When natural disasters or human-made catastrophes happen in countries where there are Buddhists, people often ask me if the people there accepted this as their karmic retribution. My response is that intellectually we may understand something, but when life hits us hard and everything we know crumbles around us, it is unbelievably difficult to say “It’s my karma.” What the intellect knows, the emotions overwhelm and wash away.
Rarely—very rarely—a person with deep belief and understanding is able to rise to the surface of what we Buddhists call the sea of suffering and say “I understand” even as he is thrust under by another wave.
I have a very good friend of many years who is able to do this.
When in trouble he calls me. All I can do is say how sorry I am as I try to find consoling words for a pain that right now doesn’t seem to have an end in sight.
As he talks, his voice gradually begins to sound a little stronger and then he comes to the “It’s my karma.” And in his voice is an understanding that I don’t know if he is completely aware of.
Each time that he says it’s his karma, he pays down that karmic debt and lightens his burden a bit. This load-lightening is darned difficult. But when we’re in a situation that doesn’t look like it’s going to end tomorrow, what we tell ourselves about it today can either ease our suffering or increase it.
Truthfully, my friend is very unusual. We all encounter difficult relationships, physical discomfort, financial setbacks, and a myriad other problems. But how many of us blame others, look for excuses, tell anyone who will listen to us all about our problems—basically do anything but accept responsibility.
How many of us can calmly admit that we have a debt to repay as we say “It’s my karma.” How many of us are that honest with ourselves.