. Humility is to be grateful for life, for the very breath that keeps us alive. But we don’t own it. It’s on loan to us and thus all the more precious and eventually we will have to give it back. If you watch the waves on a fast-running river, you will see a wave and then you may think it is gone. But the wave comes from the water, has a brief appearance or manifestation as a wave, and then it simply returns to the water again. It returns to its source. There is no birth, no death here. After a brief appearance as a wave it doesn’t die, it simply becomes water again.

“When the wave rises
The river and the water are one surf:
Where is the difference between
The river and its wave?
When the water rises,
It is water.
And when it falls,
It is the same water again.
Tell me Sir, where is the distinction?
Because it has been named as a wave,
Shall it no longer be considered as water?”

– Kabir

To the wise person who truly understands the nature of reality, there is no place for complacency or arrogance. There is no time for that! The wise person lives with utmost humility and gratitude, and in constant awe and wonder at the miracle of existence. Life is full of miracles. That is why the Tao can’t be described. All life is a mystery. To try to explain existence in terms of noumena and phenomena—just words and naming—is pointless. Embrace the mystery of life. Be silent and look around and pay attention, and you will begin to experience the utmost humility and gratitude for the gift of life.

Verse Eight of the Tao Te Ching

The supreme good is like water Which nourishes all things without trying to. It is content with the low places that people disdain. Thus, it is like the Tao.

In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don’t try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.

When you are content to simply be yourself And don’t compete or compare, Everybody will respect you.

If a man is crossing a river And an empty boat collides with his own skiff, Even though he be a bad-tempered man, He will not be angry. But, if he sees a man in the boat, He will shout for him to stay clear. If the shout is not heard, he will shout again And yet again, and begin cursing. And all because there is somebody in the boat. Yet, if the boat is empty He would not be shouting and not be angry. If you can empty your own boat crossing the river of the world, no one will oppose you, No one will seek to harm you.

– Chuang Tzu

“Remember, it is not enough to be hit or insulted to be harmed, you must believe that you are being harmed. If someone succeeds in provoking you, realize that your mind is complicit in the provocation. Which is why it is essential that we not respond impulsively to impressions; take a moment before reacting and you will find it easier to maintain control.” 

– Epictetus

Commentary

While writing this article I tried my best to employ wu wei—to take my time, in the hopes of getting it right. I would leave it for days at a time, before delving into yin and yang, and other humble attempts to understand the Tao and how it is still relevant today and attempt to convey that to you, the reader. I used two sources: the Tao Te Ching (paid link) and The Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton (paid link).