[tevyrefficy]

Hi soundtrack,

I have read posts here in which Element has explained well that the intention of such teachings about kamma/karma is the morality aspect, and as you identify this is similar to the Christian intent in describing God's role as the judge and dispenser of punishment ( blessings too, of course !! ) and only He knows the whys and wheres.

In both Christian and Buddhist teachings though there is other understandings - and these sit better with my experiences.

Of course. Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of unconventional kamma interpretations. Element knows his shit.

However, that doesn't change the fact that most Buddhists believe in the good ol' BS version of kamma where the law works like a pissed off bearded man in the sky. People try to get around it all the time by saying things like, "Oh, kamma is totally different, you see, it's a natural law, like gravity, it's not divine punishment!". Ridiculous. Their kamma is institutionalized morality based on what was considered right and wrong in pan-Indian civilization -- a law indeed, but an artificial one, meaning humans created it, not nature. Try telling a scientist a bucket of water will fall on his head because he stole a bicycle last week and see how he reacts.

I remember reading an essay by Thich Nhat Hanh where he said that individual and collective kamma was responsible for the deaths in the 2004 tsunami. Not even the pope spews BS this extreme anymore.

Personally, I love the sutta (forgot the name) where the Buddha is making fun of people who make these absurd claims of kammic retribution coming from the outside -- if I remember correctly, he finishes by saying something like, "And if you don't listen to good Dhamma talks, you will be reborn stupid!".