[Buddha-l] Re: Article of possible interest

[Wong Weng Fai]

> Karma, War and Inequality in Twentieth Century Japan
> By Brian Victoria
> http://japanfocus.org/products/details/2421

It is unfortunate that it is true that many Buddhists have misunderstood 
or mis-represented the teaching of karma (as I understand it). However, I 
attribute that to the general human nature of finding excuse to be lazy - 
or worse to continue oppression or exploitation. Perfectly fine folks who 
don't believe in karma have no problem ignoring Darfur (for this or that 
reason) or poverty and gun-violence (in their own backyard), for example.

As a karma believer, I find the important thing that we Buddhists forget 
is this: whether or not a person who is suffering is suffering because of 
karma or not we shall never know (only enlightened beings are able to 
fully comprehend such things - according to the scripture). But if we 
stood still and ignore that person, then we are almost certainly creating 
our very own negative karma - and you don't need to be enlightened to 
comprehend this.

W.F. Wong