Essay title: Explore the Nature of Karma
Introduction
Running on Karma (2003) is a Hong Kong action thriller directed by Johnnie To and
Wai Ka-fai. The film follows Big, who abandons his life as a monk after gaining the
ability to see people's past lives. He encounters Lee Fung-yee, who, in her previous
life, was a Japanese soldier who killed many civilians. Recognizing Lee’s inherent
kindness, Big attempts to save her twice, however, her bad karma remains unchanged.
Ultimately, she is tragically killed while seeking redemption for her past life's actions.
This essay will explore the concepts of dukkha and anatta and explain the nature of
karma and vipāka through the film's plots.
Anicca(impermanence), dukkha (unsatisfactory), and anatta(not-self)
Dukkha, anicca, and anatta are the Three Marks of Existence that apply to all
conditioned phenomena, including sensations, thoughts, and experiences. The first
mark, anicca, highlights the impermanent nature of everything. No physical matter or
concept remains constant, as they depend on other factors and conditions. Because of
this interdependence, everything in the world is subject to change. This leads to
suffering when people try to cling to these transient phenomena, mistakenly believing
them to be permanent. (Plot)
Dukkha is the second of the three marks of existence, which is divided into three
categories: ordinary sufferings, sufferings due to change(anicca), and sufferings due to
the conditioned nature of phenomena(sankharas). Ordinary suffering is the most
obvious form of suffering, which refers to physical and mental pain or discomfort
such as illness, injury, and emotional distress. (plot) Death, aging, and happiness are
classified as sufferings due to anicca. According to Harvey (2014:31), holding on to
pleasurable experiences can result in suffering because all forms of happiness (except
nirvāna) are temporary and eventually disappear, leaving behind feelings of loss and
yearning. The suffering of sankharas arises from an inherent sense of dissatisfaction.
Even having a happy life, there is an underlying feeling that something is missing or
not entirely fulfilling. [Origin of dukkha]
The final of the three marks of existence is anatta. Buddhist teachings deny the
concept of a real or permanent self. It is a misunderstanding to think that
Buddhism rejects the empirical self (no-self). Instead, it denies the existence of an
eternal self in the ultimate sense. According to Hoang (2019:18), the self is seen as a
collection of five aggregates (skandhas), with none of these aggregates being the self
individually. In Buddhism, we are conditioned formations that consist of five
aggregates which are material form, emotional and physical feelings, perception,
mental formations, and consciousness. (plot) In the next section, I will explain what is
karma and how the concepts of karma and anatta exist without conflict.
Kamma and vipāka
Nothing can be brought away, only the karma that follows.
Karmic determinism
Fixed karma
The Doctrine of Kamma and Rebirth
In the Samaññaphala Sutta, the Buddha affirms the law of kamma (karma) and
rebirth. He explains that actions (kamma) have consequences that can manifest in
future lives. However, he does this without endorsing the idea of a permanent,
unchanging self that transmigrates from one life to another.
The Question of Self in Rebirth
The question arises: If there is no permanent self, how can the person in this life
inherit the kamma from a previous life? The Buddha's teaching refutes the existence
of an eternal, unchanging self (ātman) but does not deny the continuity of a process
that links one life to the next.
Nāgasena's Explanation in the Milindapañha
In the Milindapañha, the Buddhist monk Nāgasena uses an analogy to explain this
concept to King Milinda. When asked if the person who is reborn is the same or
different, Nāgasena replies, "Neither the same nor another." He illustrates this with the
transformation of milk into curds, butter, and ghee:
Milk to Curds to Butter to Ghee: Just as milk transforms into curds, then
butter, and finally ghee, each stage is neither entirely the same as the previous
one nor completely different. They are connected through a process of
transformation.
Understanding Rebirth
This analogy helps to understand that while there is no permanent self that
transmigrates, there is a continuity of processes and conditions that link one life to the
next. The person in this life is not exactly the same as the person in the previous life,
but they are also not entirely different. They are connected through the flow of kamma
and the conditions that arise from it.
Reference list
Harvey, Peter. 2013. "Dukkha, Non‐Self, and the Teaching on the Four “Noble
Truths”." A companion to Buddhist philosophy: 26-45.
Meshram, Manish T. 2016. "Concept of tilakkhana (three marks of existence) of
buddhism." International Research of Indian Languages 5, no. 2: 23-28.
Hoang, Nguyen Quy. 2019. "The Doctrine of Not-self (anattā) in Early
Buddhism." International Review of Social Research 9, no. 1.
