Theos-Talk Archives (April 1999 Message tt00026)

In a message dated 4/4/99 2:24:02 PM, you wrote:

<<> Does the murderer escape Karma because he does not expect to be
> found out and punished? Of course not. >>

This is not the same kind of "expectation" as one may have about the nature 
of the act itself.  The murderer in most cases knows very well that he/she 
has committed a horrible act, and makes many attempts to justify it, etc., 
but in most cases knows the error at some level and fully expects punishment 
at some time.  Even arguing that a particular murderer never "expects" to be 
physically punished does not remove the fact the person *knows* deep down 
that the act was wrong.  For a person who has killed someone in true and 
utter innocence that such an act was wrong--i.e., holding different 
"expectations," -- then yes, we must certainly assume the karma would be 
quite different.  

The Perfection of Wisdom Scriptures in Buddhism teach that names and 
expectations are tricky things.  For example, when a person gives a gift to 
someone in expectation of reward, that person is not called a true "giver," 
according to these teachings.  Nor is his gift really a "gift."  Only when 
the person is not conscious of the categories "giver," "gift," and 
"receiver," then, according to these teachings, this is a real gift.  By 
being a non-gift, that is a true gift.  By being a non-giver, that peson is 
indeed a giver.  (And so on for all our normal, misguided categories.)  Our 
understanding of what words and categories signify makes *all* the difference 
as to the nature of the "objects" we are dealing with, and the nature of the 
karma that ensues from "thoughts" and "actions" related to "objects."  

This is one reason why, I think, Jerry wants to maintain that karma is more 
complex than it may seem on a simple reading of Theosophical texts.  Because 
the motive is the great determinor, and because "the Mind is the Slayer of 
the Real" (Voice of the Silence), few indeed could predict the karma from a 
given cause.

-- THEOSOPHY WORLD -- Theosophical Talk -- theos-talk@theosophy.com

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