I’m not one to believe in Karma but after reading Laotian Teacher’s post on Karma, I think it is somewhat interesting. I guess I don’t believe mainly because I seem to be a magnet on the bad things and attracted strange people into my life and I’ve come to a conclusion that niceness is not the answer to every situation.

I came across a reading about Karma in my Buddhist Sunday School Lessons book that I thought was interesting and like to share with those that have interest. Karma is a Sanskrit word meaning action. As we Buddhists use the term, the meaning is clearer if we describe it as action and reaction, or act and result. Another way to describe Karma is cause and effect.

There are several good examples given in the book; when we plant rice, we do not expect a harvest of pepper. We do not make a fire in order to produce coolness. In everything in life we find that if we know all the causes, then we can reliable predict the effects. For example, we know that if we are careless with matches, a fire is likely to result and many even destroy the house. But we also know that we can never burn down the house with ice. It is the nature of fire to burn and destroy. Ice has a different nature and produces entirely different effects. Let us think of producing something else. Let us pretend we want to bake a cake for someone’s birthday. We know we must have flour, salt, milk, flavoring, etc., and must mix all these ingredients carefully. Then, when we have put the batter in the pan, we must have the oven at a certain temperature. After leaving the batter in the oven a certain length of time, we take out the cake tin and let it cool. Then we have a cake. The cake is the effect or result, and the mixing of the proper ingredients and the right length of time in an oven at the right temperature is the cause.

The Buddha taught us that happiness and unhappiness are effects or results, just as much as fire is a cause that produces heat as a result. If we lead selfish, ignorant, evil lives, we can expect only such results as go along with selfishness, ignorance, and evil. Bad acts always produce bad results; good acts always have good results.

Probably many children have saving banks at home, and put some coins in the bank each week. Our thoughts and actions are like putting money in the bank of life; bad thoughts and actions are like counterfeit money. Sometimes people are arrested for trying to spend counterfeit money, either made of lead or else printed imitations of real money. Misfortune is sure to come to anyone who tries to spend such money. Misfortune is also sure to come to anyone who puts bad thoughts and bad acts into “The Bank of Karma.” We can save up real happiness only if we think good thoughts and do good acts. No one can ever rob us of our karma. Evil results always come from evil causes; good results always come from good causes. If we wish to be happy, then we must store up causes of happiness, just as we plant rice seeds in order to get a harvest of rice.

It is extremely important for all people to keep in mind the importance of getting a practical understanding of the Law of Karma. If we have this understanding then we shall be able to control results by controlling causes. We shall know that doing good produces happiness, and doing evil produces unhappiness. This law of Karma is a very deep subject, but even a small child can understand the main idea and learn how to live in such a way that happiness will result.

I think it’s an interesting concept and I’ve been practicing it without knowing, but an act of niceness doesn’t always warrant goodness in return because sometimes niceness attracts creeps, weirdos, stalkers, trolls, and scammers out there, if that act of niceness attracts these bad things, then one should cease doing nice things, cut off all interaction with these creeps, weirdos, stalkers, trolls, and scammers, then they will go away. But I’m still glad that the Law of Karma still works its magic that niceness also attracts nice people as well.

• Thin Red Line