Question asked by leong lili
Rinpoche, I understand that the antidote use to reduce potentiality of karma is applying right opponent power. Eg. If we want a longer & healthy life, normal advise by a lama besides puja is usually to save life ie. Usually thru Animal liberation. Seldom I hear of advise to exercise or eat certain medication as an advise. I realise that most of antidotes is emphasise on doings to external 3rd party. I’m wondering why doing to ownself’s body is less emphasise, is it less efficient? Also will being careful be useless for our safety in case of prevention crimes like robbery/snatch thiefs for example. I’m confuse whether if we should spend effort safeguading ourselves & our belongings in light of increasing crime rate. At the same time I know that if we have the karma the things will happen, if not it won’t so it seems futile also. I’m getting confuse & wish to understand and do the right thing for myself & in helping others. Pls help to clarify. I’m immensely grateful to Rinpoche for giving me this space to learn dharma.
Dear Leong,
The reason the internal is more emphasized is because it usually is not and that is the true cause. A Lama does not need to tell you to take medicine, that is a given.
For example:
To increase life you save animals, go vegetarian, take vows, do offerings, build roads, build/support hospitals, do long life Buddha practices, powerful pujas, engage in Medicine Buddha, serve the elderly, create statues and images are some karmic causes to store the merit to have longer life. When one does that, and then takes medicine, excercise, then it will trigger the merit you have accummulated.
Taking medicine, going to doctor and excercising is the environmental factor. The ultimate cause is karma/merit. You have to create the causes (merit) to live long. So you need to have the merit to live longer, then the doctor can be effective. By creating the causes, then maintaining by environmental methods, you can extend your life.
The example I have presented to you above is applicable to all situations.
I hope this helps. TR