The Principle of Changing Karma
Okyobi Sermon, November, 2005
Reverend Shogu Kimura
Introduction
At times we may encounter incidents in our life that cannot be solved by our own efforts or wisdom. They may include natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, or accidents that are not our fault. We may also fall victim to an incurable disease. There are various innate distinctions among people such as gender, race, wealth, and appearance that are beyond anyone’s ability to control.
There are a number of views regarding the causes of these distinctions between individuals. Among the non-Buddhist teachings, these viewpoints can be broadly divided into three categories.
- God controls the destiny of human beings. Christianity asserts that the cause of suffering stems from original sin. All sufferings are hardships given by God.
- The destiny of human beings is arbitrary.
- The destiny of human beings is predetermined from the infinite past.
Buddhism categorizes these as biased views. Based on the Law of Cause and Effect, the Buddha teaches that distinctions, joy and suffering, happiness and misfortune are decided by the karma created by oneself.
Nichiren Daishonin states in “Letter from Sado”:
One who climbs a high mountain must eventually descend. One who slights another will in turn be despised… This is the general law of cause and effect. (Gosho, p. 582; MW-1, p. 40)
Karma and Past Karma
What is karma? Karma is a Sanskrit word that means action. Furthermore, it signifies the influence caused by the action. For instance, if we hurt someone, this action instantly vanishes after the event is over; however, the regret and the bad feelings will remain in our minds. By doing such action, we will feel the suffering without fail. Therefore, karma is action that deposits into our lives an influence over future events.
Karma is created by the three categories of action: physical, verbal, and mental causes. These include all the activities in our life. These actions create circumstances in our life in the future.
Based on this thinking, we can understand the relationship of cause and effect in the present. For example, the people in the field of sports and music get good results if they exercise and practice repeatedly. However, the principle of karma in Buddhism goes beyond the present lifetime. It teaches that results manifest in the present due to behavior in one’s past life. This also applies to the future based on cause and effect.
The Shinjikan Sutra states:
If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present. (Gosho, p. 571; MW-2, p. 197)
An individual distinction is a current result that has been brought about by one’s own karma created in past lifetimes through the three categories of action: physical, verbal and mental causes. Moreover, the three categories of action in the present will provide the results for the future. Karma is based on the view of the Three Existences. The causes we accumulated in the past are called past karma (shuku-go), and the causes we currently accumulate are called present karma (gen-go.)
Karma of the people in the Latter Day of the Law
What kind of karma did we bring into this world when we were born?
Twenty-sixth High Priest Nichikan Shonin stated:
The people of the Latter Day of the Law are hommi uzen, those who have not accumulated good causes through Buddhist practice in the past. (Fuyo, Vol. 10, p. 110)
The age of the Latter Day of the Law in itself is full of evil; therefore, people in this period have accumulated negative karma deep in their lives from causes made in the past, regardless of the amount and gravity. The Daishonin says that since the infinite past, the people in the Latter Day of the Law have not believed in or accepted the True Law. They have instead gone against it and have accumulated many negative offenses. Indeed, we are the people in the Latter Day of the Law who have heavy, negative karma from the past. As a result, we are suffering various agonies in this lifetime.
The Way to Change Karma
Can we eradicate our negative karma? Or, is karma predetermined? Can we escape from the retribution of suffering? This is the most important point to determine when judging right or wrong in faith. Nichiren Daishonin’s teaching is not fatalism. It is the teaching of changing karma that he, himself demonstrated.
The Daishonin states in “Letter from Sado”:
My present exile is not because of any crime. 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. (Gosho, p. 580; MW-1, p. 38)
From the standpoint of his Ultimate Life State as a Common Mortal, the Daishonin taught that he eradicated his heavy karma by enduring the persecution of the Sado exile. Moreover, he said that he could open a path for the future that would be free from the Three Evil Paths.
He explains why he was able to change his karma as follows:
Nichiren has denounced the enemies of the Lotus Sutra so severely that all eight descended upon him at once. (Gosho, p. 582; MW-1, p. 40)
He went on to say:
It is due to the blessing obtained by protecting the Law that one can diminish in this lifetime his suffering and retribution. (Gosho, p. 582; MW-1, p. 40)
We, the common mortals in the Latter Day of the Law, slandered the True Law and accumulated bad karma in the past. Therefore, the best way to change our karma is to uphold and propagate True Buddhism. When we, who are tainted by the Three Poisons, fall victim to a severe illness due to our past karma, which causes us terrible pain both physically and emotionally, we cannot easily escape from the world of illusion. We do not understand the true reason why we became ill. We try to find the causes elsewhere, disregarding the Law of Cause and Effect.
However, no matter what severe illness we may encounter, we can obtain the following wonderful benefits if we believe in the True Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin and chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
- We can observe our lives and recognize our karma.
- We can bring forth great confidence that enables us to change our karma without fail. Furthermore, a strong life force emerges, giving us the ability to survive life’s hardships.
- We will develop the conviction that instead of undergoing the great pain of Hell in the future, we are receiving light suffering in the present. Hope wells up that we can attain enlightenment.
- We will not consider negative karma to be only our own problem. We can truly live the principle of ganken-ogo (choosing to be born into the saha world in order to help the people). We will develop the spirit of undertaking negative karma for the sake of helping relieve the suffering of others. We can become merciful people who understand the sufferings of others and do shakubuku assiduously.
Conclusion
The path of changing karma lies in our determination to resolutely deepen our faith and practice. At the same time, we must do shakubuku “to denounce the enemies of the Lotus Sutra” as Nichiren Daishonin taught. Keeping this in mind, let us each shakubuku one person in order to accomplish our goal this year.