I confess, I get nervous when I see all these posts about karma getting people. “Karma’s a bitch, isn’t, it, you bitch!” “Karma is going to kick your ass, you ass!” Oy.
I know two things for sure. (1) I have, many times in my life, acted in ways that were self-serving, and morally questionable. I have been an asshole of the “flaming” variety. I have hurt people who were guilty of nothing save being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and vulnerable to whatever crap I was serving up that day. (2) While certainly not perfect, I have had a pretty good 45 years. I’ve been blessed with relatively good health, amazing family and friends, and an ability to do what I love, among other things.
So, if I understand things correctly, I can anticipate some really shitty stuff to come my way, right? And, when it does, I will have to nod and agree that I had it coming all along, and that the majority of Facebook rejoices in my pain when it happens?
See, that’s the thing about karma. If it exists, and you are counting on it to provide cosmic balance by hurting those who have wronged you, well… I’m not entirely sure you’re getting the point of it. Because rejoicing in even deserved punishment just doesn’t seem very nice to me. Nor does it seem particularly logical, unless you are utterly guiltless, and have never–ever–harmed another, and are absolutely sure you are coming back as a demigod.
In his book, “How to Practice: The Art of a Meaningful Life,” the Dalai Lama teaches us that the bodhisattva is willing to take on the pain and bad karma of others. In fact, in preparing to die, they ask the universe if they might take as much bad karma with them as they can. They feel they are better able to handle it, and would spare those who are not so worthy from such pain. (Yes, this is very much like Jesus being willing to take man’s sins with him to the cross. Seems Jesus was one dedicated bodhisattva, and by the way, this is a philosophical discussion, so I’m not asking you to convert or worship anything. Relax. I’m just talking about teachings here.)
So, where was I again? Oh, yeah. You can want/need for the universe to punish the evildoer if that suits your mindset. I feel that need far too often myself, and freely admit. But I would be very careful about *reveling* in such punishment, while blithely calling it karma. You might end up coming back sans vertebrae.