Karma

In Buddhism, there is a concept called Samsara, which is translated rebirth, reincarnation, or cyclicality of life etc, in English. This concept posits that life does not end with death but continues to repeat. In other words, my current life is the result of my previous life, and how I live my current life determines my next life. That is to say, the karma accumulated in past lives is reflected in the next life. The fact that I was born as a human being now means that I lived a fairly good life in my previous life. If I commit all sorts of crimes in this life, I will face corresponding consequences in my next life.

 

Although I am neither a Buddhist nor an expert, I find this concept quite intriguing. If my being born as a human now is due to the good deeds accumulated in my previous life, then I should be grateful for my current life. Even if my current life is painful, accumulating good deeds now can give me hope for a better life in the next one.

Especially, it is said that my family members are beings who had a deep connection with me in previous lives. If there is a family member with whom I get along particularly well and feel affection for, it is likely that we had a special relationship in a previous life. Conversely, if there is a family member who makes my life difficult, it is likely that I wronged them greatly in a previous life. This means that I am repaying a debt from my previous life in this one.

 

Therefore, it means that I must embrace and love both those who love me and those who hate me. Moreover, it gives meaning to not giving up, no matter how painful and difficult this life may be, and to live by spreading even more love.

 

Beyond the religious aspect, this philosophy encourages deep reflection on how we should live our lives.