Lectures on Basic Study Materials 
from Dai-Byakuho, issue no. 368

Concerning 
Karma

What is Karma?
When Japanese people become exasperated because things are not 
progressing the way they would like them to, they often use a phrase 
which translates literally as, "I am boiling in my karma", in order to 
express their irritation. Although the Japanese incorporate the word 
"karma" into many phrases used in everyday language, such as, "the 
fires of karma" and, "karmic illness", these phrases do not always 
correctly convey the original meaning of the word "karma". 
In our practice of Buddhism, it is important that we correctly 
understand the concept of karma. The word "karma" comes from 
Sanskrit, and means "action" or "deed". There are also times when the 
meaning of the word "karma" includes not only a person's deed, but 
also the deed's power to produce an effect. For example, if someone 
hurts another, even though the act itself may soon be over and done 
with, the regret, animosity and the like, which accompany the hurtful 
deed, will remain afterwards. Further, because of such remorse or ill 
feeling, there will eventually be suffering. In this way, while karma 
refers specifically to actions, those actions also leave behind their 
own repercussions.

Varieties of Karma

Three Karmas of the Body, Mouth and Mind.
All of human karma is divided into three kinds; physical, verbal and 
mental. Physical karma results from activities of the body, while 
verbal karma derives from actions of the mouth, and mental karma 
arises from activities of the mind or will. On the Buddhist path, these 
three types of actions should correspond with each other. We are 
taught that it is important that our thoughts, words and deeds should 
be consistent, rather than allowing them to be separate or 
contradictory.
Common Karma and Individual Karma.
Common karma refers to karma which people share and shoulder in 
common. For example, there are cases where all people share causes 
and effects, such as social development, or a case where an entire 
society was assailed by a disaster, would be called instances of 
common karma. In contrast, individual karma refers to the karma of 
an individual person. For example, a mother can not take the place of 
a child who is suffering from illness. Individual karma refers to 
personal pleasures and sufferings. Thus, while karma is a personal 
matter, it simultaneously possesses social and historical capabilities.

The Nature of Karma
Further, if we search deeply into the nature of karma, we can show 
that what a person does is what he receives (Japan: Jigo Jitoku), and 
that a karmic cause produces a karmic effect (Japan: Goin Goga).
Jigo Jitoku 
This refers to the fact that a person receives retribution for the 
deeds he has committed. A sutra states:
It is not likely that a person's deeds will be erased. They will return 
without fail for the culprit to receive. If a foolish man commits a 
crime, he will suffer for it in his next life.
It is further stated in the Hokku Sutra:
A man will be tainted by his evil deeds, while a man who commits no 
evil will remain pure. Through their own deeds, people will be pure 
or impure.
In short, because the effects of one's actions will return to oneself, 
we must ultimately take responsibility for our own actions. For 
example, even if we are influenced by the actions of others, the 
significance of Jigo Jitoku is lost if we think that our future will be 
determined by the actions of that other person. The fundamental 
concept of karma is that we are responsible for our own actions.

Karmic Cause and Karmic Effect.
Among causes and effects that span the three existences of past, 
present and future, good and evil actions become the causes of 
karma, which eventually manifest as good or evil, painful or 
pleasurable effects. There are two facets to the causes and effects of 
karma.
First is the case where the natures of the cause and effect are the 
same. For example, through a person's greedy conduct (cause), his 
heart becomes more stingy and shameless (effect). In this case, there 
is a "flow of intimacy between the cause and the effect", which is 
known as Toru no Inga in Japanese. The other case is where the 
natures of the cause and the effect diverge. In this instance, a good 
cause produces a pleasurable effect, while a bad cause produces a 
painful result. This is known as a "cause and effect of divergent 
maturing" (Japan., Ijaku no Inga). Thus, one's fortune is a result of 
the karmic cause that is made. However, the time when one will 
receive that karmic effect can vary. Buddhism explains that for 
karma created in the present lifetime, there are three periods for the 
retribution of that karma.
1. Jungen Jugo (Genpo):  karmic retribution in this lifetime
2. Junji Jugo (Shoho):  karmic retribution in one's next lifetime
3. Jungo Jugo (Goho):  karmic retribution after two or three lifetimes 

Karma and Destiny
According to teachings other than Buddhism, views about humanity 
can be divided into three major classifications:
1. The view that God controls the destiny of man.
2. The view that the destiny of man is determined by coincidence.
3. The view that man's life has been determined by destiny or fate 
since the eternal past.
From the viewpoint of Buddhism, each of these views is shallow and 
partial. Buddhism teaches that all human suffering or pleasure is 
based on a realistic law of cause and effect, and is determined by 
each individual's karma. We can not determine or choose our parents 
or country of birth. Further, each of us is born with different abilities 
and appearances. The causes that give rise to such differentiation are 
the deeds which each of us has committed before we were born, 
which Buddhism calls "karma" (Japan., Shukugo).
This view of karma is different from the theory of destiny or fate. 
The reason for this is that karma is the causal actions through which 
we receive our resulting fortune. Likewise, we are freely able to 
change our future lives through our causal actions in this lifetime. 
For this reason, the view of karma is totally different, both from the 
view which posits that our lives are determined by an absolute being 
like a god, and from the theory of destiny, which expounds that life 
is just coincidental.

Path to the Transformation of Karma
Although we all face various restrictions in our present lives due to 
karma from past existences, Buddhism explains that even though we 
are in the middle of karmic retribution, we can determine our future 
fortune by our own volition. The Daishonin expounds the path to 
karmic change in the Letter from Sado.
It is impossible to fathom one's karma. . . It is solely so that I may 
expiate in this lifetime my past heavy slanders and be freed from 
the three evil paths in the next. (M.W., Vol. 1, pp. 37-38)
Through the benefit of embracing the Dai-Gohonzon, we can change 
our evil karma from past lifetimes and construct happy lives, both in 
this existence and the life to come.


©1995 Nichiren Shoshu Monthly