What Causes Kamma to Occur ?
Samsara or the round of rebirth is perpetuated by the defilements which are inherent in all living beings. Defilements play a role in all of our action be it wholesome or unwholesome. The causes of bad and good Kamma are as follows:
1. The Causes of Bad Kamma
Lobha or Greed: Covetousness.
Dosa or Anger: The desire to harm others and is expressed as ill-will, anger, irritation, annoyance, frustration, grudges.
Moha or Ignorance: Misguidedness - mistaking something wrong as being right, harboring a grudge.
2. The Causes of Good Kamma
Alobha: Non-covetousness.
Adosa: Not desiring to harm others. The absence of ill-will, anger, irritation, annoyance, frustration, grudges.
Amoha: No misguidedness. One has Right View and does not hold a grudge against others.
The Lord Buddha taught all living beings to know the root causes of Kamma so that Kamma can be extinguished at its source. The Lord Buddha taught us to cure our greed by giving alms; to cure our anger by cultivating loving-kindness and observing the Precepts; to cure our ignorance by practicing analytical reflection of the causes and effects, by practicing creative thinking, by right thinking so that our greed, anger, and ignorance can be reduced; by being motivated to perform good deeds and practice meditation. These practices allow the source of unwholesomeness to be destroyed.
