Dharma talk by Laura O’Loughlin on karma (09/15/2018)

It’s important to think about how harmful the word karma can be used. It comes out of a very different time and a very different cosmology than the one we live in right now. It has been misunderstood and also used to justify oppressive social structures. It has been conflated with this idea of faith, so that there is premeditated destiny or punishment that gets doled out based on action. It has been used to justify a certain kind of suffering or passivity in the face of suffering, or as a kind of moralistic judgmental force in the world. Like anything, a word or a teaching can be used for harm or for good. Our audio dharma talks are offered free of charge and made possible by the donations we receive. If you would like to support Brooklyn Zen Center, please visit the “Giving” section of our website.