Do you agree that these are the three main causes for bad Karma? Three fires/poisons Do you agree that these are the three main causes for bad Karma? Three fires/poisons Greed, hatred and delusion (often depicted as a pig, cockerel and snake). Actions motivated by the three fires create karma/kamma and keep us in Samsara. Use the QR code to refresh your memory:

How samsara and the realms relate to kamma/karma

Learning Outcomes To be able to explain the nature of karma. To be able to explain the relationship between Karma and to the wheel of samsara. To be able to evaluate whether the law of Karma is fatalistic and limits human agency.

What is Karma? Karma and karmaphala (Karmic Fruits) are fundamental concepts in Buddhism. The cycle of rebirth is determined by karma or literally "action".  The concepts of karma and karmaphala explain how our intentional actions keep us tied to rebirth in samsara, whereas the Eightfold Path, shows us the way out of samsara. Karma means actions that we do physically, mentally, or verbally. In particular it’s volitional actions. In other words, it’s actions done with some kind of intention or cetana. ‘Intention (cetana)I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, & intellect.’ –The Buddha

Different views on Karma According to Peter Harvey: ‘It is the psychological impulse behind an action that is 'karma', that which sets going a chain of causes culminating in karmic fruit. Actions, then, must be intentional if they are to generate karmic fruits.’ And according to Gombrich: ‘The Buddha defined karma as intention; whether the intention manifested itself in physical, vocal or mental form, it was the intention alone which had a moral character: good, bad or neutral [...] The focus of interest shifted from physical action, involving people and objects in the real world, to psychological process.’ According to Gombrich, this was a great innovation, which overturns brahmanical, caste-bound ethics. It's a rejection of caste-bound differences, giving the same possibility to reach liberation to all people, not just Brahmanins:[Not by birth is one a brahmin or an outcaste, but by deeds (kamma).

Think, Pair, Share Some people argue Karma has four key qualities… These are: Natural Collective Cyclical Complex In pairs, can you why someone may argue this?

karmic seeds and karmic fruits Karma is action, and Vipaka, ripening or result, is its reaction. Just as every object is accompanied by a shadow, just so every volitional activity is accompanied by its due effect. Karma is like potential seed: Vipaka could be likened to the fruit ripening from the tree – the effect or result. As Karma may be good or bad, so may Phala, - the fruit – is good or bad. As Karma is mental so Vipaka is mental (of the mind). It is experienced as happiness, bliss, unhappiness or misery, according to the nature of the Karma seed.  "According to the seed that’s sown,  So is the fruit you reap there from,  Doer of good will gather good,  Doer of evil, evil reaps,  Down is the seed and thou shalt taste  The fruit thereof."

Skilful (kusala) and Unskilful (akusala) A good action is one that is based on one of the three good roots (opposite to the fires) . These are choices based on: Non-greed Non-hatred Non-delusion The name for these is Kusala. Put simply, an action is wrong if the intentions (the reason for doing it) of the person are based on one of the three poisons or roots. The name for these is Akusala.

An Introduction to Buddhism – Peter Harvey Read through the article and answer the following questions… Explain the ideas of Phala and Vipaka in your own words. Can you accidentally get karma? Explain in detail. Does Buddhism have a fatalist view? Can we work out the effects of Karma? What are skilful and unskilful actions based on? Stretch yourself: What does The Story of Angulimala tell use about Karma?

Are Karma and Free Will compatible? Complete the zig-zag in your notes. Zig-zag from arguments that support and criticise . For Key word: niyati (destiny or fate)  Against For Against Stretch yourself: To reach a better A02 grade you must always link your arguments… Top Philosopher task: Find one philosopher who believes in free will and one who doesn’t believe in free will.

Think, Pair, Share What are the meanings of these Sanskrit words? A: karmaphala B: cetana A: Vipaka B: Kusala

Read through the article and create a revision poster on Karma… What is Karma? Read through the article and create a revision poster on Karma…