Читать книгу Treasury of Dharma - Géshé Rabten - Страница 18

The cause of suffering, unwholesome action, also has its own specific cause. Such action is caused by delusions (Skt. Klesha). Of the many types of these delusions the three principal ones are attachment, hatred, and ignorance. These delusions operate solely within our own minds. If we watch our minds we can see how desire or attachment arise towards wealth, food, or other objects. To show how the delusion of attachment leads to an unwholesome action which thereby produces suffering, let us take the example of someone who has a strong desire for food. Because of this, the person kills an animal or asks someone else to do it for him. It may be a sheep, cow, chicken or any other animal commonly killed for its meat. At the time the animal is killed, either by the person himself or by someone else whom he has asked to do it, the Karma is created. As soon as this act of killing is completed, at that very moment an imprint is left on the stream of consciousness. If, motivated by this attachment, the person kills one animal, two animals or a hundred animals, the corresponding number of imprints are left on his stream of consciousness. Although a karmic imprint is not tangible, and is formless, it will nonetheless remain on the mental continuum until favourable conditions arise which allow it to produce its effect, suffering. This is somewhat like an electric current. Although we cannot see it flowing through the wires, it still has the energy to power machines.

In the same way, if, out of attachment and a desire for great wealth and possessions, a person steals, bad Karma is produced simultaneously with that action. Here again a delusion gives rise to a specific action which leaves an imprint on the stream of consciousness and will result in suffering in the future. These are two simple examples of how the delusion of attachment produces Karma. But, if you think deeply, you will find many more. To kill results in negative physical Karma. To tell others to do so results in negative vocal Karma. A person will eventually suffer the results of such Karma in a similar manner.

Mental Karma however, requires no physical or vocal effort, so consequently it is very easy to produce. As soon as the unwholesome thought arises Karma is generated. For example, if a large number of people feel mental satisfaction at the misfortune of others, whether just one person or a whole nation, they produce collective, unwholesome Karma. That Karma leaves an imprint on each of their streams of consciousness which will result in their jointly experiencing the effect in the future.

This was a very brief explanation of individual and collective Karmas and the way in which they are produced by the delusions. Suffering arises from Karma and these actions are produced by the delusions. Therefore, to put an end to suffering we must put an end to Karma, and to put an end to Karma we must put an end to the delusions. There is no other way.

We do not need to look beyond ourselves to find these delusions. They exist within our own minds and are factors within its make-up. Because of this, it is very important to recognize these negative mental factors. By doing so we can then become familiar with the way in which they arise and function, and eventually we can eliminate them. Because such factors are present within our minds we must make use of another part of the mind to overcome them. They cannot be destroyed by external means. Even if we were to drop an atom bomb on our delusions, it would have no effect. We would destroy the body, but the imprints of these negative factors would be carried on the stream of consciousness to a future existence.