The law of Karma

[Guest guest]

It is often difficult for us to feel in control of our lives. Unable to change

the past, or control the events around us, it is easy to feel like a paper

sailboat being tossed about on a stormy sea. The Dharma, however, offers us a

different view. Within the Dharma we discover that we can control the nature of

our lives, and that we can find an island of peace amidst this ocean of chaos we

call life. Through understanding, we are able to conquer our lives.

The five things that are welcome in this world, but are difficult to attain, are

long life, beauty, happiness, honor and heaven. These five auspicious and often

sought after pleasures are not found easily. They do not come to us without

effort. They do not come to us by way of day dreams or wishful thinking. If we

wish to attain these, we must strive for them of our own merit. What is given

to us can be easily taken away. Therefore, it is up to us to follow a path that

leads us to the pleasures we seek. Those who prudently follow a wise path that

leads to the attainment of these five pleasures, is said to attain these things

- in both their human and divine existence.

The five things that we can not escape from in this world are age, sickness,

change, death and karma. These five things are the nature of Samsara (the cycle

of suffering, birth and death). Realizing this, can help improve the nature of

our lives. Without clinging to our youth we allow ourselves to grow and mature.

Realizing how fragile the nature of our existence is, we nurture ourselves and

others. Realizing the impermanence of our lives, we find an appreciation of

what is before us in the moment. Realizing death, life has value to us.

Realizing we can not escape our karma, we begin to develop and cultivate a path

that releases us from our self afflictions.

The life we live, is the result of how we have lived. A life lived with pain and

anguish (in dark karma) is a result of having lived controlled by our desire

nature. A life lived with merit (in light karma) is a result of having lived in

control of our desire nature. A life lived with both pain and joy (in dark and

light karma) is a result of having lived both controlled by and in control of

our desire nature. A life lived with equanimity and peacefulness (in neither

light nor dark karma) is the result of having lived free from our desire

nature, and without taking delight in the benefit of our merits.

Karma is the chain that binds us to Samsara. The debts of our dark karma bind us

to the wheel of Samsara. Even living in light karma binds us to Samsara, for we

are drawn to the delight of our merits. The merits of heaven shall also be

spent and bring us rebirth in the lower worlds. Only when we live for the

benefit of all living beings, without any intentions of self, can we break the

chain of karma and find liberation.

We are the owners of our karma. Karma, the fruit of our intentions, shape our

lives. The intentions that create our karma are born of our own desire nature.

Our karma manifests in the present, in the future, and even follows us in our

future existences. What we run from, we shall run into. All that we reap, we

must sow. Even if we allow others to carry our burden, they can not purify our

karma for us, and we shall not share in the merit of their virtues.

We can control the nature of our lives. Within this moment, the only moment that

exists, the past, present and future are contained. We may not be able to change

our past actions or the actions of others, or prevent its results, but we are in

control of how we re-act upon them. The Buddha tells us that studying the nature

of our actions (before, during and after we act) can help us discern what is

helpful and what is a hindrance upon our path. He has given us the Noble

Eightfold Path, and adapting this path to our way of life can help us overcome

our desire nature, change the light of our karma, and conquer our lives.

May your karma be full of Dharma"Gurur Brahma Gurur VishnuGurur Devoh

Maheshwar;Gurur Shakshat ParambramhaTashmai Shri Gurur Veh Namah"May the

Merciful Sri Sai Baba always shower His grace on us and our families and remove

our problems and anxieties by giving us all - strength , goodluck, success and

happiness with peace of mind.Sai bhakt,Deepa Hdebu7366

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