The Mind That Creates Karma

The Endless Cycle of Samsara

Beings wandering within the cycle of rebirth, if they have not yet received the benefit of Buddhist education, remain unaware of the laws of karma and cause and effect. Because they do not understand these fundamental truths, their lives are perpetually accompanied by the manifestation of karma. They drift through existence like leaves caught in a turbulent stream, unaware of why they suffer or how to change their direction.

The mind that creates karma never rests. It is a restless engine of activity, driven by a constant stream of internal states that keep us bound to the six realms of rebirth. This mind is characterised by delusion, discrimination, and attachment. Because these three forces are constantly active, our suffering is also constant. We face the inevitable realities of old age, sickness, and the ever-present shadow of impermanence. We are trapped in a cycle of birth and death that seems to have no end. Truly, those who are lost in this way are to be pitied.

The Root of Our Wandering

The mind that creates karma is the very root of our samsara. Within this cycle, we weave a complex tapestry of good karma and negative karma. We experience the fruits of these actions as a mixture of suffering and happiness. Because we do not control our own minds, we are not the masters of our own lives. Instead, we live days dictated by our past actions and the influence of our karmic creditors.

How we spend our lives, throughout our many lives, depends entirely on the state of this mind that creates karma. If we accumulate more good karma than negative, we experience more happiness than suffering. If we accumulate more negative karma than good, we experience more suffering than happiness. These two states follow one another like shadows, and the cycle never ceases. We find ourselves repeating the same dramas, life after life, caught in a loop of our own making.

The Path to Liberation

When will we finally hear the Buddha’s teachings? When will we encounter a true spiritual friend or a Bodhisattva who can guide us out of this darkness? Only when we meet such guidance can we hope to break free from the suffering of birth and death and finally still the mind that creates karma.

At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, where Namo Amituofo is residing here, we provide the environment and the teachings necessary to help you. We are here to assist you in recognising the infinite compassion of Namo Amituofo, understanding the true nature of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, developing a genuine weariness for the suffering of this world, and turning away from the habits that create karma to choose the path of liberation. By making the sincere vow to chant Namo Amituofo and achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land, and by diligently practising, you can fulfil your wish to return to your true self. When your original Buddha-heart is revealed, you will be able to join the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the great work of saving all suffering beings. Namo Amituofo.