Re: On Karma

"George Cherry" <GWCherryHatesGreenEggsAndSpam@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message news:9qSdna8Y1pw_sufZRVn-sg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When a situation arises, I endeavor to find and
execute an action in the situation which will
produce a satisfactory consequence (for me and
others). (Action-and-its-consequence equals
cause-and-effect equals my notion of karma.)
Whilst I take it to be my duty--and it is my goal--
to find a satisfactory-consequence-producing
action, I believe that it is equally important to
the production of my happiness not to expect
or be attached to the intended consequence. The
world is too complex and full of conditions beyond
my knowledge and/or beyond my control, for my
actions reliably to produce their intended conse-
quences. This seems to fit the Buddhist notion
of karma: if a person skillfully chooses a pure
and virtuous action which has an unintended bad
consequence, his/her karma (action and conse-
quence) is not bad or evil. So, I do what I can, I
give out I have; and attachment to what follows is
madness.

I don't see the above as excusing Bush for his
invasion of Iraq, because I believe that he and
his chosen advisors did not "skillfully choose a
pure and virtuous action". What do you think? I
think that humility and prudence with respect
to unintended consequences should lead one
to reticence, patience, and re-examination.
Faith-based action (a synonym for ignorant
action) is just poor and poisonous statecraft.

George



I agree with you George, but have you considered the possibility that GWB's
unskillful actions may not have been deliberately unskillful? No matter
how obviously "poor and poisonous" the result has been to us, he did manage
to have a lot of people fooled as to his honorable intentions. There are
even still plenty of people who directly connect 9/11 and the Iraq war, no
matter how much of a stretch that is. Poor judgement, unskillful choices
and actions, may or may not have been deliberately intended as such. It
may seem astonishing to those of us who see it differently, and see it so
clearly, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the other view is criminally
directed, as opposed to just plain old stupidity. Conversations with "Bob"
around here lately should give you a clue to how educated and religious
republican Texans can still manage to get it all so very wrong.

--

Best Regards,

Evelyn
(to reply to me personally, remove 'sox')





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Relevant Pages

  • On Karma
    ... of karma: if a person skillfully chooses a pure ... to unintended consequences should lead one ...
    (talk.religion.buddhism)
  • Re: On Karma
    ... of karma: if a person skillfully chooses a pure ... GWB's unskillful actions may not have been deliberately unskillful? ...
    (talk.religion.buddhism)
  • Re: On Karma
    ... of karma: if a person skillfully chooses a pure ... unskillful actions may not have been deliberately unskillful? ...
    (talk.religion.buddhism)
  • Re: On Karma
    ... of karma: if a person skillfully chooses a pure ... pure and virtuous action". ...
    (talk.religion.buddhism)