Drop karma (2)

A basic point of teaching karma is ethical awareness, i.e. responsibility, and with it the possibility of self-reliance, a strength of character necessary for any serious spiritual work. Being responsible, however, is not something you learn from a sutra, nor do you grow a spine by reciting sacred verses. Such development is deeply conditioned by socio-cultural factors, that is, by internalizing the basic notions of good and bad. It's not that we're born absolutely devoid of a rudimentary moral impulse. In fact, from earliest age we manifest different propensities towards other sentient beings. But based on this basal compassionate nature of a human being, there quickly develops a system of shared ethical references, which allow us to designate, define and delineate good and bad, or, if you will, wholesome and unwholesome acts of body, speech and mind. Not only does intersubjectivity profoundly shape our ethical views, but a considerable portion of morality is socially constructed and based on social order, power and position. When we observe the theravadin patimokkha, or the mahayanic precepts (skt. bodhisattva-samvara) or even tantric precepts (skt. samaya-shila), there's a lot of specific cultural content that has nothing to do with universal moral principles. Alas, the very notion of "universal moral principles" is not something the scriptures recognize, but fortunately the core understanding of ethics in Buddhism is related to ten principles* that indeed still stand the test of time, though slowly they are becoming insufficient and inadequate.

*Note: These ten principles are known as the "ten ethical paths", and are usually listed in negative form (what to avoid), as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, harsh speech, useless speech, slanderous speech, covetousness, animosity, false views. (Do not mistake this set with the hinayanic "ten precepts" - where you will find entertainment, jewelry and money/silver - from which first five are taken as "panchashila".)

There have been numerous attempts to interpret the ten paths in ways that make sense today, some of which are brilliant indeed. The most important point, however, is to recognize three fundamental virtues of ethical training, because it is a training (skt. shiksha), after all, not simply an observance. These three virtues are compassion*, self-control and awareness, typically arising in that order. These three forces purify the mind-stream from gross misconceptions to prepair it for study and meditation. Without them, one is not a "fitting vessel" to receive the Dharma. It's not about sinfulness/saintliness, though one may find ample evidence of such puritanical dualism in scripture of every tradition: rather, it's about sobering up and getting one's act together.

*Note: we need to realize that "compassion" may arise at various levels of personal development in adequate forms, hence we can distinguish preconventional, conventional and postconventional compassion. We may also find respect for different cultural expressions of it, without being blind to the level from which they stem.

Today, quite clearly, we need to pursue this training with fuller awareness of how social and cultural contexts shape our ethical sensitivities. While basal compassion may be immanent in manifestation, ethical standards are historical, a product of cultural evolution. What we need to rely on is 25 centuries worth of accumulated ethical wisdom, not 2,500 years old customs.

Accordingly, our understanding of "karma" is expanded and updated by every discovery in neurophysiology and genetics, early psychological development (ego vs. shadow) and upbringing (nature vs. nurture), as well as the "invisible" forces of structural unfolding and cultural conditioning. Now, being free from "unconscious reactivity" becomes an issue of being awake in these multiple perspectives, but you cannot do that from a level of interpretation where all these things don't even come into play.

So, drop old karma and acquire new perspectives.

(to be continued)