Karma and use of medicine

Amanaki · #1 10-09-2018, 04:28 PM

We all know about karma and how to en suffering.

But as buddhist how do you look at the use of medicine for you self?
Do you not think about it and use medicine to get well, or do you know that the reason you feel sinckness is because of karmic repayment?

sky · #2 10-09-2018, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amanaki

We all know about karma and how to en suffering.

But as buddhist how do you look at the use of medicine for you self?
Do you not think about it and use medicine to get well, or do you know that the reason you feel sinckness is because of karmic repayment?

If I had a serious illnesses or was in intense pain then I wouldn't hesitate to use Medicine. For mundane aches and pains I never take Medicine as I don't like the idea of chemicals etc: floating around my body.
I suffer from Migraines and use Qigong which helps, meditation also helps with some pain. Tai Chi is another excellent relief for back pain. There are alternative remedies you can try.
I personally don't believe all illnesses are caused by bad Karma, Buddha did not say or teach that either.

Solely through our actions?
Early Buddhist writings (particularly SN 36.21: see related links for an annotated translation) suggest that not all that we experience is the result of past action; it may be due to natural events of one sort or another. This is one point on which early Buddhism appears to differ somewhat from later Tibetan teachings, which suggest that all the good and bad things that happen to us are the results of past actions.

Amanaki · #3 10-09-2018, 08:09 PM

Personally the only time i accept to take other then natural medicine (herbs, plants) is if i have been hospitalized and need drugs during an operation.

sky · #4 10-09-2018, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amanaki

Personally the only time i accept to take other then natural medicine (herbs, plants) is if i have been hospitalized and need drugs during an operation.

I think ' the middle way ' is sensible, if Medicine is the only way, use it but don't abuse it

Amanaki · #5 10-09-2018, 08:27 PM

Yes that is true. But i see sickness as a result of karmic situation, meaning if i get sick it is som form of karma needed to be repaid. But if its an operation the pain involved in it can be very hard to endure, so then i see it ok to use medication.

But in general i dont attach to medicine or no medicine. And sometimes in a family situation it is better to take the medicine and your wife dont kill you because of a difficult argument if you dont take the medicine

sky · #6 10-09-2018, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amanaki

Yes that is true. But i see sickness as a result of karmic situation, meaning if i get sick it is som form of karma needed to be repaid. But if its an operation the pain involved in it can be very hard to endure, so then i see it ok to use medication.

But in general i dont attach to medicine or no medicine. And sometimes in a family situation it is better to take the medicine and your wife dont kill you because of a difficult argument if you dont take the medicine

Lots of illnesses are caused by genetics, this is not your Karma, it's not your fault, it's just ' life '

Amanaki · #7 10-09-2018, 08:53 PM

in my understanding of karma it can follow from one life time to the next, and in some few situation one can inherent karma from the family.

Karma is cause of action, but as far as i understand it does not need to be repaied this life, it can follow in to the next too.

and the more karma we acumulate the more time it take to repay it

Samana · #8 15-09-2018, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amanaki

.......... or do you know that the reason you feel sinckness is because of karmic repayment?

Kamma/karma means "intentional action" and is definately not some kind of cosmic punishment system! Example....if someone is rude to another person and that other person retaliates, its the direct result of the first person's action. (intentional action = karmic result (kamma-vipaka)

The Buddha said:

Quote:

"Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, & intellect. (Sutta AN6.63)

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipi....063.than.html

He also said :

Quote:

There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about them. Which four?

"The Buddha-range of the Buddhas is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.

"The jhana-range of a person in jhana...]

"The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...

"Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.

"These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about them." (Sutta AN 4.77)

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipi....077.than.html

Hope this helps.

_/|\_

Still_Waters · #9 15-09-2018, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sky123

I think ' the middle way ' is sensible, if Medicine is the only way, use it but don't abuse it

I agree.

Amen !

sentient · #10 16-09-2018, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amanaki

We all know about karma and how to en suffering.

But as buddhist how do you look at the use of medicine for you self?
Do you not think about it and use medicine to get well, or do you know that the reason you feel sinckness is because of karmic repayment?

If you have iodine or magnesium deficiency, as a Buddhist would you not take the supplement since you are not living in war times where medicine and food are scarce and you have to depend on pine bark for sustenance?

Do thyroid problems for example originate from unprocessed trauma?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15677401

Quote:

PTSD and thyroid:
To test this hypothesis, we assessed the association between chronic PTSD in a national sample of 2,490 Vietnam veterans and the prevalence of common autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, insulin-dependent diabetes, and thyroid disease. Our analyses suggest that chronic PTSD, particularly comorbid PTSD or complex PTSD, is associated with all of these conditions.

And do these unprocessed traumas - when psychologically passed on - in turn create a Karmic energy pattern in families of intentionally suppressing the throat chakra, which can lead to thyroid problems? Like catch 22.
Or is that too way out there? I don’t know.
https://www.spiritoftransformation.c...ur-thyroid.htm

Does unprocessed trauma (stress) trigger genetic problems, I think so.

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