Changing One's Karma I Changing Karma in Nichiren Buddhism | Karma, Causes & Effects
What Is Karma?
The word karma originates from a Sanskrit word meaning “action.”
In simple terms:
Action → Cause
Effect → Reaction
Whatever action we take creates a cause, which eventually produces an effect.
This happens whether someone is watching us or not.
Every action we take creates a cause in our lives, and the corresponding effect is also determined by that cause.
However, the effect may not necessarily appear immediately.
It may begin to manifest:
Immediately
After a year
After many years
Or even after multiple lifetimes
The timing depends on the appropriate conditions required for the effect to manifest.
How Do We Create Karma?
Every action we take creates a cause.
For example, when we make a positive cause, it can eventually produce a positive effect.
Similarly, negative causes can eventually produce negative effects.
Our past causes can therefore influence our present circumstances.
According to this understanding:
Accumulation of negative causes from past lives
→ Sufferings in the present
These may manifest as challenges involving:
Health
Finances
Relationships
Similarly:
Accumulation of positive causes from past lives
→ Happiness in the present
These may manifest as:
Peace
Happiness
Good fortune
The effects of causes from past lives that manifest in our present lives are also described here as destiny .
How Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism Views Karma
Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism views life as a continuum:
Past → Present → Future
Causes created in the past can begin to manifest in the present.
At the same time, the causes we create in the present can begin to manifest in the future.
We can therefore understand karma through this simple framework:
Past-life causes → Present-life effects
Present-life causes → Future-life effects
Can We Escape Our Karma?
If every action creates a cause and every cause eventually produces an effect, a natural question arises:
Can we escape the effects of our past causes?
According to this understanding of karma, whatever causes we have created cannot simply be escaped.
We need to face their effects.
The effect of a cause may not appear immediately. It manifests when the appropriate conditions arise.
This can make it seem as though we are simply waiting for our past karma to unfold.
So, does this mean that we are completely at the mercy of our destiny?
Can we actually do anything to change our karma?
This is where Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism presents an important perspective.
Changing One's Karma
Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism teaches that we have the power to change our karma .
Through practicing Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, we can transform our karma and change our destiny.
The material presents this as a way of experiencing the effects of past negative karma in this lifetime and in a much less severe form .
Rather than simply waiting for our past karma to unfold, Buddhist practice enables us to actively challenge and transform our lives.
The Ultimate Good and the Ultimate Evil
Nichiren Daishonin teaches that slandering the Law, or disparaging and belittling the Lotus Sutra, is the most evil cause .
Therefore, if we stop committing the ultimate evil of disbelieving and slandering the correct teaching and instead carry out the ultimate good of:
Believing
Protecting
Spreading the correct teaching
then we can wipe out our negative karma.
This gives Buddhist practice a fundamentally proactive character.
Rather than simply accepting our circumstances as an unchangeable destiny, we strive to change our karma through our actions in the present .
Lessening One's Karmic Retribution
Another important concept is lessening one's karmic retribution .
We need to understand that negative karma from the past needs to be addressed.
When we begin chanting and striving to spread the correct teaching, the effects of negative karma can manifest in our present lifetime in a much lessened form .
In this way, Buddhist practice can accelerate the process of addressing past negative karma.
The effects of negative karma that might otherwise have taken multiple lifetimes to manifest and be expiated can instead emerge within this lifetime.
And importantly, they can emerge in a highly diminished form .
Thus, through diligent Buddhist practice:
Past negative karma
↓
Manifests in this lifetime
↓
In a lessened form
↓
We can challenge and overcome it
A Powerful Passage from Nichiren Daishonin
Nichiren Daishonin writes:
“Iron when heated in the flames and pounded, becomes a fine sword. Worthies and sages are tested by abuse. My present exile is not because of any secular crime. It is solely so that I may expiate in this lifetime my past grave offenses and be freed in the next from the three evil paths.”
This passage provides an important perspective on experiencing hardship.
Rather than simply viewing difficulties as unfortunate circumstances, we can use them as opportunities to challenge our karma and strengthen our lives .
Just as iron becomes a fine sword when heated and pounded, a person can develop and strengthen their life by confronting difficulties.
Voluntarily Assuming the Appropriate Karma
There is another important perspective regarding karma for people practicing Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.
According to Buddhism, living beings are born in particular times and places because of two different kinds of causes.
They are born:
According to their wishes and vows
As a result of their karma
This introduces an important distinction.
Not everything about our circumstances necessarily needs to be viewed simply as something that has happened to us because of negative karma.
Bodhisattvas and Their Vows
The Lotus Sutra teaches that Bodhisattvas, although they possess abundant good fortune, may nevertheless choose to be born into particular circumstances.
Why?
They choose those circumstances so that they can:
Demonstrate actual proof
Overcome challenges through faith
Develop their own lives
Lead other people toward enlightenment
In this way, their challenging circumstances can become part of their mission .
They transform their circumstances into opportunities to demonstrate the power of Buddhist practice.
From Karma to Mission
This leads to a powerful way of looking at our own lives:
Karma can be transformed into mission.
Instead of thinking:
“Why did this happen to me?”
we can challenge ourselves to think:
“How can I use this situation to create value and help others?”
A difficult circumstance can become an opportunity to demonstrate actual proof.
A personal challenge can become a source of strength.
And something that once appeared to be merely a burden can become part of our mission to encourage others.
This is the spirit of transforming karma into mission .
The Complete Picture
We can now understand karma through four simple stages:
1. Every Action Creates a Cause
Our actions create causes in our lives.
2. Causes Produce Effects
The effects may manifest when the appropriate conditions arise.
3. Buddhist Practice Enables Us to Transform Karma
Through practicing Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, we can challenge our karma and lessen karmic retribution.
4. Karma Can Become Mission
Rather than simply seeing our circumstances as something to endure, we can use them to demonstrate actual proof, develop ourselves and encourage others.
A Simple Way to Remember
Karma = Action
↓
Action creates causes
↓
Causes produce effects
↓
Buddhist practice enables us to transform our karma
↓
Challenges can become opportunities
↓
Karma can become mission
Key Points to Remember
Karma originates from a Sanskrit word meaning action .
Our actions create causes that eventually produce effects.
The effects of causes may manifest immediately, after many years or after multiple lifetimes, depending on appropriate conditions.
Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism views life as a continuum of past, present and future .
Past-life causes can manifest as effects in the present.
Present-life causes can manifest as effects in the future.
Past karma can influence our present circumstances and is also described here in relation to destiny .
Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism teaches that we can change our karma .
Practicing Buddhism enables us to challenge and transform our karma.
Slandering or disparaging the Lotus Sutra is described as the most evil cause .
Believing, protecting and spreading the correct teaching are described as the ultimate good .
Lessening one's karmic retribution means experiencing the effects of past negative karma in this lifetime and in a lessened form.
Buddhist practice can accelerate the process of addressing past negative karma.
Bodhisattvas may be born according to their wishes and vows , rather than simply as a result of karma.
Challenging circumstances can provide opportunities to demonstrate actual proof and encourage others.
We can transform karma into mission .
The Most Important Question
When we face a difficult circumstance, we can easily ask:
“Why is this happening to me?”
The perspective presented here encourages us to ask another question:
“What can I create from this situation?”
Through Buddhist practice, a difficult circumstance can become an opportunity to strengthen our life, demonstrate actual proof and encourage others.
That is the spirit of transforming karma into mission .