Karma dissolution and our true nature

[ajay00]

Originally Posted by Guillaume

Following this thread.
https://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/s....php?p=2051408

So basically to realize enlightenment, one need to go though karma dissolution. This is something quite hard to understand as karma is a vague notion, has many definition and interpretations.
But to me this is related to letting go of our identity.

There is a certain bit of complexity in comprehending this.

To understand Karma, you need to understand Sankhara.

Sankhara means psychological impressions, and the Hindu equivalent of this word is Vasana.

Any action done in ignorance of our true nature of Buddha nature or awareness, due to strong desires in the form of cravings and aversions deposits psychological impressions or Sankhara's in the unconscious.

These Sankhara's then propel behavior and actions mechanically in that particular direction for gaining pleasure or avoiding pain. Such thoughts and actions, upon repetition, becomes habitual.

Addictions are but very strong impressions or Sankharas in the unconscious.

Such inordinate pursuit of pleasant sensations (cravings) and avoidance of painful sensations (aversions) generate mental agitation , and are productive of all sorts of vices such as lust, greed, hatred and all crimes can be traced to these vices.

As per S.N.Goenka, " Aversions and cravings can never be wholesome. They will always make you tense and unhappy."

Spiritual exercises such as meditation, mindfulness, vipassana, virtuous conduct , compassion are potent in dissolving such psychological impressions or Sankharas and bringing about mental purity that brings peace.


Karma denotes ego driven action and such action denotes doership implying the ego filled with motives. The ego is but craving itself, and all such egoistically motivated actions will only deposit further sankhara's in the unconscious causing further bondage through mechanical habit and addictions and vices.

Drinking coffee is fine, but drinking it a lot out of habit denotes Sankharas or impressions in the unconscious influencing such behavior, and such actions can be termed as Karma.

A Buddha has no habits or addictions, and hence no karmic actions can be perpetrated by him. This is because he or she has eliminated all Sankhara's or binding psychological impressions within himself through his inner work.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by ajay00

To understand Karma, you need to understand Sankhara. Sankhara means psychological impressions, and the Hindu equivalent of this word is Vasana.

I think there is a slight difference in that sankara are like the potentials or impressions generated by reactions or volition, which is generating kamma, and vasana is more like the tendency to do that, but that's just a bit of semantics.

Any action done in ignorance of our true nature of Buddha nature or awareness, due to strong desires in the form of cravings and aversions deposits psychological impressions or Sankhara's in the unconscious.

Nicely said

These Sankhara's then propel behavior and actions mechanically in that particular direction for gaining pleasure or avoiding pain. Such thoughts and actions, upon repetition, becomes habitual.

Yes indeed

Spiritual exercises such as meditation, virtuous conduct, compassion are potent in dissolving such psychological impressions or Sankharas and bringing about mental purity that brings peace.

I think they say you can't dissolve a sankara because that is already created by kamma and it will have to manifest itself in conscious experience at some time as destiny, but once it has arisen and passed, it expires. The other aspect is breaking the habit creating new sankara, which is the tendency or 'vedana'. Hence meditation is basically the cessation of creating sankara, which also involves breaking the habit of doing that.

The ego is but craving itself, and all such egoistically motivated actions will only deposit further sankhara's in the unconscious causing further bondage through mechanical habit and addictions and vices.

Well said

A Buddha has no habits or addictions, and hence no karmic actions can be perpetrated by him. This is because he or she has eliminated all Sankhara's or binding psychological impressions within himself through his inner work.

It's been debated because the past kamma of Buddha or anyone else leaves the potentials for future manifestation, hence Buddha continued to live out destiny as the outcomes of such past kamma, which really implies the purification has not completed, but since he ceased to generate new sankara, the purification proceeds unhindered as old sankara continuously pass away. Others debate that Buddha's purification was entirely completed, so the jury is out, but I lean toward the former view (though I don't care either way).

Very nice post.

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by Gem

It's been debated because the past kamma of Buddha or anyone else leaves the potentials for future manifestation, hence Buddha continued to live out destiny as the outcomes of such past kamma, which really implies the purification has not completed.

Interesting - makes me wonder if this could be related to Christ's crucifixion, if he ended up nailed to a cross as a result of past kamma.

[Guillaume]

Originally Posted by ajay00

To understand Karma, you need to understand Sankhara.

Oh, that's really great, thank you for your answer :)

[Gem]

Originally Posted by A human Being

Interesting - makes me wonder if this could be related to Christ's crucifixion, if he ended up nailed to a cross as a result of past kamma.

I think that's probably right in a way, and maybe there was a deep pain potential from long ago that had to be realised to pass away, but the important lesson I think it holds is he didn't generate any kamma during that ordeal. It could be likened to how Buddha was tormented in meditation before enlightenment... But I can't really say on their behalf except for some wild speculation.

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by Gem

I think that's probably right in a way, and maybe there was a deep pain potential from long ago that had to be realised to pass away, but the important lesson I think it holds is he didn't generate any kamma during that ordeal. It could be likened to how Buddha was tormented in meditation before enlightenment... But I can't really say on their behalf except for some wild speculation.

Excellent point - yes, I'd agree that that's the most pertinent aspect of it, thanks for the insight!