karma
I dont i.d. as Buddhist but would say that I have been Buddhist minded for around 20 years. I have visited a local monastery on numerous occasions and when I lst went was taken aback when a monk said to me "there's no such thing as an innocent child" I felt "how nasty is that" - it took me quite a while to understand what he meant, though he never elaborated on his statement - maybe it was to get me thinking - it certainly did. Of course, it was there all the time, that old thing Karma, natural law, what we sow we reap, however you want to put it. We are all born by our own desires and "blessed" with the karma of previous lives, so as that beautiful, wide eyed baby, we are there by our own doing. In Buddhism (and many other religions/beliefs) its thought that our actions in the present life (& sometimes those past) create the reality of our next one - who we are, how we are, to whom we are born, whether we are well or ill, whether rich or poor - all designed by ourselves to finally and hopefully "get it". This is my understanding of life anyway, obviously not shared by everyone.
That made it easier for me to understand the difficult lives and death of my parents who were practically saints yet had it so hard, my gender dysphoria, the confusion and pain and reality of it. The pain, cruelty and injustice humans inflict upon one another. I was able to accept these things and see that they are all the karmic result of the lives we lead and our inability to understand natural laws. So now when im tempted to do something naughty, illegal etc. Im a little ashamed to admit that its not always the goody two shoes in me that decides "better not" - its the self preservation - thinking, "nope, im not going to reap the rewards of that one" and keeps me (mostly anyway) on the straight and narrow. When I try to push it all aside, low and behold, i get a reminder right on the chin and know its time to get back on track.............there really is no way out - lol!:hangloose
|