Buddhism Karma and the great Sunyata

[X2471990]

So I saw a discussion on karma and what it was and what it isn't I find this to be a interesting important point I was not able to respond for some reason so I am marking a new post in it. Unfortunately Buddhism is one of the most misunderstood religions of you want to call it that in the world. So I'd like to briefly explore these topics what they are and what they are not.

     From a Buddhist standpoint karma are the aspects of our consciousness that cause us to be in conflict with our selfs and the world around us. It basically is the part of our self that can't accept what is and causes us to not have a upright response to what is ariseing  in this moment. If we can turn this into wisdom or "Bodhi" we would be enlightened. 

      Now many times when we become aware of this part of ourself we have hard time dealing with it skillfully. So the historical Buddha had a remedy for this and he called it sunyata or emptiness. And sunyata is a state beyond our normal experience and this state brings about equanimity from this point we can deal with our karma turn it into wisdom and cultivate compassion.

       Now compassion is not necessarily being nice to everyone. In a Buddhist sense it is haveing a upright response to what is. If we could do that and accept things as they are and turn all the conflicts with in our self into wisdom why should we  suffer. Now we do this in Buddhism thought the eight fold path. Many believe that right thought right action right speach is saying and being nice to everyone. Well that's not exactly what it truly means. The eight fold path is about maintaining a state of samadhi in all aspects of our life. If you look at the eight fold path you will notice that it encompasses all aspects of what we are actually doing in our day to day life.

   So if we could turn all confusion and conflict with in ourself into wisdom and abide in a state of equanimity and have a up right response to this moment in existence then we would be enlightened.

[X2471990]

Now sudden enlightenment vs is gradual. This is another area where people tend to ponder. Based on my above statement that process can ither happen gradually or suddenly but clarity of mind is something that is maintained by applied wisdom. There is nothing in Buddhism that is about being in the world it is truly about leaving the world you may be amongst it but if you could truly do all of that above you would no longer be in it like most are. I truly believe that this man is enlightened.