Karma

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Many times in my television watching life, I came across the word 'karma.' I passed it off as some yoga-type thing. I thought it was like the inner-self or something to that effect. Then I found out what it meant. Karma is defined as the total effect of one's actions during the successive phases of one's existence, regarded as determining one's destiny. (My first definition of karma was a tad off.) Basically, karma is... if you do good, you get good; if you do bad, you get bad. I got one of those spontaneous conflicts in my mind resulting in a headache for the rest of that day. I couldn't figure out if this karma was true. I came up with these basic questions. Can I determine my fate? Somewhat. Can my good deeds create good events? Somewhat. Does that mean if I am nice to everyone than I will be rewarded? It's possible, but I've only seen it in It's a Wonderful Life.

I want to know everyone's thoughts on this. I need some outside input. I can't dwell on the matter by myself any longer. It's a paradox. I can't determine my fate. That's already been determined, but every event I do right now effects my future. I guess the thing is... we can influence our future but we can't choose it. So, once again I bring up... Can my good deeds make my fate a good one? Let me rephrase that. Will my good deeds make my fate a good one?

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Quote:

Can my good deeds make my fate a good one?

Yes.

Quote:

Will my good deeds make my fate a good one?

That depends on what you mean by "good."

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"what goes around, comes around."

My wife lives by that motto, especially when people are rude to her or otherwise interfere with her.

It's fun to watch sometimes.

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patiodog wrote:

That depends on what you mean by "good."

LOL. That depends on what your definiton of 'is' is.

Good means good. Good means anything that is good, which would be good. Good = Righteous, honorable, decent, respectable, moral, upright, virtuous, noble, worthy, blameless, imaculate, enjoyable, pleasant, nice, satisfactory, lovely, delightful, talented, expert, proficient, fair, sunny, etc.

Did I define it well enough? I may have missed a few aspects of goodness.

Please don't get sidetracked by my wording. What I am askng is... Will I get rewarded and/or punished consequently by my actions? Will my good actions bring about a better fate? and Will my bad deeds bring about a worse fate?

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I'm not quibbling; it's an important distinction. By "good life," some people mean material wealth and comfort. Others mean being able to live with their conscience.

Good deeds will probably more often than not bring you a good fate if you are guided by conscience. If you are guided by comfort, however, they are not likely to take you far.

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If you do good, good things will come to you. Good people will surround you and you will have access to good opinions and have good friends. people will want to do good by you as you do good by them.

If you do bad, bad things will happen to you. (Insert bad in sentance above)

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patiodog wrote:

I'm not quibbling; it's an important distinction. By "good life," some people mean material wealth and comfort. Others mean being able to live with their conscience.

My bad. I didn't mean to bother you. The way you worded your question brought back memories. Just fill in my 'good' with any word that falls under the 'good' category and that's what it meant. I didn't want to be to specific. Just good and bad. No absolutes.

McGentrix wrote:

If you do good, good things will come to you. Good people will surround you and you will have access to good opinions and have good friends. people will want to do good by you as you do good by them.

If you do bad, bad things will happen to you. (Insert bad in sentance above)

You're right. Your 'good' deeds influence your future. It's just this... There are 'perfect' people that die rather abruptly. They may have never harmed anyone or anything yet their life is cut short. While there are 'corrupt' CEO's living of of other people's losses and enjoying themselves in their mansions throughout their prolonged life. Is this karma?

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The folks who originated karma also believed in reincarnation. It's not necessarily in this life that you will benefit from your karma, but in the next. (There's also dharma, which, as I understand it, is more akin to fate, but I don't really know anything about it.)

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Mhatte-Rhaye wrote:

patiodog wrote:
That depends on what you mean by "good."

LOL. That depends on what your definiton of 'is' is.

Good means good. Good means anything that is good, which would be good. Good = Righteous, honorable, decent, respectable, moral, upright, virtuous, noble, worthy, blameless, imaculate, enjoyable, pleasant, nice, satisfactory, lovely, delightful, talented, expert, proficient, fair, sunny, etc.

Did I define it well enough? I may have missed a few aspects of goodness.

Ahhh...therein lies the problem.

And considering one of the lines in this little commentary of yours...

...perhaps it makes sense to ask...

...Some people would consider a decently given blow job -- no matter where given...to be a "good" thing. In fact, some people would consider it such a "good" thing -- they will actually go out of their way to get one. Some might even take chances to get one that seem preposterous.

Other people might consider a blow job to be a "bad" thing. No matter where given.

And in some cases, considering "where given" might consider it to be a "very bad thing."

How does this reconsile with your definition?

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I am a firm believer that "what goes around comes around" has uneven results. For instance, a man could kill someone and then be fed, clothed, and housed for the rest of his life.

About good people dying too soon, it's just their time. Somehow I have managed to believe that people die when what they were sent to earth to do is done. Basically, people have a task or two and after they have completed that task, they can die. Sometimes dying itself is their task.

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I once had a '59 karma ghia, it handled quite well and was great in the snow but when I tried to revive it after driving off Red Mountain Pass it refused a second, and no doubt better, life cycle.

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I have a big yellow ghia, it doesn't run to well though.

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LOL!

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Actually, i don't know if you could even try to call a ghia - or any vw - a big car.

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