Buddhism on Free will and Causality

[Cleffa]

As a beginner in learning about Buddhism I have always wondered the Buddhist's perspective on free will and causation.

Often I find it confusing to categorize Buddhism into Compatibilism and Incompatibilism. I think similar to the non-theistic perspective of Buddhism, Buddhism has a perspective that's neither completely determinism, nor completely libertarianism, nor completely compatibilism?

Cause from what I know, the basic explanation from a Buddhist perspective on one's life whether one's wealthy or poor, healthy or unhealthy, wise or unwise, etc, depend on karma and Dāna? That means one's current life is determined by her/his past life's action and whether she/he has generosity in giving without seeking anything in return. And this is also determined by the past past lives, and so on. And hence hardcore determinism might consider that ppl are not responsible for their reactions because how they have become a person today are determined by their infinite past lives.

But this view contradicts the purpose of Buddhist practices and believes in which one's life and destiny can be changed by Dāna and simply by thought and consciousness.

And even whether one has wisdom and the chance to hear and learn about Buddhism requires "Yuan" or some kind of synchronicity. And that also depends on karma and Dāna.

Are there any explanations that can clear this confusion so that people like me who has just started studying and learning about Buddhism can clear this up?

Thanks!

 

[Friend of Bill W]

I'm new, but I asked a teacher a similar question with regards free will. I asked in Buddhism is free will, free?

His reply, which made sense, was on the basis of Dependant Origination where nothing exists inherently by itself but always depends on other factors.

For example, a car will depend on it's engine, wheels, fuel, etc for how fast it's capable of going.

I'm a recovered alcoholic who couldn't stop drinking no matter how much I tried. My 'free will' wasn't good enough. But I joined A.A. and they showed me how to create the causes and conditions that allow me to exercise my 'free will' to stay stopped from drinking.

See how that works?

 

[DreadFish]

This is just my understanding but,

Basically karma means "action" and it functions as a natural law of cause and effect. You act with body, speech, or mind and you plant a seed. That seed ripens in its own time and, when its ripened, you experience its effects. Basically, everything one is experiencing in this present moment is a result of karma, from the smallest things like a random smell while walking down the street, to developing cancer. So, what we experience is a result of past actions.
We cant control what we experience, but we can control how we experience what we are experiencing. Where we have control is how we act or react to a situation, and that action plants a seed for experiences to come.

Basically, its between full free will and determinism. Ultimately, through our actions we are fully able to control how we will experience things in the future, so its up to us. But when those effects ripen, then we have no choice but to experience them.


But, thats just my understanding.


EDIT: I also remember a story I read about a Buddhist Lama who had been taken to prison by the Chinese and was kept there for a long time, but he didnt seem to be upset by it, he just explained it as a result of past karma.

 

[Engyo]

The other part we need to understand about karma is that it is completely neutral. We put the interpretation of good or bad on it.

For example, you light the burner on the stove. The burner gets hot. If this causes your teakettle to boil, you would call this 'good' karma; a positive result. If instead this causes you to burn your hand, you would call this 'bad' karma. The burner on the stove, and the cause made by lighting it, is exactly the same in both cases. It is only how we perceive the result that makes us decide whether it is 'good' or 'bad'.

 

[Cleffa]

Thank you for the answers!

This is just my understanding but,

Basically karma means "action" and it functions as a natural law of cause and effect. You act with body, speech, or mind and you plant a seed. That seed ripens in its own time and, when its ripened, you experience its effects. Basically, everything one is experiencing in this present moment is a result of karma, from the smallest things like a random smell while walking down the street, to developing cancer. So, what we experience is a result of past actions.
We cant control what we experience, but we can control how we experience what we are experiencing. Where we have control is how we act or react to a situation, and that action plants a seed for experiences to come.

Basically, its between full free will and determinism. Ultimately, through our actions we are fully able to control how we will experience things in the future, so its up to us. But when those effects ripen, then we have no choice but to experience them.


But, thats just my understanding.


EDIT: I also remember a story I read about a Buddhist Lama who had been taken to prison by the Chinese and was kept there for a long time, but he didnt seem to be upset by it, he just explained it as a result of past karma.

I think I get what you mean but I still couldn't figure all out because let's say for now, we know that what we are experiencing now is a result of our past actions. And it all depends on how we act or react the things happening now that makes our future different. Hence a hope to have a better life in the future. But for example my action and reaction, how I handle a situation, and generally my world view, depend on where I was born, where I was educated, how my parents taught me, how the media affected me, what friends I hang out with, and many many other factors. And these factors also depend on karma, which is actions and reactions from past lives. Hence the Buddhist Lama from the story has a perception that him going to the prison is a result of past life is because he already has a Buddhist world view which is very wise of him. And why is he so fortunate to be able to have the "yuanfen" and wisdom to learn and understand Buddhism is also because of his past lives.

Therefore, can I say that people are not responsible for their actions and reactions unless this is their first life and they have no past lives? but this does not make sense since Buddhist Sutras all tell us to have filal piety and mercy and have virtue actions as the basics to transcend as a Pusa (at least based on mayahana). Still confused lol.

 

[koan]

In other words, causes and conditions. sounds like Karma. One can always vary the causes and conditions. Not where one is born, but everything thing in life that has affected one. One can't change what has happened, but one can change how one reacts.

 

[Cleffa]

In other words, causes and conditions. sounds like Karma. One can always vary the causes and conditions. Not where one is born, but everything thing in life that has affected one. One can't change what has happened, but one can change how one reacts.

But isn't how one's decision to act or react also depends on his knowledge, characteristics, etc, and his knowledge and characteristics, etc depends on his life path from baby till now such as how his/her teachers and parents have taught him/her, how the media have affected him/her, etc. And this depends on past lives. So his actions and reactions can't be altered either. Unless it is his or her first life in which he/she has no past lives that can define him/her.

Hope I'm being clear with my question.

 

[koan]

No. Of course habits can be altered. After all, how you react to something is Habit. Habit is caused by conditioning. If you choose to become upset over something that's your conditioning, not the fault of the thing your upset about.

 

[DreadFish]

Thank you for the answers!



I think I get what you mean but I still couldn't figure all out because let's say for now, we know that what we are experiencing now is a result of our past actions. And it all depends on how we act or react the things happening now that makes our future different. Hence a hope to have a better life in the future. But for example my action and reaction, how I handle a situation, and generally my world view, depend on where I was born, where I was educated, how my parents taught me, how the media affected me, what friends I hang out with, and many many other factors. And these factors also depend on karma, which is actions and reactions from past lives. Hence the Buddhist Lama from the story has a perception that him going to the prison is a result of past life is because he already has a Buddhist world view which is very wise of him. And why is he so fortunate to be able to have the "yuanfen" and wisdom to learn and understand Buddhism is also because of his past lives.

Therefore, can I say that people are not responsible for their actions and reactions unless this is their first life and they have no past lives? but this does not make sense since Buddhist Sutras all tell us to have filal piety and mercy and have virtue actions as the basics to transcend as a Pusa (at least based on mayahana). Still confused lol.

I didnt even see this here, so im sorry I didnt reply. You might be gone now, but I will reply for the sake of clarification anyway.


You talked about certain things being dependent on how you were raised. The place of your birth is determined because of karma. Thats how karma effects future lives. Now, imagine one learns about the dharma in this life. For one, it is their karma to be exposed to the teachings of the Buddha. So one practices, and this practice sets up favorable conditions for the next life. Including being raised in a place where the dharma is known and practiced. Thus, one can make sure that one will have understanding in the next life should they not realize enlightenment in this one. And overall, depending on how ripe one;s mind is, through continual practice, one will gradually learn more and more each lifetime, having set up the causes and conditions for each one in the past life.

The idea being that one would build up these imprints and causes in ones mindstream until it all peaks in the full realization of enlightenment.

Ultimately everything we experience is a result of a past action, and like Engyo said, the karma is neither good nor bad, just a result that follows a particular action.

Being in ignorance when growing up, we dont realize the results of a lot of the actions we perform, so we dont know the nature of what the television and music and stuff will imprint on our mind.

I hope that clarifies anything.

 

[Benhamine]

I believe the general understanding within Buddhism would be non-deterministic. Karma may determine the circumstances you face but not the decisions you make at those instances. The choice is still yours to make. It really just comes down to whether you think you have free will or not. This has become more of a thread on the validity of determinism which in my opinion is a pointless argument. Try to live your life the best you know how and if you only do that because it was pre-determined then so be it. Determinism has always seemed like a cop-out philosophy to me. If you believe in determinism would you let a killer free? Not punish your child for smacking some other kid?

-Benhamine