The 12 laws of karma in Buddhism

Buddhism is a philosophy and religion composed of practical teachings, like meditation for example, which aims to induce a transformation within the person who practices it. Promotes the development of wisdom, consciousness and kindness to reach a state of enlightenment. However, today we will go further and talk about the laws of karma.

In Buddhism, existence is approached as a permanent state of change. The condition to benefit from this change is to develop discipline over our mind. This should focus on positive states, concentration and calm.

The objective of the discipline is to achieve delve into emotions associated with understanding, happiness and love. Additionally, for Buddhism all spiritual development is materialized and complemented by areas such as social work, ethics and philosophy.

The nature of karma in Buddhism

The word Karma means action and consists of a type of force that transcends. This type of energy is infinite and invisible and It is a direct consequence of human actions. Karma is governed by twelve laws. Each of them allows us to understand the spiritual meaning of existence.

In Buddhism there is no controlling god, these laws come from nature (such as the law of universal gravitation) and people have free will to apply them or not. Therefore, doing good or evil depends on each one and of said decision the consequences for which we are, to a large extent, responsible.

The twelve laws of karma

Below we are going to explain each of the laws of karma that exist so that you can take them into account. All of them are very important. These are the twelve laws of karma, according to Buddhism.

1. The great law

The first of the laws of karma can be condensed in the phrase “We reap what we sow.” It is also known as the law of cause and effect: what we give to the universe is what the universe gives back to us, but if it is something negative, it will give it back to us multiplied by ten. That is, if we give love we will receive love, but if we give lack of love we will receive lack of love multiplied by ten.

2. Law of creation

We must participate in life. We are part of the universe, therefore, we are a unit with it. What we find around us are signs of our remote past. Create the options you want for your life.

Lama Rinchen Gyaltsen states that if we let ourselves be carried away by what arises in life, what happens spontaneously will be old karma. We will be abandoning ourselves to the inertia of old movements. And because of the conditioning that possesses us, the layers of obstructions, letting go often leads to distortion. Therefore, according to Rinchen, If we are not actively trying to improve our lives, it will most likely become corrupted..

3. Law of humility

What we refuse to accept will continue to happen to us. If we are only able to see the negative aspects of others, we will stagnate at a lower level of existence; On the contrary, if we accept them With humility, we will ascend to a higher level.

4. Law of growth

Wherever we go, we will be there. When faced with things, places and other people, it is we who must change and not what surrounds us, to evolve in our spirituality. When we change our interior, our life changes.

There is an inner tendency to blame the outside for our discomfort or lack of happiness. If we really want to be at peace and achieve personal growth that leads us to happiness, we must abandon this harmful habit.

If we begin to flourish spiritually we will be aware that everything that we previously saw as the cause of our discomfort was largely our interpretation of the world.

5. Law of liability

When something negative happens to us it is because there is something negative in us, we are a reflection of our environment. Therefore, We must face the actions in our lives responsibly.

The concept of responsibility is not synonymous with guilt. Guilt paralyzes us, it is a negative emotion that can be very destructive. However, Responsibility consists of thinking about those aspects that we believe can or should improve and getting to work on them..

If one day someone treats us unfairly, instead of getting angry and letting ourselves get carried away by anger, it is better to think about whether we have treated someone in the same way in the past. According to the law of karma, perhaps we are only reaping what we have sown.

6. Law of connection

Everything we do, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is in connection with the universe. The first step leads to the last and they are all equally important, because together they are necessary to achieve our goal. Present, future and past are interconnected.

The Buddhist concept of interdependence alludes to this connection. Everything depends on everything. Behind everything we see there is a set of interdependent events that allow for a final result. Today we can make a decision that may seem insignificant to us but that in the future can mean a big change. Our small decision can lead to small changes that, in the long run, completely modify our lives.

7. Law of focus

It is not possible to think about two things simultaneously. We ascend step by step, one at a time. We cannot lose sight of our goals, because insecurity and anger would take over.

8. Law of giving and hospitality

If you think something may be true, the time will come when you can prove that it is. We must learn to give to put into practice what we have learned.

9. Law of here and now

Remaining clinging to our past makes it impossible for us to enjoy the present. Moldy thoughts, bad habits and frustrated dreams prevent us from moving forward and renewing our spirit.

10. Law of change

History will repeat itself until we assimilate the lessons we must learn. If a negative situation occurs again and again it is because there is some knowledge in it that we must acquire. We must straighten and build our path.

11. Law of patience and reward

Rewards are the result of previous effort. The greater the dedication, the greater the effort and, therefore, the greater the gratification. It is a work of patience and perseverance that pays off. We must learn to love our place in the world, our efforts will be honored at the right time.

12. Law of importance and inspiration

The value of our triumphs and mistakes It depends on the intention and energy we deploy for this purpose. We contribute individually to a whole, therefore, our actions cannot be mediocre: we must put our whole heart into every contribution we make.

Now that you know all the laws of karma, it is important that you keep them in mind to be aware of how everything you give you will receive in increased quantities. Life is a reflection of the actions you carry out. So you choose whether to act positively or negatively.

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