Theos-Talk Archives (July 2003 Message tt00318)

Hi Katinka,

In a message dated 07/31/03 8:07:47 AM, mail@katinkahesselink.net writes:

>Still, it is also said somewhere that it would be selfish to try to 
>avoid your karma, because that would mean the karmic dept would not 
>get paid. Since adepts and Budha's are supposed to care for humanity 
>more than for themselves, I think paying their karmic debt would be 
>their first priority. 

Yes, But wouldn't the taking of the Bodhisattvah vow, and acceptance of the 
sacrifice it entails serve that purpose? Even if all past evil karma is 
resolved by the Adept who makes such a vow, this is not avoiding such karma, but 
paying for it through the accumulation of good works done solely for the benefit 
of others -- so as, in essence, to save them from the results of their own 
evil karma by helping them remove the ignorance that causes it. 

Actually, this would surely be the method that an Adept's or Buddha would 
choose to dissolve all their past karmic debt. This fits in with the method I 
spoke of earlier, that can neutralize karmic effects by setting up equal and 
opposite karmic energy waves -- which, for the Adepts, could very well be willful 
thoughts coupled with acts of mercy -- that counterract previous evil acts 
caused in this or previous lives prior to their enlightenment. 

Another way would be to consciously take on all the great suffering due from 
one's past karma through a series of equivalent acts of contrition and 
repentence. This could be fullfilled in one lifetime, as in the case of Milarepa, 
who compensated for all his deadly past acts of black magic engaged in through 
countless lifetimes, by years of voluntary hardship serving his Master, and 
dying the "death of a thousand cuts" before he was enightened. In my view, all 
this "suffering" can be done through a momentary flash of insight in the 
awakened mind, no matter how one achieves such awakening. 

Referring to another discussion, perhaps sometimes, this awakening can also 
be accomplished by suffering a deep depression that is the result of dis
satisfaction with ones life of selfishness and the world around one, coming to the 
point of suicidal thoughts or near death, and experiencing a sudden change of 
mind and consciousness. All actions after that would be unconsciously (or 
consciously by a serious student of theosophy) directed toward setting up the 
conditions for the counteracting of past karma... By acceptance of the pain of 
one's own present state of existence, along with benevolent thoughts and actions 
with respect to others, while feeling in one's mind and body all the pain and 
suffering they experience.

Leon

>Katinka