Is karma real? Deeds cause results?

Karma (doing)? That's so dumb! Whatever I do, it'll never come back to me. I can get away.

Flying squirrel karma or phala? - Animal actions?

Previous video has squirrel who flies tiny plane. Real "flying squirrel" flies when tossed, then 😲

Born of the Fruits of Deeds

Teachings of Kamma, Rebirth, Saṃsāra

(Ud 3.1) Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove at the multimillionaire's monastery.

At that time a certain Buddhist monk was sitting close to the Buddha, legs crossed, with body straight.

As a result (vipaka) of past deeds (karma), he suffered painful, sharp, severe, and acute feelings, which he endured unbothered, mindfully with clear comprehension.

Narrating Karma and Rebirth

The Buddha saw him meditating mindfully enduring that pain. Then, understanding the situation, the Buddha expressed this inspired utterance:

“A monastic who has left behind all deeds (karma), shaking off the dust of past deeds, unselfish, unwavering, unaffected, has no need to complain.”

• Kamma Vipākaja Sutta (Ud 3.1)—Ven. Sujato (translation)
• Amazing video shorts: How to handle the cops (graphic)

Bhikkhu Bodhi, what is "karma"?

The Four Kinds of Karma with Bhikkhu Bodhi

(BAUS Chuang Yen Monastery) June 27, 2022: In this Dharma talk, Bhikkhu Bodhi discusses The Numerical Discourses (Anguttara Nikaya) AN 4.233-238, a series of sutras in which the historical Buddha explains the four kinds of karma (kamma, deed, action):

1. dark karma with dark result
2. bright karma with bright result
3. dark-and-bright karma with dark-and-bright result
4. karma that is neither dark nor bright with neither-dark-nor-bright result or the karma that leads to the ending of karma.

Bhikkhu Bodhi (BAUS, Carmel, New York, 6/18/22); Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Harvard study reveals secret to being likable

Margaret Pan, Medium.com, Jan. 18, 2023; G. P. Malalasekera, Dictionary of Pali Proper Names; Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

California Gov. Gavin Newsom: Let me see. What makes you so likeable? Your personality?

What does it take to be likeable and popular? Does science know? (lexica.art)

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It’s not being polite, helpful, or having a good sense of humor. It might be an inconvenient truth, but being likable is something we all (deep down) crave [except for the disagreeable people Prof. Jordan Peterson points out].

Is the secret being mysterious?

That’s because it makes life easier. If we think that people are born charming, we’re mistaken:

Likability can be learned and honed, just like any other skill.

But what is it that makes a person likable? According to a new Harvard study, described in an HBR article, the secret to being more likable and improving interpersonal bonding isn’t being polite, helpful, or having a good sense of humor.

It’s asking more questions. We all want to feel someone is interested in us. The research examined the role of asking questions in interpersonal relationships.

Harvard colleagues scrutinized thousands of natural conversations among participants who were getting to know each other, either in online chats or on in-person speed dates. The researchers told some people to ask at least nine questions within 15 minutes and the rest to ask no more than four within 15 minutes.

Am I "hot" or not? What does it take to be liked?

In the online chats, the people who were randomly assigned to ask many questions were better liked by their conversation partners. Among the speed daters, people were more willing to go on a second date with partners who asked more questions.

It makes sense: We all want to feel someone is interested in us. People tend to talk a lot about themselves, especially when they’re trying to impress someone. But that’s not the best strategy to make a positive impression.

When we show genuine interest in people — by asking them questions regarding their lives, thoughts, and feelings — and shift the focus of the conversation from ourselves onto others, that’s how we win them over.

There is a catch though. According to the findings of the research, the order of the questions we ask others has a significant effect on how they will respond.

If we want to build up trust, rapport, and intimacy, we should start with relatively shallow and insignificant questions and progress to more private/deep ones. More

• Margaret Pan has a free newsletter

The Buddha on the Four Bases of Popularity

Dhr. Seven, DISCUSSION, Wisdom Quarterly

In the "Advice to Householders" sutra (Sigalovada Sutta), the Buddha proclaims that there are Four Bases or Foundations of Popularity. Some people are popular, some are not. Why are they? It is because they have built up the habit and practice of these four things:

1. generosity
2. sweet speech
3. helpfulness to others
4. impartiality to all.

Unfortunately, as important as this sutra would be to the world of non-monastic Buddhists, it is a conglomeration of discourses patched together rather than kept separate. The amalgamation was not done very well as the closing verses refer back to parts that are not in the body.

The summary says one is popular by these four habits, but they are not mentioned in the body. And no one seems to notice or be able to do anything about it to fix it. A scholar might find the original sutra(s) somewhere in some tradition (outside the Pali language of the Theravada school) -- in Chinese, Sanskrit, Prakrit, or Tibetan texts -- but until one does, we only have this reference.

Karma: It's everywhere we're going to be.

Certainly, giving makes us popular with others. The good karma of dana is very meritorious, as we let go and do not cling to what we have but instead share it. Sweet speech is always welcome no matter what we are saying. Being helpful and coming to the aid of others is certainly going to win friends. Being impartial rather than biased and favoring some over others is a little more surprising, but who doesn't like a fair person? Such people are beloved everywhere.

Karma is the cause of our conditions and circumstances (fruit or phala), whether we are being good or bad. And we will meet with the results of our actions, speech, and intentions everywhere we go.

Venerable Ananda (the Buddha's son or cousin, according to different traditions) was very popular, more so than wise Sariputra and Khema. But "luckiest" of all was the Buddhist monk with the best karma Ven. Sivali (Sīvalī Thera).

The luckiest Buddhist

G. P. Malalasekera, Dictionary of Pali Proper Names

The good karma of lucky Ven. Sivali

Ven. Sīvalī was declared by the Buddha as foremost among recipients of gifts (A.i.24). It is said (ThagA.i.138; Ap.ii.495; AA.i.139) that when the Buddha visited Khadiravaniya-Revata, he took Ven. Sīvalī with him because the road was difficult and provisions were scarce.

[This would suggest that Ven. Sivali had better luck than the Buddha himself, having practiced generosity longer or better than the Bodhisatta, or it may mean that Sivali was in the receiving phase of his merit more so than anyone else around.]

Ven. Sīvalī went to the Himalayas with a large number of others to test his good luck. The devas provided them with everything they needed. On Gandhamādana mountain range a deva named Nāgadatta entertained them for seven days on milk rice. Source

The Affection Sutra (video)

Fifth Gear in a Toyota Yaris; Dhr. Seven, Sheldon S., Ashley Wells (eds.) based on Ven. Thanissaro (trans.), the Pema Sutta: "The Affection Discourse" (AN 4.200, PTS: A ii 213), Wisdom Quarterly

You love me? - I'd beat up anybody for you. - Aww, that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said!

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When things fall apart, what then? It may happen that, without Electronic Stability Control, the car flips. You roll it in an accident. Driving a machine built before 2012? It could happen. Things happen, even if this unlikely event never takes place because you drive more carefully. Other things will happen, and then what? We better keep Pema Chodron's book nearby to read and be ready.

The Affection Sutra

When things fall apart? They'll never fall apart, Babe! This is forever. - Sure it is, Dear.

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"Meditators, four things are born. What are the four?

Heart of Affection/Aversion

1. affection born of affection
2. aversion born of affection
3. affection born of aversion
4. aversion born of aversion

1. "How is affection born of affection? An individual is pleasing, appealing, and charming to [another] individual. Others treat that individual as pleasing, appealing, and charming, and the other one thinks, 'This individual is pleasing, appealing, and charming to me. And others treat this individual as pleasing, appealing, and charming.' This gives rise to affection. This is how affection is born of affection.

2. "How is aversion born of affection? An individual is pleasing, appealing, and charming to (another) individual. Others treat that individual as displeasing, unappealing, and not charming, and the other one thinks, 'This individual is pleasing, appealing, and charming. Yet, others treat this individual as displeasing, unappealing, and not charming.' This gives rise to aversion [toward them]. This is how aversion is born of affection.

3. "How is affection born of aversion? An individual is displeasing, unappealing, and not charming to (another) individual. Others treat that individual as displeasing, unappealing, and not charming, and the other one thinks, 'This individual is displeasing, unappealing, and not charming. And others treat this individual as displeasing, unappealing, and not charming.' This gives rise to affection [for them]. This is how affection is born of aversion.

It was a mistake. He was badmouthing you, so I punched him in the mouth. I love you so much!

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4. "How is aversion born of aversion? An individual is displeasing, unappealing, and not charming to (another) individual. Yet others treat that individual as pleasing, appealing, and charming, and the other one thinks, 'This individual is displeasing, unappealing, and not charming. Yet others treat this individual as pleasing, appealing, and charming.' This gives rise to aversion [toward them]. This is how aversion is born of aversion.

"Meditators, these are the four things that are born.

Meditation (jhana)

"Now, when a meditator, quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental factors, enters and abides in the first meditative absorption (jhana or zen or dhyana) — with rapture and pleasure born of withdrawal, accompanied by applied and sustained attention — then any affection one has that is born of affection does not come up.

[Moreover] "any aversion that is born of affection... any affection that is born of aversion... any aversion that is born of aversion does not come up.

"When a meditator... enters and abides in the second absorption... enters and abides in the third absorption... enters and abides in the fourth absorption, then any affection that is born of affection does not come up. Any aversion born of affection... any affection born of aversion... any aversion born of aversion does not come up.

"When a meditator, bringing about the end of the mental defilements [and thus becoming one of the noble ones], enters and abides in the defilement-free liberation by insight, liberation by wisdom, having known and verified them for oneself here and now, then any affection born of affection is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump [that never again regrows when cut down], deprived of the conditions of development, no longer destined for future rebirths.

[Moreover] "any aversion born of affection... any affection born of aversion... any aversion born of aversion is abandoned, its root destroyed, made [barren] like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, no longer destined for future rebirths.

Good results

"This is said to be a meditator who does not pull in, does not push away, does not smolder, does not flare up, and does not burn.

"How does a meditator pull in [crave, grasp, and cling]? A meditator assumes

1. form to be self, or assumes self possesses form, or form is in self, or self is in form. One assumes
2. feeling to be self, or assumes self possesses feeling, or feeling is in self, or self is in feeling. One assumes
3. perception to be self, or assumes self possesses perception, or perception is in self, or self is in perception. One assumes
4. mental formations [fabrications] to be self, or assumes self possesses formations, or formations are in self, or self is in formations. One assumes
5. consciousness to be self, or assumes self possesses consciousness, or consciousness is in self, or self is in consciousness. [These are the Five Aggregates clung to as self.] This is how a meditator pulls in.

The way of peace and happiness to enlightenment

"How does a meditator not pull in? [This happens when] a meditator does not assume form to be self, or assume that self possesses form, or form is in self, or self is in form.

"One does not assume feeling to be self... does not assume perception to be self... does not assume formations to be self... does not assume consciousness to be self, or assume self possesses consciousness, or consciousness is in self, or self is in consciousness. This is how a meditator does not pull in.

"How does a meditator push away [express aversion]? A meditator returns insult for insult, returns anger for anger, quarrels with one who is quarreling. This is how a meditator pushes away.

"How does a meditator not push away? A meditator refrains from returning insult with insult, refrains from returning anger with anger, refrains from quarrelling with one who quarrels. This is how a meditator does not push away.

"How does a meditator smolder? [Holding the deluded wrong view that] there being 'I am,' there comes to be 'I am here,' there comes to be 'I am like this'... 'I am otherwise'... 'I am bad'... 'I am good'... 'I might be'... 'I might be here'... 'I might be like this'... 'I might be otherwise'... 'May I be'... 'May I be here'... 'May I be like this'... 'May I be otherwise'... 'I will be'... 'I will be here'... 'I will be like this'... 'I will be otherwise.'

"How does a meditator not smolder? [Holding the insightful right view that] there not being 'I am,' there does not come to be 'I am here,' there does not come to be 'I am like this'... 'I am otherwise'... 'I am bad'... 'I am good'... 'I might be'... 'I might be here'... 'I might be like this'... 'I might be otherwise'... 'May I be'... 'May I be here'... 'May I be like this'... 'May I be otherwise'... 'I will be'... 'I will be here'... 'I will be like this'... 'I will be otherwise.'

Give me a KISS and watch me flare up.

"How does a meditator flare up? [Holding the wrong view that] there being 'I am because of this,' there comes to be 'I am here because of this,' there comes to be 'I am like this because of this'... 'I am otherwise because of this'... 'I am bad because of this'... 'I am good because of this'... 'I might be because of this'... 'I might be here because of this'... 'I might be like this because of this'... 'I might be otherwise because of this'... 'May I be because of this'... 'May I be here because of this'... 'May I be like this because of this'... 'May I be otherwise because of this'... 'I will be because of this'... 'I will be here because of this'... 'I will be like this because of this'... 'I will be otherwise because of this.'

KISS schmiss! I prefer staying cool.

"How does a meditator not flare up? [Holding the right view that] there not being 'I am because of this,' there does not come to be 'I am here because of this,' there does not come to be 'I am like this because of this'... 'I am otherwise because of this'... 'I am bad because of this'... 'I am good because of this'... 'I might be because of this'... 'I might be here because of this'... 'I might be like this because of this'... 'I might be otherwise because of this'... 'May I be because of this'... 'May I be here because of this'... 'May I be like this because of this'... 'May I be otherwise because of this'... 'I will be because of this'... 'I will be here because of this'... 'I will be like this because of this'... 'I will be otherwise because of this.'

"How does a meditator burn? A meditator's conceit of 'I am' is not abandoned, its roots not destroyed, not made [barren] like a palmyra stump, not deprived of the conditions of development, is destined for future rebirth. This is how a meditator burns.

"How does a meditator not burn? A meditator's conceit of 'I am' is abandoned, its root destroyed, made [barren] like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, is not destined for future rebirth. This is how a meditator does not burn."

• See also "Tanha: Craving" (AN 4.199)

How to Get Girls to Like You in 10 Secs (video)

Kate Spring, March 1st, 2018; EIC; Ashley Wells, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

How To Make A Woman Like You In Under 10 Seconds

"Expert" Kate Spring

I’m Kate Spring, a dating and relationship coach from the West Coast of Canada, and today I want to share a super-fast way that you can make a girl like you within the first 10 seconds of meeting her.

 

No, this is not Jedi-Mind Tricks 101, but a simple psychology. There are some basic things you should do in preparation to woo women, the basics including bathing and dressing for success. Get yourself looking and smelling fresh because that is the FIRST thing to which women pay attention. Wash your clothes. Don’t go out and spend thousands of dollars on new clothes. Wear clothes that fit you but are clean. That is the prep work.
 

Now, there is a secret system I created that will make any woman like you within seconds of meeting her. This isn’t necessarily reliant on the words you speak. On the contrary, it is how you look, yes, look, and I mean that literally and figuratively.
 

It takes less than two seconds for someone to make an opinion about you, according to a study done by the Harvard School of Health Sciences. The study conducted had students look at a tw second video clip of a professor and make assumptions about this person’s character and likeability.

These students, who only saw this professor for two seconds, came to the same conclusions as students who had been in this professor’s class for an entire semester. What can we learn from this?
 

This shows me that we make snap judgments daily! So knowing that we actually decide if we like someone within two seconds of meeting them is crucial for you to know in your dating endeavors. When we like someone, we see the best in them. Let me repeat: We see the best in them! If a woman likes you within the first two seconds of meeting you, she will want to get to know you.
 

At this point, you’re probably wondering what you can do to become instantly likeable. In Nicholas Boothman’s book How To Make People Like You In 90 Seconds Or Less, he talks about how ATTITUDE, above all else, at the beginning of an encounter, will determine the result of that encounter and whether we succeed or fail.
 

We respond to the attitude that comes through body language. Attitude determines how our non-verbal message will be received. Once you have the right attitude, it’s time to employ the L.S.O. System. That is to

1. Look
2. Smile, and
3. Open up your body.

1. Look: Look a woman in the eye when you meet her. This is a sign of confidence, and it is also an indication that you’re a well-mannered man. In Western culture, if you were to look at the ground when you meet someone, that lack of eye contact is actually a sign of submission to your conversation partner. It automatically places you in an inferior position.

(EIC) A man's opinion and advice. What women don't want men to know

 

Similarly, if your gaze is directed to someone else in the room when speaking to your conversation partner, you’re non-verbally saying to that partner, “you’re not important” or “I’m only half paying attention to you.” This dismissive attitude with not aid in a favorable outcome. So far, this is pretty straightforward information when we break it down, but it’s important to remember these things because they often can get lost in the immediacy of the moment, especially when we feel pressure to perform well. And it becomes even more the case when we’re meeting someone for the first time that we like and think is attractive.

• Tip: First things first: Make eye contact.

2. Smile When we first meet people, we immediately make a distinction about whether they are good or bad, what Nicholas Boothman says is, “are you charming or alarming?” Smiling is one of the key ways to make yourself charming and not alarming. Again, this all comes back to the attitude that your body is projecting. And smiling is one of, if not the easiest, ways to create a charming attitude. More

• How To Get Women To Approach You

"[Chunky] Sutra" (MN 95)

Canki Sutra (MN 95), based on excerpts translated from Pali by Ñanamoli Thera

Exotic stone Buddha figure in the ruins of Sukhothai, Thailand

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Buddha was wandering in Kosala with a large Sangha and arrived at a brahmin village named Opasada, ruled over by Canki [pronounced Chunky]... Then Canki and a large company of brahmins went to see him....

HOW ONE FINALLY ARRIVES AT TRUTH

There are five ideas that ripen here and now in two ways. What five?

1. faith (confidence)
2. preference
3. hearsay-learning
4. arguing on evidence, and
5. liking through pondering a view

Now something may have faith [or confidence, conviction, trust] well placed in it and yet be hollow, empty, and false. And again something may have no faith placed in it -- and yet be factual, true, and not other than it seems. The same is true with preference and the rest.

If a person has faith, then one guards truth when one says, "My faith is thus." But on that account one does not draw the unreserved conclusion, "Only this is true, all else is wrong." In this way one guards the truth. But there is as yet no discovery of truth. And the same is true with preference and the rest.

How is truth discovered?

Here a Buddhist monastic lives near some village or town. Then a householder or a householder's son or daughter goes to that monastic to test him or her on three kinds of ideas, ideas provocative of

1. greed
2. hate
3. delusion

All the while one is wondering, "Are there in this venerable one any such ideas whereby one's mind, being obsessed, might unknowing, say 'I know,' unseeing, say 'I see,' or to get others to do likewise, which would be long for their suffering and harm?" While thus testing someone, one comes to find that there are no such ideas obsessing that venerable one's mind, and one finds that:

"The bodily and verbal behavior of that venerable one are not those of one affected by lust or anger or delusion. But the True Idea [Dharma] that this venerable one teaches is profound, hard to see and discover yet it is the most peaceful and superior of all, out of reach of logical reasoning, subtle, for the wise to experience; such a True Idea cannot be taught by one affected by lust or hate or delusion."

It is as soon as by testing someone that one comes to see that that venerable one is purified from ideas provocative of greed, hatred, and delusion, that one then plants one's faith in that person.

• When one visits that venerable one, one shows respect.
• And owing to respect one gives ear.
• One who gives ear hears the True Idea, remembers it, and investigates the meaning of the ideas remembered.
• When one does that one acquires a preference by pondering the ideas.
• That produces interest.
• One interested is actively committed.
• So committed one makes a judgment.
• According to one's judgment one exerts oneself.
• When one exerts oneself one comes to realize with the body the ultimate truth.
• And one sees it by the penetrating of it with [insight] understanding.

That is how there is discovery of truth -- but there is as yet no final arrival at truth.

How is truth finally arrived at?

Final arrival at truth is the repetition, the keeping in being, the development, of those same ideas. That is how there is final arrival at truth...."

Karma and the Law of Attraction

Alex Marcoux (Examiner.com)

What is the Law of Cause and Effect? While the Law of Attraction is vital to manifesting desires, there’s another universal law instrumental in the manifestation process, the Law of Cause and Effect, or karma.

We know how powerful our thoughts are. Our thoughts and actions set into motion a cause with subsequent effects. The Law of Cause and Effect can also be called the Law of Action and Reaction: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

To simplify this principle consider, “You reap what you sow” or “What goes around comes around.” To simplify even further -- we get back what we send out. For example, when you show love and kindness, you’ll receive these in return. Likewise, if you demonstrate anger or conflict toward someone, you will receive that. More>>