According to Buddhist tradition, the second clear knowledge the Buddha attained in the middle watch on the night of his awakening was the knowledge of kamma. This clear knowledge included the understanding of how people act based on wrong views. The wrong view that there is no fruit or result of good or bad deeds, is particularly pernicious; it appears frequently as an example of wrong views in Pāli suttas. It is a wrong view because it denies the efficacy of actions of body, speech, and mind to make progress on the Buddhist path. In contrast, Buddhist texts have argued that actions of body, speech, and mind do have consequences that form who we are in the future, impact other beings, and condition our worlds.
The Pāli term kamma—karma, in Sanskrit—literally means “action” or “deed.” Exploring kamma has raised questions for Buddhist traditions: What is the relationship between intention and action? If there is no substantial self as an agent behind intention, what is agentless action? And if there is no substantial self, how are the karmic seeds and fruits of actions related to particular beings? These questions lead to further inquiries about the nature of persons, the meaning of ethics, and how human action is understood in a broader context of causes and conditions.
In this course, we will explore different Buddhist responses to these questions. We will begin by exploring kamma and the constituent elements of human experience, such as intention, in the Pāli suttas. We will then turn to relevant Abhidhamma texts and Theravāda commentaries, tracing both differences and similarities. We will also explore Mahāyāna accounts of karma, including, for example, the theory of a deep level of consciousness in which karmic seeds are stored and ripened. Finally, we will turn to modern and contemporary theories, for example, B. R. Ambedkar’s naturalized karma, that are particularly sensitive to concerns about justice.
Each week, we will explore the assigned readings and reflect together on the questions they raise. The intention motivating this course is to provide an opportunity for participants to gain a more nuanced understanding of kamma/karma and how it is interconnected with other significant elements of Buddhist thought and practice.
Program Format: Each two-hour class meeting will include a presentation on the assigned texts, opportunities for questions and reflection, small and large group discussions, and brief periods of meditation.