Glossary · Buddhist philosophy & practice

Karma

Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म, “action”; Pali: kamma; Tibetan: ལས, Le) is the principle of intentional cause and effect: every deliberate act plants a seed that shapes later experience.

It is not destiny or punishment. As a working idea, karma is consequence, and consequence, unlike fate, can be managed by changing what you plant.

Sources

The term is rooted in the canonical sutras and traditional commentaries of Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism, where it is treated as a contemplative method for training the mind rather than an object of belief.

That's Karma, Man! book cover by Hugo Salles

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That's Karma, Man!

Karma as consequence, not punishment.