Karma and rebirth
Actions, and the consequences of actions. An important concept in Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism. is a belief present in several Eastern religions. In addition to Buddhism, it is found in Hinduism and Sikhism. The The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, after his enlightenment. It is a title which means the enlightened or awakened one. was raised in a Hindu culture and educated about Hindu beliefs. One of these beliefs is karma.
Karma and samsara
Karma, or 鈥榓ction鈥 (in the An ancient language that is the root of most Indian languages. language), means that all actions have consequences. For example, seeds that are planted now will grow into plants in the future, and actions in the present will have positive or negative outcomes in the future. Negative consequences created through negative actions can have effects in this life or future lives.
In Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism, this is the cycle of life, death and rebirth. is the cycle of birth, death and rebirth that Buddhists aim to escape from. Rebirth brings the soul into another life of Pain and/or upset endured by humans.. Increasing positive karma can mean a favourable rebirth in samsara, and it might even mean the person moves a step closer to The realisation of the truth about life. In Buddhism it releases a person from the cycle of rebirth. and An indescribable state, held by Buddhists to be the ultimate goal of religious practice, involving breaking free from the cycle of samsara..
Karuna (compassion)
Developing One of the four brahmaviharas, it means compassion or mercy. , or compassion, is one way to avoid samsara and rebirth. Karuna is the desire to see an end to all beings鈥 suffering. This is different from pity, which is a desire to end others鈥 suffering in order to relieve one鈥檚 own sadness or discomfort. Karuna, true compassion, is a desire to relieve others鈥 suffering for the sake of those other people. A person who has achieved enlightenment following the Buddha鈥檚 teaching. and In Mahayana Buddhism the bodhisattva is one who has vowed to obtain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. must attain perfect compassion.
Metta (loving kindness)
The Buddhist term for loving kindness. A pure love which is neither grasping nor possessive., or loving kindness, is another way to avoid samsara and rebirth. It means developing an attitude of perfect love towards all others. During metta Thinking quietly as a spiritual or religious exercise. Connection of the mind and soul with the Divine using breathing and other techniques. In Buddhism, using one of a set of techniques or exercises for calming the mind, developing positive emotions and understanding the way things are., Buddhists might try to develop feelings of compassion towards people they struggle to like, and they might try to develop loving kindness towards all humans. Metta is about finding joy in others鈥 happiness and developing a desire for all beings to be happy.
The Five Precepts
The In Buddhist teachings, the Five Precepts are five guidelines for living to help achieve positive karma. are principles for living. All Buddhists should follow these principles, whether they have become A person who is a member of a monastic order, living under religious obedience. or not. Underlying the Five Precepts is a desire to avoid harm. They help Buddhists to be aware and develop positive attitudes such as compassion and loving kindness, which are essential for positive karma.
This passage underlines the purpose of the Five Precepts in avoiding samsara and rebirth:
To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one鈥檚 mind - this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
Question
What are karuna and metta?
Karuna is compassion and metta is loving kindness. They are both approaches to avoiding samsara.