In many religious traditions, karma is a key idea. The easiest way to understand karma in Buddhism is to think of it as the law of cause and effect. There are repercussions to our voluntary actions. We progress toward freedom when we practice kindness, generosity, and mindfulness. Suffering results when we behave in ways that harm other people. Our lives are constantly being governed by the law of karma, and we are always responsible. Anything we do has an effect, so there is no such thing as “getting away with it.” Here are a few of our favourite karma quotes from various teachers.
Karma Buddha quotes!
#1. “The mind exists before all mental states.
Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought.
If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts,
suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.
Mind precedes all mental states.
Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought.
If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts,
happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.”
-Dhammapada verses 1 and 2
#2. “I am the owner of my karma.
I inherit my karma.
I am born of my karma.
I am related to my karma.
I live supported by my karma.
Whatever karma I create, whether good or evil, that I shall inherit.”
-Anguttara Nikaya v.57
#3. “If you see that other people are suffering, and you’re in a position to help, you focus not on their karmic past but your karmic opportunity in the present: Someday you may find yourself in the same predicament that they’re in now, so here’s your opportunity to act in the way you’d like them to act toward you when that day comes.”
-Thanissaro Bhikkhu
#4. “If you understand the intimate relationship between actions and their consequences for yourself and others, you will automatically be careful and conscientious. This is what it means to have self-awareness.”
-Lama Yeshe
#5. “How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.”
-Wayne W. Dyer
#6. “Like gravity, karma is so basic we often don’t even notice it.”
-Sakyong Mipham
#7. “You cannot control the results, only your actions.”
―Allan Lokos
#8. “Karma moves in two directions. If we act virtuously, the seed we plant will result in happiness. If we act non-virtuously, suffering results.”
-Sakyong Mipham
#9. “As long as karma exists, the world changes. There will always be karma to be taken care of.”
-Nina Hagen
#10. “Men are not punished for their sins, but by them.”
-Elbert Hubbard
#11. “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”
-His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV
#12. “Mind precedes all mental states.
Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought.
If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts,
suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.
Mind precedes all mental states.
Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought.
If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts,
happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.”
-Dhammapada 1-2
#13. “Do not take lightly small misdeeds
Believing they can do no harm
Even a tiny spark of fire
Can set alight a mountain of hay?
Do not take lightly small good deeds
Believing they can hardly help
For drops of water one by one
In time can fill a giant pot.”
-Patrul Rinpoche
#14. “Monks, these four types of karma have been directly realised, verified, & made known by me. Which four? There is karma that is dark with dark results. There is karma that is bright with bright results. There is karma that is dark & bright with dark & bright results. There is neither dark nor bright karma with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of karma.”
-Anguttara Nikaya, 4.235
#15. “Monks, a fool is characterized by their actions. A wise person is characterized by their actions. It is through the activities of one’s life that one’s discernment shines.”
-Anguttara Nikaya, 3.2
