Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (MMK17) Examination of Action and Fruit (Karma–phala Parīkṣā)
Part I
By Paramartha
Introduction
‘Sākyamuni Buddha defines Karma thus, “ I say Karma is volitional activity (Cetanā ‘haṃ bhikhave kammaṃ vadāmi.” According to ‘Sākyamuni Buddha, the defining characteristic of Karma is ‘Volition’. Volitional action is karma; non-volitional action is not karma but pure action. The word ‘Volition’ indicates that karma is selfish action directed and empowered by self-centric ego. Conversely, karmaless is selfless action directed and empowered by the pure mind. Pure mind is one from which self-centric ego has been effaced. However, according to the Jainas , the contemporaries of ‘Sākyamuni Buddha in India both volitional and non-volitional actions are karmas because karma is substantial. From the Buddhist perspective, Karma is volitional and insubstantial.
Moral Accountability
The Buddha’s central tenet is that one is held responsible for whatever volitional actions (karmas) that one has committed. What one sows , so will one reap. The karmic efficacy is undestroyable or imperishable as along as the consequence or fruit of an action has not been experienced in terms of either retribution for the bad karma and reward for the good karma. It is metaphorically compared to a debt which must be honoured as long as it has not been settled or cleared. In other words, one cannot escape any moral accountability. One is fully responsible for what one has committed. For the spiritually undelivered one, this moral law of reciprocity or boomerang (accountability) operates precisely with zero defect.
True Nature of Karmas
The substantialists view all phenomena substantially. Even karmas are reified to possess permanent self-nature or intrinsic nature (svabhāva). They conceive that karmas are transmitted tri-temporally until they become mature and produce the correspond fruits (phalas) or consequences. Buddhism emphasizes the teaching of Karma and Phala so that one is always fully aware of one’s moral responsibilities. One cannot escape from the consequences of one’s karmas. Such teaching edifies the learners so that they are constantly aware of their moral conduct through the body, speech and mind and thus become heedful of the consequences of human faults or flaws..
Changeable Destiny
‘Sākyamuni Buddha promulgates that the effects of karmas are inescapable. Any denial of karma obliterates the justification of morality. The Exalted One stresses that Karmas are imperishable (avipraṇā’sa). Nāgārjuna, defending the Buddha’s teaching, affirms that karmas are insubstantial. Immutable Karmas contradict the the ontology of the dynamic process becoming (sanātana dharma). Dynamic process becoming is necessitated by the Emptiness (‘Sūnyatā) of karmas. If past karmas are permanent and unchangeable ( that is not empty) , one’s present life will fatalistically be predetermined by only past karmas. Though the effects of bad karmas are undestroyable, the negative effects of previous bad karmas can be either diluted or even overcome by imposing new positive karmas in the present life to create a novelty.
Predeterminism
For instance , a person is born with an average intelligence because of his unskillful past karmas in the previous life. However, if this person motivates himself appropriately and redoubles his efforts vigorously in the present life to self-improve rapidly, his present diligent karmas can overcome the inherited disadvantage of DNA of low intelligence. ‘Sākyamuni Buddha advocates that human freewill and self-efforts can overcome the odds or disadvantages of the effects of unskillful past karmas. The Exalted One rejects the general fiction that human destiny is strictly predetermined by past karmas and human freewill and efforts can not modify or improve it. The Exalted One categorically rejects strict fatalistic predeterminism. Man can improve his destiny through good kammas committed in the present lives. For instance, diligence can overcome the shortcoming of inherited low I.Q caused by past kammas inherited from previous lives.
Nāgārjuna in his MMK17.1 recommends the friendly way to produce wholesome karmas which will bear good fruits in the present as well as in the next life . He affirms thus:
Self-restraint as well as benefiting others (benevolence)-
this is the the friendly way and it contributes the seed that bears fruit here as well as in the next life.
MMK17.1
Self-restraint is avoiding evils. Moral restraint can be effected by adhering to the Buddhist precepts comprising the Five Precepts (Pañcasīlas) and the Ten Good Precepts (Dasasīlas). Benefiting others are effected through committing good actions towards others. Human virtues condition the commission of beneficial or benevolent actions towards others. Restraint and Virtues constitute the friendly way (maitraṃ dharmaḥ) which harmonizes the social environment. Friendly actions are wholesome or skillful actions through the body, speech and mind. Friendly way generates good karmas leading to the fruit of good destiny.
To be continued |
